Ellington converted a controversial 43rd minute penalty after he had been brought down by Ipswich defender Fabian Wilnis to claim his 22nd goal of a productive season and his fifth in five games.
Ipswich boss Joe Royle was adamant that the incident occurred outside the box and it was a view which seemed to be confirmed by the TV cameras, but Ellington stroked home the spot kick with ease to give the home side a lead they never looked like losing.
In fairness, Wigan ought to have been out of sight well before Ellington's opener as they created a hatful of chances in a first half which saw them produce some top-notch football.
Ellington himself went for goal when his strike-partner Jason Roberts would have scored with a simple tap in but instead Ellington's drive screamed past the post.
Roberts himself saw a shot come back off the post after a blistering run and when the bal fell to Jimmy Bullard he somehow ballooned the ball over the bar from barely a yard out.
Both Gary Teale and Lee McCulloch also squandered chances as Wigan threatened to run riot, while Ipswich's sole reply in a one-sided first half was a free-kick from Darren Currie which John Filan saved at the second attempt.
Ipswich had more of the second-half play but their possession counted for nothing as they slipped to their third consecutive defeat.
Indeed Wigan might have made the game safe in the dying minutes when Teale crossed for Ellington but the Ipswich defence somehow scrambled the ball clear.