Streaming downloads significantly quicker on Wi-Fi than on a 20-foot Ethernet cable
Streaming downloads significantly quicker on Wi-Fi than on a 20-foot Ethernet cable
Did you verify the adapter configuration to ensure your PC operates on gigabit speed?
Review your installed programs thoroughly, as a game optimization interface could limit downloads. It may be configured to operate solely over Ethernet.
I noticed you mentioned something in your anti-virus (Bitdefender) indicating it was in "game mode" and optimizing performance. I tried the download again after turning off both the optimization and the antivirus completely, but results stayed the same. It’s starting to make me think the issue might be a soft limit on the Steam server side. For instance, if Steam usually sees you online and you only use about 100Mbps, it remembers that and defaults to that speed for downloads. It could also depend on your connection type—switching from Ethernet to Wi-Fi might trigger changes in how the server perceives your speed. This seems unusual, especially since it only happens with Steam downloads. I’m just trying to figure it out as I go.
Do you have additional network switches you're linking to? My brother received a 1Gbps connection but had a 100Mbit switch in his basement. He used it for Wi-Fi, which was fast, but Ethernet was limited to 100Mbit. Some routers offer high-speed Wi-Fi yet only provide 100Mbit LAN ports. Are you connecting directly to your router via Ethernet? What router model do you have?
I confirmed the router (Asus RT AC5300) and my motherboard meet a minimum of 1Gbps. The board actually supports 2.5Gbps and connects directly to the router. My testing shows speeds over 800Mbps on both Ethernet and Wi-Fi, but Steam downloads are noticeably slower or lag on Ethernet.
Steam treats your connection type—WiFi or wired—as the same source IP from your router, so it shouldn’t matter. This behavior is likely coming from your PC, which interprets wired and wireless as separate networks and handles them differently.
Review the Steam configuration for restrictions. Another possible approach is to sanitize the Ethernet connections on your motherboard and router.