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Question

Best way to maintain bandwidth

Aug 31, 2015 6:40PM PDT

I have AT&T as my ISP, which means all 4 cable boxes are using the bandwidth, Also with 3 kids I have a combination of 6 tablets and phones sucking up the Wifi as well. Additionally to that I have 2 computers and my sons Playstation. My question is whether or not it is most practical to wire as many devises as possible or just let the majority use WiFi? Since the wired devices receive higher bandwidth will that take away from each other or lower the wifi?
I hope this makes sense, I was wondering about it at work today so I'm typing it in a 4 inch window trying to hide it from boss man.

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Aug 31, 2015 7:13PM PDT
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This part is likely untrue. Why?
Sep 1, 2015 6:46AM PDT

"I have AT&T as my ISP, which means all 4 cable boxes are using the bandwidth,"

This neglects the fact that such can be broadband. While I can't duplicate what broadband is, it means that it's more than one channel so each cable box can have it's own feed.

However WiFi is all shared bandwidth. It's the old party line type system where only one can talk at a time so in effect it's limiting the bandwidth on its own. You can help that by installing a second WiFi access point (routers can be used as access points) so the second WiFi zone has it's own air space.

I don't see what the uses are for the machines so it's not possible to guess what the Internet connection speed should be but for most the many machine issue is not as bad since you rarely see 9 people on those 9 things at the same time.

If everyone tried to run Netflix you can look at the internet speed requirement like this:
https://help.netflix.com/en/node/306 gives you about 5 megabit per user. WiFi, even 802.11g is 54 megabit so you have 5 or more on netflix there.