Wired vs WIFI: What Should Be Hardwired in Your Smart Home and What Can Stay Wireless

In the world of home automation and smart living, one of the most common questions we get at Sierra @ Home is this: Should this be wired, or can it work over WIFI?

It is a fair question. As smart home technology has exploded, the temptation to go completely wireless is stronger than ever. After all, we are surrounded by WIFI. It powers our laptops, phones, and streaming devices. But not everything in a home is better off riding on that signal.

If you are building a new home, remodeling, or simply upgrading your smart home system, the decision of what gets wired versus what stays wireless is crucial to the performance, reliability, and future proofing of your space.

Why This Question Matters More Than Ever

With smart homes now featuring everything from connected door locks to smart lighting and whole home audio, the network that supports all of these devices becomes the foundation of the house. Think of your home network as the electrical wiring of the twenty first century. If you do not plan it right, you will end up with traffic jams, dropped signals, and frustrating dead zones.

At Sierra at Home, we specialize in structured cabling, low voltage systems, and full home network designs. Let us break down what you should hardwire and what can remain wireless. The balance is key to creating a home that feels effortless, fast, and reliable.

What Should Be Hardwired in a Modern Home

Some things are simply better when hardwired. These systems require stability, bandwidth, or both. And the benefits of wiring them directly into your structured cabling system cannot be overstated.

1. TVs and Media Devices

Streaming 4K and now 8K content takes serious bandwidth. Instead of putting this demand on your WIFI network, hardwire your smart TVs, Apple TVs, gaming consoles, and media streamers like Roku into the network using Cat6 or fiber. You get faster speeds, lower latency, and no buffering when everyone else is also online.

2. Home Office Equipment

Whether you work from home full time or part time, your home office should have a wired connection. Ethernet cables offer lower ping, higher speeds, and are more secure than WIFI. This is especially when dealing with video calls, large file transfers, and remote desktop systems.

3. Security Cameras and CCTV Systems

Most CCTV systems should be hardwired using structured cabling for power and data. While some battery powered or WIFI cameras work for casual monitoring, they cannot match the performance or reliability of a hardwired setup. Especially for perimeter cameras or critical areas like entry points and garages, you want constant uptime and zero lag.

4. Whole Home Audio Systems

Outdoor audio systems, landscape speakers, and built in ceiling speakers often require dedicated audio cabling. Many high quality brands like Sonos, Sonance, and Bowers and Wilkins rely on amplifier systems that communicate best over wired networks or speaker cable runs.

5. Access Control Systems

If your smart locks, intercoms, or gate entry systems can be hardwired, do it. Access control systems are mission critical and should not depend on a WIFI signal that could be spotty near the edges of your property.

6. Home Automation Hubs and Racks

The central nervous system of your smart home is your Control4 processor, media rack, or network switch and it should be hardwired using structured cabling. These pieces handle traffic from lighting, audio, surveillance, and automation systems and should never be left to wireless communication.

What Can Work Over WIFI

That said, WIFI is still an essential part of any smart home. It offers convenience, flexibility, and a way to expand smart home features without tearing into walls. Here are the systems we feel confident leaving on WIFI assuming you have a solid network designed with Ubiquiti UniFi or similar enterprise grade gear.

1. Smartphones and Tablets

Your mobile devices are meant to move, and WIFI is how they connect. These are your command centers for smart home control, streaming, calls, and browsing.

2. Voice Assistants

Smart speakers like Alexa, Google Nest, and Siri enabled HomePods run on WIFI. Just be sure they are placed where your signal is strong and they are not competing with dozens of devices for bandwidth.

3. Wireless Smart Lighting Accessories

While the main backbone of your lighting system should be hardwired (think Control4 panels or Lutron dimmers), add ons like motion sensors, remotes, and smart bulbs can often communicate over WIFI or proprietary wireless networks.

4. Smart Appliances

Fridges, ovens, and washing machines with smart features typically use WIFI. These devices communicate occasionally and do not require high bandwidth, so they can stay on wireless with little risk.

5. Portable Cameras and Doorbells

Video doorbells and small cameras like baby monitors or indoor pets cams can work just fine over WIFI if placed close enough to a good signal. They are a great entry point for homeowners starting their smart home journey.

The Problem with Going All Wireless

If you rely too heavily on WIFI for everything, you will quickly see the downside. Congestion, signal interference, and limited bandwidth can slow down your home at the worst times. When you are streaming a movie, running a Zoom call, and trying to access a live camera feed all at once, the limitations become obvious.

The solution is not to go fully wired either. Instead, we design hybrid networks with a strong wired backbone and robust wireless access points using Ubiquiti UniFi. This gives you the best of both worlds: performance where you need it, and flexibility everywhere else.

Building It Right: Start with Structured Cabling

We recommend working with a low voltage expert like Sierra @ Home who understands the balance of hardwiring versus WIFI coverage. Structured cabling gives you:

• Future proof bandwidth for new tech like 8K video and smart grid appliances

• Clean installations with centralized access control and networking

• Flexibility to add more wireless devices later without bottlenecks

• Better resale value for buyers looking for smart home upgrades

  
  

Running Cat6, fiber, and coaxial cable during construction or remodeling ensures you will not be opening walls later. And with cable neatly routed to a smart panel or rack, your home network will be organized, scalable, and secure.

Real World Example in Sonoma

Wifi for Laptops, Phones, and Tablets Only??

We recently completed a multi level residence in the Sonoma's Glen Ellen. The clients originally wanted to go all wireless, but with over 40 devices planned, we encouraged them to install structured cabling throughout.

We hardwired every TV, camera, audio system, and light panel. Then we placed Ubiquiti UniFi access points in key locations for perfect WIFI coverage. Now, they enjoy buffer free streaming, flawless surveillance footage, and voice control across their entire smart home whether your inside or out.

Final Takeaway: Plan Ahead for Performance

Your home network is only as strong as its foundation. Knowing what to wire and what can stay wireless is not just a tech decision, it is a lifestyle one. You want smooth control, fast connections, and systems that just work.

Sierra @ Home specializes in building that infrastructure. Whether you are starting from scratch or upgrading a current setup, we will help you balance structured cabling and WIFI coverage to create a smart home that supports every device you own, and every device you will own in the future.