Ethernet cables can accomplish much more than you realize, and products labeled as splitters aren’t exactly as they appear. In reality, you’re likely in the market for a network switch. Most Ethernet splitters tend to reduce your connection speeds due to their design.
Splitters convert a single Ethernet connection into two by dividing the signal, but they actually reduce the current signal instead of enhancing it. Older models are guaranteed to lower speeds, as they depend on 10 Mbps and 100 Mbps connections, which limit your speeds to those figures. Newer devices, such as those from UGreen, seem to circumvent this limitation by functioning as a compact Ethernet switch in place of a splitter.
As faster connections have become standard, the drawbacks of Ethernet splitters have been highlighted. With increasing speeds, Ethernet splitters failed to keep pace, given that the hardware has a maximum capability of 100 Mbps. Therefore, it is advisable to opt for a network switch, which can handle much faster, modern connections without compromising speed.