Aright some of you might know about the custom build i bought. i'm debating whether I should run an ethernet cable from my router in my mom's office to the computer in my room in the basement. that's i estimate about 36 feet of ethernet cable. or i could buy a wireless adapter similar to this. I want my internet connection to be as fast as possible so please ask all questions that could help.

Dude 85 bucks on that thing? Do you even have a wireless N router?

If it's a desktop, you can get one that plugs into a PCI slot, that way you don't have a usb port being taken up.

I was just giving an example. i only meant to show the function not the product.

Oh lol. Ok well your router, is it wireless g or wireless n?

wireless n
802.11n

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16833180053

Or you can get a PCI version, but this one is cheap and seems to work.

So I take it Ethernet isn't as fast?

Not only is 36 feet of cord unattractive, but over longer distances you can get data loss (even with a cord).

You're not going to get substantially faster speeds with an ethernet cable compared to wireless n.

well for the unattractive part i can assure you i was going to run it through walls.

Ok, definitely not worth the hassle when you can easily set up wireless.

My parents have experience as electricians. when you have parents like mine anything not on the subject of computers is possible.
but yeah i totally understand your point about wireless.

Actually, my wireless router is quite fast (up to 54mbs, if there is any internet service/website with those speeds), faster than my old ethernet router tbh. It was only like $50, so it isn't too bad. Then again, speed can also depend on the site you are downloading from/speed of your computer.
~Vincent

54mbps is only the data transfer between the router and the computer. That is the max data transfer possible per second on Wireless G.

Also take into account wireless n doesn't make much difference if you have low internet speeds

Honestly, I'd run ethernet if you can. I have this house fully wired with ethernet and it's great. As we were doing renovations I took the time to run it and I get much faster speeds, even from 70+ feet away. I have wireless N as well, but ethernet is much better in my opinion. It's faster, more secure and more reliable. All of our desktops are hard wired and our desks all have ethernet wired to them. We only use wireless when we're elsewhere in the house or outside with our laptops, that's it.

~Bcloutier~

What was that site that checked your download/upload speeds? I want to check it with my macbook on wireless so i can guess what it'll be for the desktop on wireless.

speedtest.net

But the speeds aren't going to change. The only thing that may be different is the speed between the router and your computer, but using wireless N it should be almost the same as using a standard ethernet cable.

It's not usually. Wireless N is fast, but it's not the same as being hard wired. Plus, the moment you get a G-only device (iPod Touch/iPhone, older laptop, PSP's, etc) on the network, there goes your N and you're back to slower G. Being wired gives you the advantage of never having to worry about that.

And yes, I do notice quite a difference from going from N to G. That's also because I do a lot of streaming and I need my bandwidth.

~Bcloutier~

Then I'd go with Ethernet.

Pros

• Security / Future proof - Eventually WPA will be as secure as WEP which can be cracked within an hour.
• Speed - 1 Gbps vs. 300 Mbps or less.
• Reliability - No signal strength issues.

I do agree with the banned member above based on the OP's request, but I want to correct his last point. A wired connection is not perfect either. There are a few factors that can impact a LAN connection from reaching optimum transmission.

One factor is the cable itself. Do not exceed the bend radius, which is the maximum amount you can curve the cable before it becomes kinked. In a twisted-pair cable, this is typically greater than or equal to 4x the diameter of the cable. Avoid clinching the cable between obstacles so much that marks can be seen on the cable sheathing. Avoid placing it on the floor where objects like rolling chairs, vacuums, and people can walk on the cable. If you must place it in a walkway, use a cable protector. Always give the cable a little slack and be very careful not to pull too tightly when going long distances, such as down the wall of a hallway.

You also have to be careful about signal noise like electromagnetic interference (EMI) and crosstalk. EMI is caused by the waves emanating from televisions, florescent lights, machinery, and other electrical equipment. Thunderstorms do the same thing. It's best to stay 3 feet away from these appliances, especially fluorescent lights. Crosstalk occurs when signals from one wire interfere with a nearby wire. This was seen typically when two phone lines would interfere with each other and participants could hear the others' call. Crosstalk in networks can prevent accurate data delivery. Heat can also cause noise and interrupt data transfer.

A third type of transmission flaw is called attenuation, which is the loss of signal strength over a distance. A device called a repeater can repair the digital signal that was distorted over a distance and even noise from the various devices mentioned above. The last transmission flaw I can think of is called latency, which is the delay between devices on the network to send a command. Curing this flaw is done by following the cable's allowed number of network nodes (devices) and length between nodes.

Just a few things to keep in mind as you install your LAN. A wired connection will always be faster and more secure than a wireless connection, but you got the make the call on which one is best suitable for you.