Do You Need To Disable Wi-Fi On Your Computer When Using Ethernet?

The idea of switching to Ethernet does sound appealing. You generally get faster internet speeds and lower latency on a wired connection compared to Wi-Fi, which can be particularly helpful to gamers or people who work with and share large files over the internet. But how exactly does it work? Is it as simple as plugging the Ethernet cable in? And does your computer automatically disable Wi-Fi when you do so? Those are some of the common questions users have, and honestly, the entire process is pretty straightforward, requiring little manual adjustment on your part.

As soon as you plug in the correct Ethernet cable, the computer, whether it’s running Windows, macOS, or Linux, automatically switches to the wired connection. That’s how operating systems typically prioritize network connectivity by default: a wired connection over a wireless one. So, you don’t really need to disable Wi-Fi, although you absolutely can. But depending on the operating system, turning off the Wi-Fi can mean losing out on certain features. For instance, if you disable Wi-Fi after switching to Ethernet on macOS, you won’t be able to use AirDrop. So, generally speaking, it’s best to leave Wi-Fi turned on when using Ethernet. The computer will automatically switch to Ethernet for internet connectivity, and that’s all most users really need.

You can also confirm the same. On Windows, you will see the Ethernet icon (computer with a cable next to it) in the system tray on a wired connection. On macOS, you can open Network Settings and verify which connection the system is currently using.

There might be times when your computer connects to the Wi-Fi despite having an Ethernet cable plugged in. It’s rare but can still happen, especially if your system is having trouble prioritizing Ethernet. In such cases, you can force Windows to disable Wi-Fi automatically as soon as a wired connection is set up.

To do that, open the Control Panel, select “Network and Internet,” click on “Network and Sharing Center,” and select “Change adapter settings” from the left pane. Here, right-click your Wi-Fi network adapter, select “Properties,” and then click on “Configure.” Navigate to the “Advanced” tab, select the “Disable Upon Wired Connect” entry from the list, choose “Enabled” from the dropdown menu on the right, and save the changes. From now on, whenever you set up an Ethernet connection, Windows will automatically disable Wi-Fi, preventing any conflict between the two. It’s worth noting that the option isn’t available on every Wi-Fi adapter, so some of you may not see it. But if it’s there, the setting is worth reconfiguring.

On macOS, the steps are a little different, but you can reconfigure available network adapters and set Ethernet to be prioritized over Wi-Fi. To do that, open “Settings,” go to “Network,” click the three-dot menu, and select “Set Service Order.” You will now see all the available network services. Drag the Ethernet entry to the top, above Wi-Fi, then click “OK” to save the changes. With these quick methods, you can prioritize Ethernet over Wi-Fi on your computer without manually disabling the latter.