Wifi vs ethernet revisited

I do have a couple of tips. If using Ethernet over long runs (20’ or more) use an IEC 60601 certified isolator at the end of the run. It adds 4kV of surge protection. Don’t use shorting Ethernet surge protectors. EverStar is cheapest, TrippLite, and Eaton have some at 2-3x the price. Nothing worse than losing a stack of equipment over blown network plugs. Audiophile versions are typically not tested to this standard so no idea how they’ll perform.

The other is if you have network devices near your audio/video gear consider upgrading the wall warts with iFi versions. They inject less noise back into your AC, but are typically 2x the cost of your Ethernet switch to begin with. 

FWIW, kinda on the same line on this topic. I have an LHY EFI fiber optic isolator being delivered today. I will not be able to try it for a few weeks until I return home. It internally isolates wired ethernet to optical and back. I am going to place in front of my audiophile switch that feeds my Streamer and a DAC to start.

https://www.beatechnik.com/product-page/lhy-audio-efi

Don't understand why others don't try this. Run your ethernet provider output next to your audio system (modem next to your stack). Short run of high quality ethernet cable to gaming router, disable wifi in this router (for audio system only), run long ethernet cable to second router, this now serves as wifi router for rest of house. From router ethernet to network optimizer (in my case JCAT NetCard XE, and then fiber conversion via your choice of converters (I use Sonore). Every single piece on audio system LPS and power conditioner.

Running wifi on audio system network adds noise, switching power supplies same, I've found cheaper ethernet cable inferior to higher quality, ie higher resolution/transparency with better cable ( short length of high quality ethernet out of modem much preferable to the long length cheaper cable most running from remote modem). Keep all cabling short as possible, all quality cabling, no switching power supply, optimizing every single component in streaming setup has to be considered. In my case no switch, I've tried audiophile switch, vs optimized audio system only router, adding switch inferior, adds needless complexity.

@sns yes, obviously, and I agree. I do have that setup. The problem is that I have a second audio system at the other end of the apartment.

@erik_squires (and @fthompson251) please correct me if I misunderstood, but after each ethernet run to each of my two audio systems (one of them is over 40'), I have a short fiber-optic "moat" which gets reconverted to ethernet via etherregens before they enter the audio system; already noted in my original post. Would that not suffice against surges? (And point taken on the iFi.)

OP: I can’t seem to read a good forum thread where the usual stuttering’/buffering problems (that we all know about)

Apparently, I don’t know about it. My WiFi has been rock-solid with an 8 year old Auralic Aries streamer. No hiccups at all. Perhaps, it's because both TX/RX are extremely tricked-out. I’m very pleased with my Fidelizer Audio Airstream.