how do i connect my iphone to ethernet

How do I connect my iPhone to ethernet? It’s usually not a question that everyone is interested in.

However, if you are, you’ve come to the right place!

Your iPhone is a wireless device that can connect to the internet on its own without an issue. However, there are cases when you want to wire it into your network.

If you’re looking for added privacy, security, and performance, connecting it to your ethernet is the way to go.

To connect your iPhone to the ethernet, you need a few adapters to get it done. You want to get an ethernet adapter for your iPhone. Connect your ethernet cable to the adapter and plug it into your iPhone, and you’re good to go. Lastly, configure your iPhone, so your router assigns it an IP address.

We can now look at why you want to connect your iPhone to ethernet closely before getting deep into the steps to do it.

Reasons to Connect iPhone to Ethernet

Connecting your iPhone directly to ethernet comes with perks that wireless networks don’t offer.

It does take a few additional steps to pull this off successfully. However, if these reasons matter to you, performing those steps is worth it.

Here are the top reasons why you would want to consider hardwiring your iPhone to your network:

1. Faster Connection Speeds

WiFi technology has evolved so that it can offer you lightning-fast speeds.

However, ethernet is the same thing. If you have the setup, you’ll be able to enjoy gigabit internet on your iPhone.

2. More Reliable Internet

A wired connection is definitely more reliable than WiFi. Interference is one of the primary enemies of wireless connections. You will not experience that with wired ones.

3. Connectivity Options

Connecting your iPhone to ethernet gives you three different options to connect to the internet. You can configure these, so they work together.

4. Connect Devices Directly

Setting up smart home systems requires direct connections to the devices. This offers you versatility since you can set them up on your phone.

We can now proceed to the complete steps so you can enjoy wired internet on your phone!

How Do I Connect My iPhone to Ethernet

connect iphone to ethernet

Before we get to it, you want to make sure that your network allows for wired connections. 

Make sure that your router comes with LAN ports that you can use to connect an ethernet cable to your iPhone.

Now that you’re sure that you can make this happen, let’s proceed to the guide:

Step #1: Get Your Equipment Ready

Since connecting your iPhone to ethernet requires some gear, the first step you need to take is to get everything ready.

get equipment ready

The equipment you need is mostly in the form of adapters and cables, so you should be able to source them quickly.

Here are some of the things you need to make this happen:

  1. Ethernet to Lightning adapter
  2. Alternatively, Ethernet to USB adapter and,
  3. Lightning to USB cable
  4. Cords and cables for your adapters
  5. USB power adapter
Note: You will not need the power adapter if you’re using a Power over Ethernet or a PoE connection.

Step #2: Connect Your Adapter to a Power Source

Some of these adapters require additional power to operate. One, in particular, is the ethernet to USB adapter.

If you have a system that supports Power over Ethernet, you won’t need this.

However, most systems use conventional ethernet cables, which will require a powered adapter.

Here’s how to connect your power source to your setup:

  1. Get your ethernet to USB adapter.
  2. Find the power adapter it comes with.
  3. Connect the ethernet adapter to its power adapter.
  4. Plug the power adapter into a wall outlet.
Note: The adapter usually requires 12V 1.6A to operate, so you will need to use the provided power brick for it to run optimally.

Step #3: Connect the Adapter to Your iPhone

connect iphone adapter

At this point, everything should be fine except that your iPhone uses a Lightning port rather than a USB port.

To convert this, you’re going to need another adapter so you can finally plug this into your iPhone.

Since you’ve got the powered half already done, this should be straightforward and only requires a couple of connections to complete.

Here’s how to link your ethernet adapter to your iPhone.

  1. Get the Lightning to USB converter cable.
  2. Plug the Lightning end of the cable to your iPhone.
  3. Connect the USB end to your ethernet adapter.
  4. Your setup should be completed.
Pro Tip: Make sure the converter cable you’re using is MFI certified for it to work properly.

Step #4: Connect the Ethernet Cable to Your Set Up

Now that your converter set up is plugged in and secure let’s finally connect the ethernet cable to it.

Ethernet cables are easy to find, so you should have no problem sourcing one if you don’t have any.

Here’s how to connect your setup to your network:

  1. Plug one end of your ethernet cable to your router’s LAN port.
  2. Connect the other end to the ethernet port on your adapter.
  3. Wait for the light on your LAN port to start flashing green.
Note: At this point, your iPhone is connected to your network. However, they might not be able to connect to the internet immediately.

Step #5: Configure Your Ethernet Connection

configure ethernet connection

It’s time to configure your connection on your iPhone. The good news is that your phone’s software adapts and supports this type of connection.

You will need to configure it before you can use it since it’s a new one.

Here’s how to configure your ethernet connection on your iPhone:

  1. Go to your phone Settings.
  2. Between WiFi and Bluetooth, tap on Ethernet.
  3. Enable the DHCP option.
  4. Use Static IP if you need to connect to specific devices.
Note: If you use the Static IP option, you will have to enter your network details like the gateway, DNS, and others.

Step #6: Test and Combine Your Internet Connections

The great thing about connecting your iPhone to ethernet is that you now have options when it comes to connectivity.

You can connect via WiFi, Mobile Data, and Ethernet. The best part here is that you can combine all these to give you maximum reliability and speed.

test connections

Here’s how to test your internet connections:

  1. As soon as you’re connected via ethernet, toggle Airplane Mode ON.
  2. Check if your phone has internet via ethernet.
  3. If you want to combine connections, turn on WiFi and Mobile Data.
Note: Make sure that your WiFi is not from the same source as your internet over the ethernet cable.

Connecting your iPhone via ethernet is more than just getting access to faster and more reliable internet.

It allows you to connect to networks where WiFi is not permitted. You can also use this method to check smart home devices like cameras for troubleshooting.

Read Next: What Does Canceled Call Mean iPhone?

Bottom Line

Now that you know the answer to how do I connect my iPhone to ethernet and all its benefits, you can follow the steps so you can set it up yourself.

As long as you have the proper adapters and cables, you should be able to get this all sorted out.

You can also contact a networking professional to help you set this up properly, especially if you have to change some configurations on your router.