Connecting Laptop to Router - No Ethernet port 13 December 2022 at 1:35PM in Techie Stuff 12 replies 466 views

flaneurs_lobster

Having recently replaced laptops I now realise that neither have an ethernet port for wired connection to my router.

Should I need/want to do this then I assume I need an adaptor to take an ethernet cable/plug to USB, but which one? USB 3.2 Type-A or USB 3.2 Type-C Thunderbolt 4?

Does it make any difference? 

TIA

stinky_daddy

Hi Flaneurs

my laptop (it is a slimline unit) also doesn't have an ethernet port (usually connect by wifi) so it didn't really matter.

Recently though, I have had need for a ethernet port, so have bought a connector (which ASUS recommended), it is a USB 3.0 type A version, so hopefully will do the job and I will not notice the difference.

HTH

s_d

TadleyBaggie

Really depends on what your lap supports, does it have USB3.2 or Thunderbolt 4 ports?

Finbri

flaneurs_lobster said:

Having recently replaced laptops I now realise that neither have an ethernet port for wired connection to my router.

Should I need/want to do this then I assume I need an adaptor to take an ethernet cable/plug to USB, but which one? USB 3.2 Type-A or USB 3.2 Type-C Thunderbolt 4?

Does it make any difference? 

TIA

What laptop make and model do you have?

flaneurs_lobster

TadleyBaggie said:

Really depends on what your lap supports, does it have USB3.2 or Thunderbolt 4 ports?

Both, hence my question.

flaneurs_lobster

Finbri said:

flaneurs_lobster said:

Having recently replaced laptops I now realise that neither have an ethernet port for wired connection to my router.

Should I need/want to do this then I assume I need an adaptor to take an ethernet cable/plug to USB, but which one? USB 3.2 Type-A or USB 3.2 Type-C Thunderbolt 4?

Does it make any difference? 

TIA

What laptop make and model do you have?

Acer Swift 3 SF314-511 

TadleyBaggie

So this one:

https://www.acer.com/gb-en/laptops/swift/swift-3-intel/pdp/NX.ABLEK.00N

Seems to have 2xUSB-A and 1xUSB-C. Personally I would go for the fastest option, so Thunderbolt 4 via the USB-C connector.
Will you need to be connecting any other external devices that require the USB-C connector?

DullGreyGuy

The slowest is USB A 3.2 but still sustained transfer will be much quicker than most routers that optimistically with be a 1Gbps connection. 

flaneurs_lobster

TadleyBaggie said:

So this one:

https://www.acer.com/gb-en/laptops/swift/swift-3-intel/pdp/NX.ABLEK.00N

Seems to have 2xUSB-A and 1xUSB-C. Personally I would go for the fastest option, so Thunderbolt 4 via the USB-C connector.
Will you need to be connecting any other external devices that require the USB-C connector?

That's the very kit! 

Only other thing that I might connect would be a phone, but I have a USB-C to USB-C cable for that. 

TadleyBaggie

So would you need connect the ethernet and phone at the same time? If so, perhaps a USB-A 3.2 ethernet adapter would probably make sense.

flaneurs_lobster

Thanks all, think I'll go with the cheaper USB-A adapter, the limiting factor is the broadband hitting the router rather than any home-side hardware.