Best end of network to have wired?

[MoodyM]

I'm planning on getting a Mac Mini and sitting it next to my router, and put an Apple TV under living room TV. The Mac Mini will be used purely as an iTunes server.

If I could only have one "side" wired, which would be best - Apple TV to router wired and Mac Mini to router wireless, or Apple TV to router wireless and Mac Mini to router wired?

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

I'm guessing you have only 1 ethernet port on your router. If so, buy a switch and wire both. Switches are cheap and will give you the spare ports you need to wire both. Basically, I'm of the mind that if you can go wired, do it.

That said though, I've seen enough comments to suggest that TV might be optimized for wireless connections so if you have to wire only one, consider that collective bit of feedback.

Best advice: if you can't wire both, test it both ways and see what works best in your environment. Everyone else is going to have different environments which will affect the relevance of what they can offer you.

 

[Cinephi1e]

In my experience the Apple TV will do very well streaming with WiFi if you have a good WiFi signal. The Mac Mini would benefit from a direct wired connection as you may be using it to serve multiple streams (to the Apple TV, to your computer, to your iDevices). Also, downloading files to the Mac Mini will be better with a wired connection.

 

[Stewart21]

I'm planning on getting a Mac Mini and sitting it next to my router, and put an Apple TV under living room TV. The Mac Mini will be used purely as an iTunes server.

If I could only have one "side" wired, which would be best - Apple TV to router wired and Mac Mini to router wireless, or Apple TV to router wireless and Mac Mini to router wired?

You could also use Homeplugs. i.e. through your electric sockets.

 

[squeakr]

Depending on the wired speed, the Mac Mini can get 1Gbs connections through wired, whereas the Apple TV is limited to 100Mbs through a wired connection, yet depending on the router, can achieve better throughput on the wired (theoretically speaking). I had faced the same dilemma and chose the wired for the mini and wireless for the ATV.

 

[boomhower]

You'd be best served doing what you have to do to get everything hardwired.

 

[takeshi74]

If I could only have one "side" wired, which would be best - Apple TV to router wired and Mac Mini to router wireless, or Apple TV to router wireless and Mac Mini to router wired?

Really impossible to say for certain. As stated above, you'd need to test. Generally speaking the server should be hardwired but there are certainly situations where that wouldn't apply. For best results, hardwire both. There ar plenty of options out there to do so even if you can't run a cable.

 

[blueroom]

My rule is stationary = wired.

 

[DaPhatty]

You always want your source to be connected to the network using the fastest and most reliable connection possible. Therefore, your Mac Mini should be connected via Ethernet cable to your network.

 

[Mrbobb]

If can only have one side, the ATV.

That's my short answer.