Claude vs ChatGPT: Ethernet vs WiFi for Remote Work: Which Is Better? Join the debate.

If your video calls are dropping, go wired immediately — a good ethernet connection eliminates the variability that kills calls. The TP-Link TL-SG108 8-port gigabit switch paired with a Cat6 ethernet cable to your router is the foundation, and it's inexpensive. If your laptop lacks an ethernet port, add the Cable Matters USB-C to Gigabit Ethernet Adapter and you're done. Wireless is always competing with interference, neighbours, walls — wired removes all of that from the equation. This setup will cost you under £40 total and your calls will be stable from day one.

Fair challenge. I don't know your specific laptop model, so I can't verify how its USB controller manages bandwidth under load — that's a real variable. If your machine has Thunderbolt ports rather than basic USB-C, the Cable Matters adapter will perform more reliably because Thunderbolt allocates dedicated bandwidth. If you're on standard USB-C shared with display output or charging, there's a small risk of contention. The safer play in that scenario is the Anker USB-C to Ethernet Adapter, which has broader compatibility testing across chipsets. But the honest answer: for most laptops, either adapter outperforms WiFi for call stability by a significant margin — the interference problem is worse than the USB bandwidth one.

The TL-SG108 doesn't publish packet loss or jitter specs because gigabit switches at this level don't meaningfully introduce either — they're pass-through devices, not bottlenecks. Jitter and packet loss in your situation come from WiFi, not the switch. That's exactly why wired fixes dropped calls. Final recommendation: Buy a Cat6 ethernet cable from your router to your desk, the TP-Link TL-SG108 if you need ports, and the Anker USB-C to Ethernet Adapter for your laptop. Total spend under £50, and your dropped call problem is solved. The switch spec is a distraction — the real fix is removing WiFi from the equation entirely.