Audio Grade Ethernet Cable

@sns I didn't know I could disable WIFI from the router. Should I disable it when I listen to the stereo? I only use WIFI when I'm on my iPhone.

@ghdprentice Yeah I disconnected the modem/router from the line conditioner and found a different circuit. Thank You!

Antipodes Audio, the manufacturer of my streamer recommended I change from Cat 8 to Cat 6. When I did the difference was noticeable with more clarity and air. Well worth making the change and not expensive even for good quality Cat 6.

So, two schools of thought in regard to whether networks impact sound quality for audiophile streaming. Not here to argue this, non believers can go on using wifi. So, generally we find the following in many audiophile streaming setups, modem and router far away from audio system, long ethernet cable to network switch, this switch may be generic or audiophile switch, switch connects to streamer. Some take the audiophile switch a step further and use some sort of network filter in addition to the switch. And some go even further in using audiophile ethernet cables between switch and streamer. Many report these devices and measures effective in providing better quality streams, this adds to the empirical evidence networks do indeed impact streaming sound quality.

And so I'll use an analogy of a river when describing streaming network chain.  We have this source of pollution at the router, this in the form of rfi from wifi, and also in the form of other forms of emi. So the idea is this contaminated river water will be cleaned up via the audiophile switch, filter and or streamer. This all makes sense, and per above many report better sound quality using these conditioners/filters what have you. But what if you cut out the offending pollution at the source, this means at the modem and router. Number one benefit is you may no longer need these additional devices to clean up the pollution. I'll also posit the idea perhaps these filters/conditioners don't in fact entirely decontaminate this flow, perhaps some pollution is getting past them. And we also have to acknowledge that even with the filter/conditioner there is pollution in this river during it's journey from router to filter, perhaps this alone may have detrimental effects on sound quality. 

So how do we eliminate, or at least diminish this pollution source? We locate modem and router close to audio system, and we eliminate as much emi/rfi pollutants possible. This means both modem and router powered via lps (and how well we implement this matters), we disable wifi on router in order to eliminate contamination via rfi of both router and any closely situated streaming or audio components. Whole house wifi is provided by a second router connected to first router via long LAN/ethernet cable, quality of that cable not all that important.  Another added benefit (if you believe ethernet cable quality variable) is short cable runs now available to you, .5M is my longest ethernet cable run. Now there is new evidence out there that eliminating the router altogether via an audiophile managed switch provides even greater gains, this by eliminating needless network traffic via nearly constant pinging. Dejitter Switch X for anyone interested. I'll also add, you may still want to continue using a network filter even with the above setup, I find my JCAT netcard XE to be effective.

So, this the logic involved in providing what is known as a 'clean' network for our audiophile streaming. The whole house network or 'dirty' network is now segregated from the audio or 'clean' network. Beyond this I can only say don't assume or presume this can't provide superior streaming sound quality vs whatever setup you are running at present. Empirical evidence far more compelling, than presumptions and assumptions. Offering advice based on presumption and assumption may be doing a great disservice to the audiophile community. It took many years of trial and error to finally come to the point where streams offered equal sound quality vs ripped cd's on NAS, this particular network optimization proved to be the final equalizer. 

. 

Keep your wifi router and  network related wall warts away from your stereo! 

Cheap-o Ethernet 6 will be just fine. 

The most realistic concerns are over radiated RFI from inside the Wifi router.  It's job is literally to radiate radio frequency interference.  The other issue is wall warts.  If you must have any network related gear near your audio gear use low noise versions such as those from ifi Power.  Especially try to avoid putting a wall wart on your clean side of a power conditioner as they can re-pollute the AC. 

If you must do more then I suggest an Ethernet/fiber/Ethernet conversion.  Asus makes routers with built in fiber ports (SFP?) but you can get inexpensive converters.  Fiber is galvanically isolated, immune to RFI/EMI and lightning surges. Still use a good power supply near your streamer.