Why Every Home Office Should Have a Hardwired Data Point

May 21, 2025

Tyson Orth

Working from home has become a norm for entrepreneurs, freelancers, and even corporate employees. If you’re one of the millions working in a home office, you might rely on Wi-Fi for your internet connection. After all, Wi-Fi is convenient and lets you roam around with your laptop. So why bother with a hardwired data point (Ethernet jack) in your home office? The short answer: reliability, speed, and peace of mind. In this article, we’ll explore the compelling reasons every home office should be outfitted with at least one wired network connection.

Wi-Fi vs. Ethernet: Convenience Meets Performance

Wi-Fi is undeniably convenient — no one likes cables if they can avoid them. But that convenience comes with trade-offs in performance:

Stability: Wi-Fi is susceptible to various disturbances. Walls, distance, other wireless networks, even household electronics can cause your Wi-Fi signal to fluctuate acnpacific.com. You’ve probably experienced it: one moment you have full bars, the next moment your Zoom call gets choppy. Ethernet (a hardwired connection) offers a stable, continuous link. Because data isn’t traveling through the air, it isn’t affected by those environmental factors acnpacific.com. Result: your connection over cable remains steady no matter how many walls or microwaves are in between.

Speed:The maximum speed of Wi-Fi is always shared and can vary. If you pay for, say, 100 Mbps internet, on Wi-Fi you might only see a fraction of that on a busy day or in a far room. Ethernet delivers near the full rated speed of your internet plan to your device, consistently. There’s a reason gamers and IT pros often insist on plugging in via Ethernet – it’s simply faster and more reliable when every megabit counts. As one tech blogger put it, “Ethernet cables offer a more consistent and faster connection, as they deliver data directly from the router to your device without interference.” infinigeek.com If you’re uploading large files or downloading big projects, a wired connection can save you significant time.

Latency: This is the delay in signal travel, and it matters a lot for two-way communication like video calls or remote desktop work. Wi-Fi adds latency, especially if the signal is weak or the network is congested. Ever been on a video call where people talk over each other due to slight delays? That’s often a Wi-Fi-induced latency issue. Ethernet minimizes latency – it’s just a quicker pathway. This means smoother video conferences and faster response in VPN or remote desktop sessions (no more frustrating lag when you click something on your work computer remotely).

The Home Office Reality: Consistency is Key

When you’re at an office building, you probably connect via Ethernet or have enterprise-grade Wi-Fi. At home, using just Wi-Fi might seem fine most of the time, but it can turn on you at critical moments. Consider these common scenarios:

You’re in the middle of a virtual meeting with a client or your team, and suddenly your video freezes or the audio starts cutting out. You scramble to move closer to the router or disconnect/reconnect, but precious minutes and professionalism are lost.

You’re uploading a large batch of files to a client or backing up your work, and it’s crawling. Meanwhile, someone else in the house starts streaming 4K video on Wi-Fi, and your upload almost stalls entirely.

Your company requires you to have a reliable connection for security (some even mandate no Wi-Fi for certain work-from-home roles, precisely because Wi-Fi can be less secure or stable quora.com).

In each case, a wired connection could make a critical difference. Remote workers should always have an Ethernet cable handy for these reasons infinigeek.com. In fact, many remote-based employers explicitly expect or require that you use a wired connection during work hours. They know that an Ethernet-connected employee is going to have far fewer technical issues than one on Wi-Fi.

Benefits of a Hardwired Data Point

Let’s enumerate the key benefits of having that RJ45 Ethernet jack in your home office and using it:

Reliability: Wired connections don’t suddenly drop unless there’s a physical issue or the modem goes offline. You can essentially eliminate the random disconnections that sometimes plague Wi-Fi (like when your neighbour’s Wi-Fi overlaps on the same channel or someone turns on the microwave). This reliability means no more “Sorry, I think my internet is acting up” moments on calls – at least not due to your home network..

Consistent Speed:With a wired point, you’ll consistently get the best speeds your internet service can provide, and often better local network speeds between your devices. This consistency is crucial for cloud-based work. If you’re a designer or video editor sending huge files, a wired gigabit connection (common on most modern laptops/desktops) can transfer files many times faster than Wi-Fi. Even for general office work, everything will feel snappier when your device isn’t waiting on a spotty wireless throughput.

Better Video Calls and Streaming:A hardwired connection ensures that high-bandwidth, real-time activities like HD video calls or live streams are smooth. No freezing video, no out-of-sync audio, provided your internet plan is sufficient. If you ever do webinars, live training, or media interviews from home, this is non- negotiable – you want the confidence of stable upload capacity, which Ethernet gives.

Security:Wi-Fi, if properly secured, is safe for most purposes. However, wired connections are inherently more secure because an attacker would need physical access to tap into it infinigeek.com. There’s no signal radiating beyond your walls. For those handling very sensitive data, this is a reassuring layer. Some highly secure operations only allow wired connections to eliminate the small risk of Wi-Fi interception. While this level of security might not be needed for everyone, it’s worth noting that plugging in does give a slight security edge.

Lower Latency and No Interference:As mentioned earlier, wired latency is lower. And you won’t be knocked offline because the baby monitor or a neighbour’s router chose the same channel. Your connection is yours alone on a wire. This is particularly beneficial if your work involves remote server access, VoIP calls, or anything where tiny delays make a difference. Gamers know this – that’s why they plug in to avoid lag. The same logic applies to your professional tasks.

Future-Proofing:Ethernet technology evolves, but slowly, and cables are backward-compatible. If you wire your office with Cat6 cable today, it’ll likely support your needs for a decade or more, including much faster internet speeds than we currently have. As internet speeds increase (multi-gig fiber is becoming more common), Wi-Fi often lags behind in practical capability due to range and interference. Having a wired infrastructure means your home is ready for those future speed boosts infinigeek.com. It’s a one-time investment that keeps paying off.

Overcoming Objections: But Wi-Fi Is So Easy!

You might be thinking, “Do I really need this? My Wi-Fi is pretty okay most of the time.” Sure, if you sit very close to your router and no one else is using the network, Wi-Fi can be fine. But remember, home offices are often not right next to the router (which might be in the living room or a closet where the internet comes in). Also, your Wi-Fi is shared with all the other devices in your home – family streaming, smart devices syncing, etc.

Another objection: “Running a cable is a hassle.” This is where a proper data point installation comes in. You don’t necessarily want a loose cable running across the hallway from your router to your office. Instead, having a professional run an Ethernet cable through the walls or attic to a clean wall jack in your office is the ideal solution. Once it’s in place, using it is as easy as plugging in your laptop or PC with a short patch cord.

If you’re concerned about your laptop not having an Ethernet port (ultra- thin laptops often omit them), cheap USB-to-Ethernet adapters can bridge that gap easily. It’s a small dongle for a big improvement in connectivity.

Hybrid Approach: The Best of Both Worlds

Having a wired data point doesn’t mean you abandon Wi-Fi entirely. You can certainly use Wi-Fi for your phone, tablet, and other casual devices while keeping your main work machine wired. Many people adopt this hybrid approach: wire in the primary work device(s) and leave lesser devices on Wi-Fi. This reduces congestion on your Wi-Fi network too, since the heavy hitter (your work PC doing video calls and large file transfers) isn’t consuming Wi-Fi airtime anymore. Think of it like taking one car off a busy road – everything else on Wi-Fi gets a bit more breathing room.

Additionally, if you have a desktop computer and a VoIP desk phone in your home office, you can often use one network drop for both (some VoIP phones have an Ethernet pass-through port, meaning the computer can connect through the phone). Or simply have multiple jacks installed. Data cabling professionals can often run two or more Ethernet lines at once to the same location with minimal extra effort, giving you flexibility (one could be for a dedicated work laptop, another for a work-issued IP phone or a backup device).

Real-World Impact: Productivity and Peace of Mind

Let’s paint a picture of the difference this makes. Before hardwiring: You’re on edge during every important video meeting, hoping the Wi-Fi holds up. You occasionally have to turn off your camera “because of internet issues.” Uploading deliverables to clients is something you start and then go make a coffee because it’s slow. A family member starts a Netflix show in the other room and your VPN connection lags out. Minor stressors, but they add up and distract from your work.

After hardwiring: You join calls with confidence. HD video, no problem. Large file uploads that used to take 30 minutes now take 5. You can leave your cloud backup running during the day and it doesn’t bog down your other activities. Your connection just isn’t a worry anymore – it’s as reliable as flicking on a light switch. That peace of mind lets you focus on work itself, not the tech supporting it.

As a bonus, you might find that other internet uses (like entertainment) improve too. With a wired connection in the office, maybe you plug in your smart TV or streaming box as well (if it’s nearby). Reducing the load on Wi-Fi can improve its performance for everything else (phones, tablets, etc.).

Getting a Hardwired Data Point Installed

If your home is already wired with Cat5e/Cat6 to your office, congratulations – use it! If not, consider getting a professional to install one (or do it yourself if you’re comfortable with a bit of attic/basement fishing and terminating keystone jacks). In Australia, remember that data cabling must be done by a licensed cabler if it’s going through fixed structure/walls glenco.com.au, so a professional is the way to go for compliance and safety.

For our clients, we often run a cable from the router (or the NBN termination point) to the home office location. It can often be done with minimal disruption – sometimes through the roof space, or along an external wall then in. The end result is a neat outlet that blends with your power points, etc. You then plug in a small network switch or your device directly, and you’re in business.

Conclusion: Small Upgrade, Big Returns

In summary, while Wi-Fi is convenient for everyday use, a hardwired data point is a game-changer for home office productivity. It gives you the kind of network stability and performance that businesses rely on, right in your home. Considering how critical internet is for work- from-home success, wiring your home office is a small investment for a big payoff in reliability and stress reduction.

Ready to get the most reliable connection for your home office?

Nexa Data Solutions can help you install hardwired data points and set up a robust home network. As data cabling experts, we’ll ensure your home office connectivity is as good as (or better than) a traditional office. Ditch the Wi-Fi worries and experience the productivity boost of a wired connection. Contact us today to schedule an installation or consultation. Work from home with confidence – because your internet should always be an ally, never an obstacle.