Connection with Ethernet and Wi-Fi both on?

imacken · May 4, 2025

My ethernet connection takes about 30 seconds to activate on boot up or after sleep, which is a bit annoying.
I always had Wi-Fi switched off, but as it makes an immediate connection, I have been trying out speeds/connections with Wi-Fi on.
What happens then is that Wi-Fi makes immediate connection, and speed is Wi-Fi speed. However, after a minute or so, Wi-Fi disconnects from the network and ethernet takes over as the connection.
Is this expected behaviour?
Thanks.

Gas · May 4, 2025

Just go to the Device Manager and disable the WI-FI card.

imacken · May 4, 2025

For the reason above, I don't want to do that.
I'm just asking is this normal behaviour?

antspants · May 4, 2025

imacken said:
For the reason above, I don't want to do that.
I'm just asking is this normal behaviour?

It’s not foreign to me, more so on a Laptop than the desktop.

kelper · May 4, 2025

Yes, it is normal.

imacken · May 4, 2025

kelper said:
Yes, it is normal.

OK, thanks a lot.

Gas · May 4, 2025

imacken said:
For the reason above, I don't want to do that.
I'm just asking is this normal behaviour?

Sorry, I misunderstood your problem.

Rollback_Jockey · May 4, 2025

imacken said:
For the reason above, I don't want to do that.

You didn't state any reasons.

TairikuOkami · May 4, 2025

imacken said:
My ethernet connection takes about 30 seconds to activate on boot up or after sleep, which is a bit annoying.

It might be caused by DHCP, if you setup static IP, the connection should be instantaneous, the same goes for Wifi.

You could also try to disable all power saving nonsense for Ethernet, like energy efficient, green internet, etc.

gunrunnerjohn · May 4, 2025

With both WiFi and Ethernet enabled that has been normal behavior for many years with Windows.

suatcini54 · May 4, 2025

imacken said:
For the reason above, I don't want to do that.
I'm just asking is this normal behaviour?

You can disable Wi-Fi for test purposes only to see if your ethernet connection becomes fast enough to make you happy with Wi-Fi disabled. If you are not happy, you can always enable Wi-Fi any time you like. You shouldn't be afraid that your Wi-Fi will not function correctly once you disable and then re-enable it.

garlin · May 4, 2025

There's a concept in networking called the routing metric. A routing metric helps determine which network a device should use if there are multiple networks which can equally reach the same destination.

Local area networks (Ethernet) have a lower weighted metric than mobile networks (Wi-Fi/Bluetooth/Cellular modem). Lower metrics are preferred, whenever possible.

If your LAN doesn't get configured at boot time, then your enabled Wi-Fi is the only working route. As soon as the Ethernet eventually gets a DHCP lease, then Windows considers the LAN as better than Wi-Fi and moves traffic over.

As @TairikuOkami points out, the real question is why it takes so long for your Ethernet to get a DHCP lease (the IP address) from your router.

Winuser · May 7, 2025

Rollback_Jockey said:
You didn't state any reasons.

The reason is that their annoyed by the ethernet taking 30 second to activate but with Wi-fi it's instant.

kelper · May 7, 2025

Some people just annoy too easily! Yeesh!

hsehestedt · May 7, 2025

garlin said:
There's a concept in networking called the routing metric. A routing metric helps determine which network a device should use if there are multiple networks which can equally reach the same destination.

Local area networks (Ethernet) have a lower weighted metric than mobile networks (Wi-Fi/Bluetooth/Cellular modem). Lower metrics are preferred, whenever possible.

If your LAN doesn't get configured at boot time, then your enabled Wi-Fi is the only working route. As soon as the Ethernet eventually gets a DHCP lease, then Windows considers the LAN as better than Wi-Fi and moves traffic over.

As @TairikuOkami points out, the real question is why it takes so long for your Ethernet to get a DHCP lease (the IP address) from your router.

Garlin, around 6 months ago, I was experimenting with this. No matter what metrics I used, I could not force the WiFi adapter to have priority over Ethernet. I'm very familiar with the use of the metric, although it has been a long time since I last had to use, but I simply cannot get that to work any longer, at least not between a WiFi and Ethernet adapter.

kelper · May 7, 2025

It is moot to me because any Ethernet connection goes through the same router as the wifi and thus, the two connections have the same speed.

I do realise that many members may have an internet connection faster than their wifi, but this means they need a faster modem/router!

garlin · May 7, 2025

hsehestedt said:
Garlin, around 6 months ago, I was experimenting with this. No matter what metrics I used, I could not force the WiFi adapter to have priority over Ethernet. I'm very familiar with the use of the metric, although it has been a long time since I last had to use, but I simply cannot get that to work any longer, at least not between a WiFi and Ethernet adapter.

You're not the only one complaining...
Windows 11 Network Internet Metrics no longer work. - Microsoft Q&A

kelper · May 7, 2025

garlin said:
You're not the only one complaining...
Windows 11 Network Internet Metrics no longer work. - Microsoft Q&A

As so often happens, the advice from MS is asinine, useless, irrelevant and off topic. This list is not conclusive or complete.

garlin · May 7, 2025

kelper said:
As so often happens, the advice from MS is asinine, useless, irrelevant and off topic. This list is not conclusive or complete.

You've missed the point of the link. Someone else is repeating @hsehestedt's claim that Windows has recently stopped respecting the metric.

kelper · May 7, 2025

garlin said:
You've missed the point of the link. Someone else is repeating @hsehestedt's claim that Windows has recently stopped respecting the metric.

I think he is correct. It is you who has missed the point Good night.

Connection with Ethernet and Wi-Fi both on?

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