On 30/12/2012 08:13, MM wrote:
On Sat, 29 Dec 2012 20:35:40 +0000, Part Timer
wrote:

Is there anything stopping your relative from using a CAT5 cable
whilst at your place?

I thought of that point, too. But in households where Cat5 is
considered as ancient as Bakelite telephones, it seems only wifi is
acceptable! And said relative IS coming specifically to help me
recuperate for ten days from a forthcoming op, so I feel I have to
do my "bit" as well. I myself simply use the TP-Link TL-PA211
homeplugs whenever I need to use one of my PCs in a different part of
the house. As long as there is a 3-pin socket in the vicinity, no
problemo. The TP-Link TL-PA211 kit (£30.95 from Amazon and worth
every penny) came with its own short piece of Cat5 cable and I just
use that. But I am a "wired" person. It seems other, more "advanced"
users (usually young people...) look down upon wired users as if they
have the plague or something. Or are just old, like me.

It's horses for courses really. Personally I have both wired and
wireless in my home; the wifi is brilliant for portable stuff like
laptops and smartphones, which may be used anywhere in the building
without being tethered to one location. However other kit like desktop
PCs, a media player, and even the new TV and Blu-Ray player (which
somewhat surprisingly) are both internet capable - are all hard-wired.
Given the lack of need to move these around, and as all the cabling is
neatly buried under floors etc, there would be absolutely no benefit in
using wifi and all of its potential disadvantages - lower bandwidth,
interference from other sources, security issues etc etc.

My niece paid a visit a few
weekends ago and the first thing she asked was, how can she connect
her laptop? She had to "make do" with a 3m Cat5 cable! Oh, the shame!

Well, FWIW my son back from uni with his high-powered gaming computer is
now begging me to install a wired connection in his bedroom, as the wifi
isn't good enough for him (tough!)

David