How to restore Ethernet connection

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Level 1

21 points

How to restore Ethernet connection

I want to get back to connecting my iMac to the WWW using ethernet via a powerline adaptor. I used to be able to but at present I can only connect via Wifi. If I open System Preferences and Network, I am supposed to be able to see (according to WWW searches) a reference to Ethernet in the left pane where the Wifi connection shows. Not there. I have tried unplugging the ethernet cable and working for a day on Wifi hoping that by plugging the cable back in the system will detect it. No such luck. Suggestions gratefully received as to how to restore the Ethernet connection. Interestingly, it was stable for a long time until I installed Big Sur. Big mistake ? This latest release 11.2.3 has removed my only connected printer completely leaving me to download the driver again.

iMac Line (2012 and Later)

Posted on Mar 11, 2021 2:56 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Luis Sequeira1

Level 9

73,170 points

Mar 12, 2021 3:59 AM in response to Stylax

IIUC, Ethernet does not even show as an option on the left side of System Preferences->Network.

In that case, I don't think that turning Wifi on or off, or restarting the router would have helped.

1) If you click + to add a new network interface, does Ethernet appear in the list of options? If the answer is yes, add it, configure and it should be fine

2) If the answer above is no: try creating new "location" by clicking on the location popup and choosing "edit locations".

Does the new location include Ethernet? If the answer is yes, configure it and it should be fine.

3) If the answer above is still no: restart your mac, reset SMC and NVRAM, and try 1) and 2) again

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Answer 2

Owl-53

Level 10

102,415 points

Mar 11, 2021 3:00 AM in response to Stylax

Shutdown computer After turning off the Wifi first. Restart the Router - Connect Ethernet cable to Router and then Restart computer and TEST

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Answer 3

Mar 15, 2021 10:09 AM in response to Stylax

There is some progress already.

The problem lies in the connection between your router and your mac.

The "Self-assigned IP address" indicates two things:

1) Your mac is set to get the correct configuration from your router (that's what the acronym DHCP basically means) automatically

2) Your router is not providing the configuration to your mac. You already noticed a side effect of this in the DNS appearing empty. If all were working, you would not need to enter DNS addresses; they would appear automatically (showing in grey, which in this case distinguish addresses furnished automatically by the router from addresses you type manually, which appear in black).

What 1) and 2) tell us is that your router is not configured to act as DHCP server over Ethernet.

Usually these things can be configured via a web interface, but the details vary a lot depending on the router and the ISP.

I think you are going to need to ask your ISP for guidance.

Tell them that "the router is not working as a DHCP server over the Ethernet connection". They should be able to guide you.

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Answer 4

Stylax Author

Level 1

21 points

Mar 12, 2021 2:47 AM in response to Owl-53

Thank you for your reply. Followed it to the letter except that I am not sure what you are referring to with TEST in block letters. When I switched the Mac back on, I went into Network and there was no reference to Ethernet as there should have been. WiFi was OFF so I had to enable it to be able to send this. As far as I can see, the first step is to get my system to even recognise that there is an Ethernet connection and why it will not do this now when it has previously worked well, I don't know. If you have any further ideas, grateful to hear them. Otherwise I am going to try this exercise again because sometimes things don't work first time.

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Answer 5

Stylax Author

Level 1

21 points

Mar 15, 2021 9:06 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

Hello,

Thanks for your reply. I am afraid I need further help with this if you can provide it. Firstly, Ethernet is now showing in the left pane and it says that it has a self-assigned IP address which I don’t believe it should have. Surely it should be automatic. I know I have never input an IP address. The Apple help sheet was useful because it pointed me to the Advanced radio button and the tab DNS. As this was empty I contacted my ISP who provided me with two numbers. I have input one of these only thinking that by putting both in the system might get even more confused than it already is. So I now have one Domain Name Server value showing on the ‘Network’ opening screen.

Can you give me any indication if there are standard settings for the other tabs e.g TCP/IP, WINS, 802.1X, Proxies and Hardware. I am afraid I have not got any idea what they should be showing. I also did not understand the references in your reply to SMC and NVRAM but perhaps I will not need to touch these now ?

Thanks again for any further help you can provide.

Stylax

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Answer 6

Owl-53

Level 10

102,415 points

Mar 12, 2021 2:53 AM in response to Stylax

The TEST was intended to avoid presuming it would solve the issue, which it has not. The restart of Router was to cause a renewal of the Routers setting to ISP.

Best of luck on next attempt.

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