Have you ever wondered why your phone connected to WiFi and sharing Ethernet via USB doesn't halve the speed, whereas a repeater does? In this article, we will explore the reasons behind this phenomenon and help you understand the technical aspects involved.
First, let's understand the two scenarios we are comparing:
Phone connected to WiFi and sharing Ethernet via USB
In this setup, you connect your phone to a WiFi network and then share the internet connection with another device (such as a computer) by connecting your phone to the computer using a USB cable. The phone acts as a bridge between the WiFi network and the computer, allowing it to access the internet.
Using a repeater
A repeater, also known as a WiFi extender, is a device that amplifies and extends the range of your WiFi network. It receives the WiFi signal from your router and rebroadcasts it, allowing devices that are out of range of the router to connect to the network.
Now, let's discuss why the speed is different in these two scenarios:
1. Bandwidth sharing
When you connect your phone to WiFi and share the Ethernet connection with another device, the phone acts as a bridge or a gateway. It allows the second device to access the internet using the same WiFi network. However, the bandwidth is shared between the phone and the second device. This means that the total available bandwidth is divided between the two devices, resulting in a reduced speed for both.
On the other hand, when you use a repeater, it simply extends the range of your WiFi network without dividing the available bandwidth. The repeater receives the WiFi signal from your router and rebroadcasts it, allowing devices to connect to the network as if they were connected directly to the router. Therefore, the speed remains the same as the original WiFi network.
2. USB connection limitations
When you share the Ethernet connection via USB, the speed may also be limited by the USB connection itself. USB 2.0, which is commonly found on older devices, has a maximum transfer rate of 480 Mbps (megabits per second). USB 3.0, which is faster and found on newer devices, has a maximum transfer rate of 5 Gbps (gigabits per second).
If you are using a USB 2.0 connection, the maximum speed you can achieve when sharing the Ethernet connection will be limited to 480 Mbps. This can be significantly lower than the speed provided by your WiFi network. However, if you are using a USB 3.0 connection, the speed limitation is less of an issue as it can handle higher transfer rates.
3. Signal strength and interference
Another factor that can affect the speed when sharing the Ethernet connection via USB is the signal strength and potential interference between the WiFi network and the phone. If the WiFi signal is weak or there is interference from other devices or physical barriers, the speed may be reduced.
On the other hand, a repeater is placed strategically to receive and amplify the WiFi signal, ensuring a strong and consistent connection. It eliminates the issues related to signal strength and interference, resulting in the same speed as the original WiFi network.
In conclusion, the difference in speed between sharing Ethernet via USB and using a repeater can be attributed to bandwidth sharing, USB connection limitations, and signal strength/interference. If you require a faster and more reliable connection, using a repeater is the recommended option. However, if you only need to share the connection temporarily and speed is not a critical factor, sharing Ethernet via USB can still be a viable solution.