Your Network Settings Have Been changed by another Application

A search in this forum for your "network settings have been changed by another application" turns up,

"A Fix for "Your network preferences have been changed by another application" Error

In the Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/ folder delete the following:

com.apple.airport.preferences.plist
NetworkInterfaces.plist
preferences.plist
com.apple.nat.plist

You will have to re-configure all your network settings since deleting"

I also have the same problem. And I am not quite ready to retype all my network settings... Has Apple at least acknowledged the bug?

I discovered I am having the same problem currently as I type this. I may get bold enough and reset the network connection as described. I hope I have everything written down so I can reconnect to my IP.

Thanks.
Worked great.

Seems to be getting to be a regular problem as I have 2 PBG4's, one Ti one Al that both run 10.4.11 and both have suffered from the same malady, whilst each is operated by a different person, yet have similar network settings. I've found that the only time this "problem" occurs is when I open System Preferences/Network and Location=automatic and Show=network status.

If i can dismiss the dialogue box and have click the cursor fast enough to select a different configuration, then I can continue to work within the Network selections.

On the Al, I found that by unchecking "Share these printers with other computers" from Preferences/Print&Fax/Sharing, that I was able to remove the "Your network settings..." repeat endlessly dialogue box. However, the Ti has never had the "Share these printers..." enabled.

I encountered the 'flopping box' again today when I lost my Wifi connection, and after force quitting System Preferences and repairing permissions, the problem seemed to go away. I also took to opportunity to delete some older Locations. But this hasn't helped. Only when Automatic and Network Status are selected, will this issue pop-up.

Are there any ideas why this issue is occuring?

Thanks

I also encountered this. Just went to network to review my settings. I also don't feel like re-entering all my settings.

Just adding to the list, hoping Apple will fix it without us having to jump through hoops.

Count me in.
Tried to fix permissions and verify disks both ways
(boot into internal and fix firewire and
boot into firewire and fix internal volumes)
no joy.

Deleting files worked, but do not have much/any network except DSL connection.

Could have been ugly though
was checking to see what network connections looked like
as am going to intall a Airport express station
not a network guy but am a worrier
so any confusion would not have been welcome.

I vote for iTunes update, that and flash seemed to be the only
permissions that needed fixing.
my software is up to date and seems like iTunes was one of last updates.

I had this problem which was solved by using the method above from sig (pointed out by BDAqua). In my case I _don't use iTunes so no update_. This started happening I think after security update 2008-007 but I can't be sure inasmuch as I almost never open the Network Pref Panel.

I found another way to make it go away, but you need to be quick with the mouse.

1) When the message "Your network settings have been changed by another application" pops up, click okay. You have about a second before it pops up again. If you can click on the "locations" drop-down before it pops up again, change the location to any other location on the list.

2) Now that you've changed it, the "network settings have been changed" warning will likely pop up again. But this time, you should be able to click the "okay" button a couple of times and it will eventually stop popping up.

3) Once you get it to go way, all your previous settings will work just as they did before, so you can return to your old network settings location without any problems.

Note: you might want to avoid doing this with the trackpad, unless you are really fast and accurate with it. Also, either way, it will probably take you a few tries. I managed to do this successfully with 2 macbook pros. Speed is everything. Good luck.

Worked! -- sort of. It didn't work with "locations." It just kept going back to what was there before.

But it worked with "Options." Note that you can click away the message with the return key, while the mouse cursor is on "Options," ready to click. I changed "robustness," and back, and now don't get that pop-up anymore.

Thanks!

I have had the same problem with my iMac since just about October 18 when I installed the mentioned Security update. The message kept popping up and there was no way to stop it. Here's how I got around this problem as a fix, but it is not really satisfying because it doesn't solve the root cause

While confirming the message with the keyboard, click immediately on the security lock preventing any further changes. That keeps "the other program" from making any changes. When you unlock again with your system password, the message does not come back for the rest of the session.

The problem will occur again, though, once you restart your computer.

Small defect of this solution is that the network preferences process crashes 80% of the time afterwards and you need to terminate it through the activity monitor.

If anyone has a permanent fix to this problem except deleting all my network settings, I'm all ears.

Try this: Open System Preferences > Security. Check "Require password to unlock each secure system preference".

I just tried that and it's working for me.

I found that solution here:
http://forums.macosxhints.com/showthread.php?t=94611&highlight=Network+settings

Hi Mark, et al!

Additional info here 'Your network settings have been changed by another app' - THE SOLUTION, authored by Jona.

ali b

I had the same problem. the solution below worked:

Open System Preferences . Security
Check "Require password to unlock each secure system preference'

thanks for the suggestion!

I have successfully used that option noted above to stop the dialogue box too, but it has had an unintended consequence.

I use Classic for one application (ACT 2.8) almost daily. Now, I get repeating dialogue boxes when I'm trying to open a list window of activities for a specific Lookup. It takes 8 or 10 pop-up windows about ...can't connect to the server try blah, blah....

I would imagine that it is in some way related to the ...application has changed your settings... issue.