Do I need a WiFi card for a new computer?

[noahmorgans]

So I am getting a computer for Christmas and thought I had everything I needed. But, I was watching this video and it said I need a WiFi card if I don't have ethernet (which I don't). So, my question is do I need a wifi card to install windows and/or drivers?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZaFqY8UF6I

Skip to 17:30.

 

[USAFRet]

An ethernet cable from the router to your PC is MUCH preferable over WiFi.
Can you do that?

 

[noahmorgans]

An ethernet cable from the router to your PC is MUCH preferable over WiFi.
Can you do that?

Do they make 30 foot long ethernet cables?

 

[USAFRet]

An ethernet cable from the router to your PC is MUCH preferable over WiFi.
Can you do that?

Do they make 30 foot long ethernet cables?

Absolutely, yes.
Get a 50 foot Cat5e, just in case.

 

[noahmorgans]

An ethernet cable from the router to your PC is MUCH preferable over WiFi.
Can you do that?

Do they make 30 foot long ethernet cables?

Absolutely, yes.
Get a 50 foot Cat5e, just in case.

Just actually measured, about 45 feet. Should I get 60? Or stay with 50?

 

[noahmorgans]

An ethernet cable from the router to your PC is MUCH preferable over WiFi.
Can you do that?

Do they make 30 foot long ethernet cables?

Absolutely, yes.
Get a 50 foot Cat5e, just in case.

And final two questions, how do I know what kind I need? Can I buy one from a local Best Buy or Office Max or Target?

 

[smorizio]

get the extra few feet. it let you bend/hide the cable in your room if your going around or under things. it also give your cable some slack if the tower falls or someone trips on the cable. snapping the cable is small cost to replace. pulling the ethernet port out of the mb you have to replace the mb or use a 3 party ethernet card.

 

[USAFRet]

An ethernet cable from the router to your PC is MUCH preferable over WiFi.
Can you do that?

Do they make 30 foot long ethernet cables?

Absolutely, yes.
Get a 50 foot Cat5e, just in case.

Just actually measured, about 45 feet. Should I get 60? Or stay with 50?

If it is actually "45 feet", get a 20 or 25 meter (60-75 feet) cable.
Assuming a reasonable quality Cat5e cable, ethernet is fine for gigabit speeds to 330 feet (100 meters).

 

[noahmorgans]

An ethernet cable from the router to your PC is MUCH preferable over WiFi.
Can you do that?

Do they make 30 foot long ethernet cables?

Absolutely, yes.
Get a 50 foot Cat5e, just in case.

Just actually measured, about 45 feet. Should I get 60? Or stay with 50?

If it is actually "45 feet", get a 20 or 25 meter (60-75 feet) cable.
Assuming a reasonable quality Cat5e cable, ethernet is fine for gigabit speeds to 330 feet (100 meters).

What is gigabit speeds? And does the cable have to be compatible with the mobo/router? Is Cat6 better? Can I find them at Best Buy?

 

[USAFRet]

What is gigabit speeds? And does the cable have to be compatible with the mobo/router? Is Cat6 better? Can I find them at Best Buy?

Cat5e is what you need.
It is compatible with your router and the PC.
You do not need "Cat6". It is not 'better'.

BestBuy, either of these:
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/insignia-100-cat-5e-network-cable-gray/6392428.p?skuId=6392428
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/tripp-lite-100-n001-series-rj-45-snagless-molded-cat-5e-patch-cable-black/4541432.p?skuId=4541432

 

[noahmorgans]

What is gigabit speeds? And does the cable have to be compatible with the mobo/router? Is Cat6 better? Can I find them at Best Buy?

Cat5e is what you need.
It is compatible with your router and the PC.
You do not need "Cat6". It is not 'better'.

BestBuy, either of these:
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/insignia-100-cat-5e-network-cable-gray/6392428.p?skuId=6392428
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/tripp-lite-100-n001-series-rj-45-snagless-molded-cat-5e-patch-cable-black/4541432.p?skuId=4541432

What is the difference between a wifi card and ethernet cable? If it's only speed, I only get about 80 mbps according to my phone test so I don't think I would need an entire megabit.

 

[James Mason]

Wifi has signal fluctuations, ethernet doesn't.

Your phone may only be able to get 80mbits.

 

[USAFRet]

What is the difference between a wifi card and ethernet cable? If it's only speed, I only get about 80 mbps according to my phone test so I don't think I would need an entire megabit.

An ethernet cable is rock solid stable, all the time.
WiFi can vary if someone turns the microwave on. Or interference from your neighbors. Or any of a number of other conditions.

 

[noahmorgans]

What is the difference between a wifi card and ethernet cable? If it's only speed, I only get about 80 mbps according to my phone test so I don't think I would need an entire megabit.

An ethernet cable is rock solid stable, all the time.
WiFi can vary if someone turns the microwave on. Or interference from your neighbors. Or any of a number of other conditions.

I looked at a few stores and couldn't find a cable in my length. Do you think I can move my router? What cables would I need to get my router to work?

 

[USAFRet]

What is the difference between a wifi card and ethernet cable? If it's only speed, I only get about 80 mbps according to my phone test so I don't think I would need an entire megabit.

An ethernet cable is rock solid stable, all the time.
WiFi can vary if someone turns the microwave on. Or interference from your neighbors. Or any of a number of other conditions.

I looked at a few stores and couldn't find a cable in my length. Do you think I can move my router? What cables would I need to get my router to work?

What type of cable do you have coming IN to your router? coax? Something else?
"can you"? Depends on how your house is wired.

 

[noahmorgans]

What is the difference between a wifi card and ethernet cable? If it's only speed, I only get about 80 mbps according to my phone test so I don't think I would need an entire megabit.

An ethernet cable is rock solid stable, all the time.
WiFi can vary if someone turns the microwave on. Or interference from your neighbors. Or any of a number of other conditions.

I looked at a few stores and couldn't find a cable in my length. Do you think I can move my router? What cables would I need to get my router to work?

What type of cable do you have coming IN to your router? coax? Something else?
"can you"? Depends on how your house is wired.

I took a look and everything is very confusing. My router is connected to a port with a long black cable with circular ends. My modem is connected to that port.

 

[USAFRet]

I took a look and everything is very confusing. My router is connected to a port with a long black cable with circular ends. My modem is connected to that port.

OK...sounds like a coax cable.
But your description is a bit fuzzy.

From the outside of the house, what is the first device? The modem? Make/model please.
Then after that, the router? Make/model, please.
Then after that, your PC, eventually with a Cat5e cable.

 

[noahmorgans]

I took a look and everything is very confusing. My router is connected to a port with a long black cable with circular ends. My modem is connected to that port.

OK...sounds like a coax cable.
But your description is a bit fuzzy.

From the outside of the house, what is the first device? The modem? Make/model please.
Then after that, the router? Make/model, please.
Then after that, your PC, eventually with a Cat5e cable.

Are you able to upload pictures to this website? If you can, how?

 

[USAFRet]

Are you able to upload pictures to this website? If you can, how?

Detailed instructions on posting images on Tom's hardware.
http://www.tomshardware.com/faq/id-2580030/detailed-instructions-posting-images-tom-hardware.html

I use imgur.com.

 

[noahmorgans]

Are you able to upload pictures to this website? If you can, how?

Detailed instructions on posting images on Tom's hardware.
http://www.tomshardware.com/faq/id-2580030/detailed-instructions-posting-images-tom-hardware.html

I use imgur.com.

https://imgur.com/a/B0o3z

My router is a little up and right, tell me if you need a pic of that. The router only has two cables connected to it, the power cable and the cable in the top right connected to the hub thing that connects to the modem.

 

[USAFRet]

The black box - VAST. That's the modem?

I see one coax from that to the splitter, which presumably goes to....what?
Not sure how that works.

Yes, I need a pic of the router as well.

 

[noahmorgans]

The black box - VAST. That's the modem?

I see one coax from that to the splitter, which presumably goes to....what?
Not sure how that works.

Yes, I need a pic of the router as well.

If you're talking about the other black cable connected to the splitter, that goes to the router. Give me a sec, I'll get another pic. Yes, vast is our internet provider and that is our modem.

 

[noahmorgans]

The black box - VAST. That's the modem?

I see one coax from that to the splitter, which presumably goes to....what?
Not sure how that works.

Yes, I need a pic of the router as well.

Close up router:
https://imgur.com/a/Uu9Yt

Router from modem location (top left):
https://imgur.com/a/uAHr8

 

[noahmorgans]

The black box - VAST. That's the modem?

I see one coax from that to the splitter, which presumably goes to....what?
Not sure how that works.

Yes, I need a pic of the router as well.

Wait, is there some way we can have two routers up in the same home? I realized I have an extra one laying around.

 

[USAFRet]

On the modem, I see 2 and only 2 cables.
The power cable, and the coax line.
Is there another one hidden?

On the router, I see the same.
Only 2 cables, power and coax.


The basic signal from outside...where does that connect first?

I'm just trying to determine the signal path here.