Do wired connections have more priority over wireless ones?

[cakesmithinc]

Basically, this is to settle an argument. One of my roommates is upset because he has a wireless connection and I have a wired one, so he assumes the router is giving me 'first pick' on our shared bandwidth. I am fairly certain this isn't true, but was unable to find an answer anywhere, so I'm making a thread to ask the question. Do wired connections have more priority over wireless ones on a wireless router?

Our wireless router is an Apple AirPort, if that matters.

Thanks in advanced,
Vaughn B.

 

[USAFRet]

No, it doesn't.
But his connection is probably 'slower', simply because it is WiFi.

 

[InvalidError]

WiFi may not have a higher priority but it is far less reliable/predictable performance-wise due to its half-duplex, time-shared and wireless nature.

There are countless things that can potentially degrade performance on WiFi even with the best possible equipment at both ends. With a wired connection, you are almost guaranteed perfect connectivity the first time every time as long as the wiring is of decent quality and the equipment at both ends is in working order, and this applies even to some of the crappiest wired gear you can find.

 

[Shaun o]

It`s not a question of priority.
It`s a fact that a wired connection will always yield a better fixed speed and bandwidth over a wireless connection.
It does not suffer from signal degradation on a wired connection.
Where as with a wireless connection you have to deal with factors of distance from the router. How many physical obstructions are between the router broadcasting and the device trying to catch the signal.
The signal just like any through the air transmission will suffer due to distance and solid objects in it`s path reducing the signal strength. The lower the signal level due to refraction, or in short the signal getting scattered due to solid objects like walls or what floor level the router is at vs where your friends computer is in the house or dorm you are in.
The bandwidth of a wireless device will always be reduced due to these factors, on how much bandwidth it can obtain from the router and it`s broadcasting wireless signals.

The way to improve it would be to get a larger wireless antenna so it could gain or catch more signal strength due to the aerials size.

 

[cakesmithinc]

Thanks guys, you're a great help. Love this forum.