Wifi vs hardwired for streaming


Best compromise? Wifi with mesh extenders, (eero) OR, a long run of ethernet, purchased at Best Buy...?

First time streamer...Eversolo T8.

larseand

+1 on the fiber media converter and a solid SFP module route. (A pair at each end unless your streamer has a fiber input module.) 

And, @larseand , if you want to try wired (which I found more reliable with TIDAL and Qobuz than WiFI in my systems), and if you need a long run, using good quality fiber optic cable (like this Corning Fiber) in whatever length you need, is cheaper and visually superior to Cat cable and eliminates risk of RFI and EMI.  I use a variety of SFPs, but these Finisar Single Mode work very well and were recommended to be my other members here.  (For my Ubiquiti switch chain, I found using Ubiquiti SFPs worked better.) You can experiment with fancy, “audiophile” fiber media converters, but I find these to work very well and the price is easy to swallow: FMC StarTech , with a simple power supply like this iFi Ipower on at least the FMC that is connected to your streamer. (Just make sure your fiber optic cable and the SFPs are compatible — either single mode or multimode; most FMCs can handle either.)

If you live in an area prone to lightening or other power surges, this approach also has the advantage of isolating your streamer and other equipment from power surges that might come into your home via the copper coax and Ethernet cabling.

Ethernet from my Unifi Switch directly to my Eversolo T8.  Very stable and zero issues.

To be honest, cat-8 is cat-8 is cat-8. 22 or 26ga. It’s a spec that all cables need to meet. Because of having over 2 dozen competing wireless systems around my house, I rewired my house to 16Gb using Phizli cat-8 cables of varying lengths (2-15m) all home run connected to a Dell 8024F switch using ipolex X001DGYAU7 RJ-45 SFP+s and have no problems streaming anything: audio, video, and video. I also use HP 1820 switches connected via fiber to my remote media closets. 
 

Of course, having a 5GB fios connection helps, too. 

Wifi when setup correctly can be rock solid. For example, turn down your radio transmission power (Tx) so you don’t have your neighbors clogging up your radio channels. Did you ever wonder why you see so many networks with funny names or the default provider ones that many people never change(SSID's) when you go to setup a new device in your place?

Distance will suffer but if in close proximity to your devices, not a problem. I run my Wifi at 50% (or 12 dBm of 24 dBm).

I wrote about this in another thread but the above is a summary and can be researched for more detail online.

@easystreamer Reducing your transmit power so you limit your Wifi to only your home/property is solid security advice, and it makes you a good neighbor.  Unfortunately it doesn't reduce your neighbor's transmit power so AFAIK you will see the same amount of channel congestion.

Implied in your approach is the use of a Wifi analyzer for your laptop or phone, which is also solid advice.  Knowing your signal strength and what channels are free is a great way to maximize your throughput.