Wireless, Ethernet or Fiber: Choosing How to Extend HDMI Over Distance

Use wireless where there is line of sight and no cable run, with three tiers covering about 30 – 1000 m. Use Ethernet or fiber between floors or buildings and where interference is heavy. ANLYA's 4K60 / 4K30 modules have a built-in 100M Ethernet PHY, so the same module does both; the carrier only adds magnetics and an RJ45.

Side by side

	Wireless (5 GHz)	Ethernet (via switches / routers)	Fiber (via media converters)
Distance	30 – 100 / 100 – 300 / 300 – 1000 m by Wi-Fi module (line of sight)	About 100 m per segment, 500 m total through switches	10 km, 20 km or more depending on converter and fiber
On the carrier	Antenna connectors (two for RTL8812CU)	Magnetics + RJ45	Magnetics + RJ45, plus an external 100M fiber media converter
Installation	No cabling	Run Ethernet cable or use existing network	Run fiber
Interference and obstructions	Affected by walls, metal and co-channel interference	Unaffected by the radio environment	Immune to electromagnetic interference
What is carried	Video, audio, KVM data	Video, audio, KVM data	Video, audio, KVM data
Link encryption	Encrypted	Encrypted	Encrypted
Latency	See product datasheet	TBD	TBD

Key differences

One module, two transports

All four models, ATE9430T, ATE9430R, ATE9460 and ATE9461, integrate a 100M Ethernet PHY with its differential pairs on the edge connector. Wireless sites fit antennas; wired sites add magnetics and an RJ45 on the carrier. One part number covers both, with no separate HDMI-over-IP design for the wired points.

When wireless falls short

Wireless ratings assume line of sight. Reinforced concrete between buildings, basements, lift shafts and metal plants absorb a lot of 5 GHz signal, and factories and campuses packed with Wi-Fi crowd the channels; range drops sharply in all of these. For monitoring and control positions where the picture must not drop, run cable in such environments.

Cable and fiber distances

A single cable segment is about 100 m under the Ethernet standard; through switches or routers the total reaches 500 m, which suits floor-to-floor runs and server rooms to desks. Between buildings or across a site, connect a 100M fiber media converter to the port for 10 km, 20 km or more, depending on the converter and fiber.

Wired mode keeps every function

Over cable or fiber the link still carries video, audio and KVM data together, still encrypted, and the receiver still returns EDID. Wired latency, and whether wired and wireless can run at the same time, have not been measured yet; if your project depends on them, test with samples first.

Which one to pick

If the link is on one floor with line of sight, or the equipment moves (drones, inspection vehicles, carts)

Go wireless and pick D40 / D80 / RTL8812CU by distance

If the link crosses floors, passes many walls or faces crowded Wi-Fi, within 500 m

Use Ethernet through switches

If the link runs between buildings or across a site, or the area has heavy electromagnetic interference

Use fiber via media converters

If one project has both kinds of positions

Use the same module everywhere, with antennas or an RJ45 on each carrier as the site requires

FAQ

Q1Can an HDMI-over-fiber extender and a wireless HDMI extender use the same module?

Yes. All four 4K60 / 4K30 models have a built-in 100M Ethernet PHY. Fit antennas for wireless, or add magnetics and an RJ45 on the carrier for cable, and a fiber media converter on that port for fiber.

Q2Can HDMI over Ethernet pass through switches and routers?

Yes. Through switches or routers the total is about 500 m, with about 100 m per cable segment.

Q3Can the 8K modules run over fiber?

The 8K30 ATE9860 / ATE9861 are still in development, and wired or fiber support is not decided. For cable or fiber today, use the 4K60 or 4K30 models.