Does the Nintendo Switch have an ethernet port?

Although the Nintendo Switch is primarily a handheld gaming console, it does come with a dock that lets you hook it up to a TV and play. When hooked via the dock, you can play up to four-player co-op with your friends on your TV screen.

However, with much more focus on the wireless gaming that the Switch brings to the table, it leads to some questions regarding the console’s wired connectivity. Of course, there’s an HDMI port on the console’s dock that lets you hook it up to a TV, but what about an ethernet port for faster internet?

Gaming has become extremely digital these days, and the Switch is no different. Most of today’s games are delivered digitally via download, and being hard-wired can make that process much quicker. So, does the Switch have an ethernet port?

Can you connect your Switch to the internet via ethernet?

Short answer: Yes, but there are some things you should know

At the time of writing this, there’s actually no way to connect a Switch to the internet with an ethernet cable, but that is changing very soon. The original model of the Switch that came out in 2017 does not have an ethernet port, but the new OLED Model actually does.

The Nintendo Switch OLED Model features a couple of upgrades, and one of them is the addition of an ethernet port integrated onto the dock. That model releases on October 8, 2021, so you’ll be able to get your hands on one soon.

Now, there is a workaround that you can use for the original Switch model to be able to connect an ethernet cable. You can get a USB-ethernet adapter, like this officially licensed one from Hori, and hook it up to the USB port on your Switch’s dock. Then, you can connect an ethernet cable to get a more stable, wired connection.

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