Alex Ruben
How To Connect a LAN Cable to Your PS5 with Ease
Connecting a LAN cable to your PS5 can really give your download speeds a boost and keep your connection stable instead of the random drops Wi-Fi sometimes throws at you. If you notice your downloads are painfully slow or disconnects keep happening, maybe it’s time to go wired. Here’s how to do it without pulling your hair out.
Step 1: Gather Your Equipment
First, gather all the stuff you’ll need because winging it without a LAN cable and a router isn’t gonna cut it:
- A PS5 console
- An Ethernet (LAN) cable — doesn’t have to be fancy, but a decent Cat5e or Cat6 is better
- A router with free Ethernet ports
- If your router is full, maybe an Ethernet switch — because of course, Windows and router makers love making things more complicated than they need to be
Step 2: Connect the LAN Cable to the Router
This part is pretty straightforward, but here’s the thing — identify those Ethernet ports on your router. They look like bigger phone jacks, usually labeled as LAN. Plug one end of your cable in there. Doesn’t matter which port — on some setups, it’s all about convenience. But if you want multiple wired devices, get yourself an Ethernet switch. Once plugged in, you might need to wait a few seconds for lights to blink on to confirm connection.
Tip: If your router has only one port and you want more wired gadgets, grab a cheap Ethernet switch from Amazon. Just be sure it’s not some cheap knockoff that breaks after a week.
Step 3: Connect the Other End of the LAN Cable to Your PS5
Next, find the LAN port on the back of your PS5. It’s labeled as such. Carefully insert the other end of the cable — it only fits one way, so no worries about forcing it. You’ll hear a little click when it’s in tight. For real, make sure it’s snug.
Step 4: Configure the Wired Connection on Your PS5
Power on your PS5 and dive into Settings. Navigate to Network then Set Up Internet Connection. When prompted, pick Wired LAN. The console will try to detect the wired connection — on some setups it’s instant, on others it might fail the first time.
On one setup it worked the first time, on another… not so much. Maybe try reconnecting or rebooting if it doesn’t pick up the wire right away.
Choose a name if you want, leave it as default if you’re lazy (“Wired LAN 1”). Hit Connect. After a moment, you should see a success message. Still in Connection Status, you can verify the connection is active and stable.
Step 5: Test Your Internet Connection
Once wired, test your connection. Head back into Network and run the Test Internet Connection. The speeds should be, in most cases, faster than Wi-Fi — especially ping times. You’ll get download/upload figures, and it’s usually a noticeable jump. Trust me, I’ve seen some brutal Wi-Fi speeds when congested or far away from the router, so this often fixes the issue.
Step 6: Enjoy Those Faster Downloads
Now that your PS5 is wired, download some games or patches. Fortnite, for example, should be lightning fast compared to Wi-Fi. Sometimes, it’s night and day difference — not sure why it works, but it does. In some cases, especially on weaker Wi-Fi setups, you’ll see a massive decrease in download time.
Extra Tips & Common Issues
Few things to keep in mind:
- If speeds are still sluggish, double-check that the Ethernet cable isn’t dodgy. Try it in a different port on your router or switch. Cheap cables can cause all sorts of weird slowdowns.
- Make sure your PS5 firmware is up-to-date — older firmware sometimes freaks out with new network configs.
- Use a solid cable (Cat5e or Cat6). Not all Ethernet cables are created equal. If you’re on a super-long run, a higher category might matter for speeds.
- If your router or switch is old, it might not support gigabit speeds; in that case, don’t expect lightning-fast downloads but still an improvement over Wi-Fi.
Conclusion
Connecting via LAN isn’t rocket science, but it can make your online gaming a lot smoother. Just plug, configure, test, and enjoy faster downloads and fewer disconnects. If you hit any hiccups, check your connections and try a different cable or port. Sometimes, reboots help, and other times, you need a better cable altogether.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use any Ethernet cable for my PS5?
Yeah, pretty much. But if you want fewer speed bottlenecks, go for Cat6 or higher. Cheap cables might work, but they can cap your transfer rates — especially over longer distances.
Is a wired connection always faster than Wi-Fi?
Most of the time, yes. Wired connections beat Wi-Fi for lower ping, less interference, and higher speeds. Not gonna lie, Wi-Fi’s convenient, but if you’re serious about steady downloads and online gaming, wire it up.
What if my PS5 doesn’t detect the wired connection?
Make sure the Ethernet cable is snug on both ends. Sometimes it’s the little things — a loose cable or a faulty port. Restart the console and check your router’s settings. If it still doesn’t work after that, try a different cable or port. Might be a hardware issue somewhere.
Summary
- Gather gear: PS5, Ethernet cable, router, switch if needed
- Plug the cable into router port(s)
- Connect the other end to PS5 LAN port
- Set up wired connection in PS5 network settings
- Test speeds and enjoy faster downloads
Hopefully this shaves off a few hours for someone. Just something that worked on multiple machines. Fingers crossed this helps.