What’s the point of the 2.5G Ethernet port on your router?

A 2.5G Ethernet port can transfer data at up to 2.5 Gbps, compared with the 1 Gbps limit typical of standard Ethernet ports. It can improve performance for bandwidth-heavy tasks, though many home users may see limited benefit because everyday streaming and gaming generally do not need that much bandwidth.

To use the faster connection, the router and connected device both need 2.5 Gbps ports, and the cable must be Cat5e or newer. An internet plan of at least 2.5 Gbps is needed to reach that speed for online downloads and uploads, but compatible devices can still transfer data faster across a local network, such as when backing up files to a NAS.