Wi-Fi versus a cable: the boring upgrade that works
Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2026 8:46 pm
Plenty of traders optimize indicators for months and never look at the cable behind the desk. For anything time sensitive, a wired connection beats Wi-Fi almost every time.
Wi-Fi shares airtime with every other device nearby. A neighbor's router on the same channel, a microwave, a streaming TV, and the signal degrades in ways that show up as random delays, not as outright disconnections. That is the worst kind of problem, since it is hard to spot.
A cable removes that whole category. The cost is trivial, and the improvement in jitter is often large.
If a cable is not possible, some steps help: use the 5 GHz band, place the router close, avoid crowded channels, and keep other heavy downloads off the network during trading.
Also consider a backup connection, such as a mobile hotspot, in case the main line fails. Switching quickly when the primary drops can save a position.
Is the trading computer wired, and did switching change anything noticeable?
Wi-Fi shares airtime with every other device nearby. A neighbor's router on the same channel, a microwave, a streaming TV, and the signal degrades in ways that show up as random delays, not as outright disconnections. That is the worst kind of problem, since it is hard to spot.
A cable removes that whole category. The cost is trivial, and the improvement in jitter is often large.
If a cable is not possible, some steps help: use the 5 GHz band, place the router close, avoid crowded channels, and keep other heavy downloads off the network during trading.
Also consider a backup connection, such as a mobile hotspot, in case the main line fails. Switching quickly when the primary drops can save a position.
Is the trading computer wired, and did switching change anything noticeable?