Turning off WiFi automatically when Ethernet cable is plugged in to Mac

Question

Turning off WiFi automatically when Ethernet cable is plugged in to Mac

I am using an 14" MacBook Pro 2021 with Apple M1 Max 32GB RAM and 2 TB Storage

How can I disable wifi automatically if there is an ethernet connection?

In Windows, network adapter typically gives a choice to configure it to disable WiFi when Ethernet cable is connected to PC/Laptop etc.

Is it possible to do so when using a MacBook Pro including the current models? Our Office is running out of IP Addresses due to a large number of mobile phones, printer devices along with computers and we would like to at least not use two IP addresses for each computer.

This capability would be very beneficial.

MareshFromHudson

MacBook Pro

Posted on Feb 20, 2022 1:27 PM

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Answer 1

Feb 20, 2022 1:45 PM in response to nareshfromhudson

Packets going to the Internet are sent to the TOPMOST, Working interface shown in

System preferences > network

If you set service order to make Ethernet TopMost, it will be used preferentially when available, and otherwise drop back to Wi-Fi.

There should be aver 250 addresses trivially available, and you can enlarge the range so that more are possible just by changing a few parameters on your Router. Post back if you would like to pursue this.

In my opinion, what you are asking to do is a waste of your time and energy. You will also lose Loacation Services provided only over Wi-Fi. and the next guy along will just steal the last IP address anyway.

If you want to be a self-sacrificing good do-be and turn your Wi-Fi off, you can do so by setting up, a network Location that turns Wi-Fi off:

How to use network locations on your Mac - Apple Support

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Answer 2

Feb 20, 2022 3:01 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Thank you for the detailed answer Grant.

All that you say is generally valid. Our company is virtually 100% user of Microsoft Windows based systems. We also like to minimize spread of computer systems and related hardware because they are primarily there to support our primary business. I am the lone Mac user. Microsoft Windows hardware / software do permit configuration of Network Adapter so it is easy to set up "turn=Off WiFi when Ethernet Cable is connected".

I was just curious whether macOS and Apple hardware had a similar configurability. It is likely that there is not. In case of our company use, location services are not important. In-house, the computer hardware is static. When a laptop may leave the building, WiFi automatically gets enabled.

Thanks for your expert advise.

NareshFromHudson

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Turning off WiFi automatically when Ethernet cable is plugged in to Mac

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