I have both ethernet and wi-fi connected to my MBP. I keep them both on so I can use Air Drop to put files on my iPad.
Is there a way to have the computer prefer the wired connection? I think it may be faster (since everything else in my house is also on the wi-fi network).
And,
Does it "confuse" the OS having both types of connection active at the same time?
Thanks.
MacBook Pro 16″, macOS 13.6
By default, the Mac should prefer the Ethernet connection and not WiF.
The choice of Ethernet over WiFi is made in
System Settings -> Network -> [...v] (... button in the lower left of the Network settings) -> Set Service Order
This screenshot is from my company Mac. I own several docks that have Ethernet support. In this case, the Thunderbolt Ethernet Slot 0 2 is the one I am using on my company Mac wired into my home router.
You should see your Ethernet interfaces above your WiFi. I have BOTH Ethernet and WiFi active on my company Mac, and it always uses Ethernet. My WiFi is just so that I can use things like AirDrop, Apple Watch unlock my Mac, etc... Otherwise the WiFi does not see much traffic.
If I decided to disconnect my company Mac from my Thunderbolt dock, it will immediately switch to WiFi. Of course that will most likely break my VPN connection into work, and any ssh connections I have into hosted Linux development systems at work, as my WiFi will get a different IP address and the existing network connections will keep trying to use the old IP address which, being Ethernet based will stop responding when I disconnect from my dock. (There are games that can be played with IP address assignment that will let both the Ethernet and WiFi use the same IP address, but I do not unplug my company MacBook Pro unless I'm going on vacation).
Like you, I have 1 Thunderbolt dock cable into my Mac, but lots and lots of wires coming out of my Thunderbolt dock. 32" 4K monitor, 2 external disks, cables for trackpad and keyboard charging, iPhone MagSafe charger, UPS monitoring cable, etc...
If your service order is Ethernet above WiFi (which it should be by default, unless you changed it), then just leave your WiFi turned on.
By default, the Mac should prefer the Ethernet connection and not WiF.
The choice of Ethernet over WiFi is made in
System Settings -> Network -> [...v] (... button in the lower left of the Network settings) -> Set Service Order
This screenshot is from my company Mac. I own several docks that have Ethernet support. In this case, the Thunderbolt Ethernet Slot 0 2 is the one I am using on my company Mac wired into my home router.
You should see your Ethernet interfaces above your WiFi. I have BOTH Ethernet and WiFi active on my company Mac, and it always uses Ethernet. My WiFi is just so that I can use things like AirDrop, Apple Watch unlock my Mac, etc... Otherwise the WiFi does not see much traffic.
If I decided to disconnect my company Mac from my Thunderbolt dock, it will immediately switch to WiFi. Of course that will most likely break my VPN connection into work, and any ssh connections I have into hosted Linux development systems at work, as my WiFi will get a different IP address and the existing network connections will keep trying to use the old IP address which, being Ethernet based will stop responding when I disconnect from my dock. (There are games that can be played with IP address assignment that will let both the Ethernet and WiFi use the same IP address, but I do not unplug my company MacBook Pro unless I'm going on vacation).
Like you, I have 1 Thunderbolt dock cable into my Mac, but lots and lots of wires coming out of my Thunderbolt dock. 32" 4K monitor, 2 external disks, cables for trackpad and keyboard charging, iPhone MagSafe charger, UPS monitoring cable, etc...
If your service order is Ethernet above WiFi (which it should be by default, unless you changed it), then just leave your WiFi turned on.
AirDrop uses an ad-hoc WiFi connection. The iPad, for the purposes of AirDrop, is not joining your network (even if it is already a member).
And you are already using WiFi for the iPad.
Also this WiFi connection is direct between the iPad and the Mac (the ad-hoc connection). It is NOT going through your router so there are no extra hops.
Here are some other ways to transfer data between your Mac and your iPad
Transfer files between your iPad and your computer - Notendaþjónusta Apple (IS)
Thanks, Bob. I don't transfer files often enough to justify a wired connection between the two devices. Not to mention I've already got two monitors and two hard drives plugged into the computer (between a dongle-type dock and the ports on the machine, not sure there is any room for anything else, lol). Compounding the issue is that the MBP is provided by my employer and I can't use iCloud (although I can use Adobe Creative Cloud). Technically I shouldn't even be using external hard drives, but what's a work-from-home person supposed to do for backups?
So, just for clarity, do I have this right:
If I want to continue to use AirDrop to get files from the MBP to the iPad, and I want the MBP to prefer the wired network, I have to turn off wi-fi on the MBP and turn it on when I want to put files on the iPad. It sounds like AirDrop requires wi-fi to be turned on?
Thanks.
Yes, helpful, thank you! That was exactly what I was looking for. Mine is set up so the ethernet connections are at the top of the list, no need to change anything. My computer ethernet is wired to the mesh node in my home office, which is wired to a switch at the router in the basement. Fiber Modem>Router>Switch>Office Node>Computer. The fiber comes in at the opposite end of the house from where most of the devices are... there are a couple devices hard-wired at the opposite end of the house to make sure we don't have any streaming interruptions. ANYway, that was what I was asking, thanks.
Lucky you. You have Fiber.
I'm still local cable company broadband. 300+ megabits down, but only 6 megabits up. And I share it with my Wife, who is also a computer professional working form home (different companies). But it works for us.
My home is wired for Ethernet, so the wall jack next to my desk goes to the gigabit switch in the basement, which is then connected to the eero 6E mesh node that is also the router, which then plugs into the cable modem.
When I had the house wired, I put an electrical outlet into all the closets and 2 Ethernet wall ports. So the eero 6E mesh node is in the kitchen closet using one of the Ethernet wall ports to connect from the WAN port to the cable modem the basement. The 2nd Ethernet wall port connects from eero 6E LAN port to the gigabit switch in the basement. The switch then connects to the two other eero 6E mesh nodes, so I have a wired backhaul. The switch also connects to my Synology (and my 2nd Synology that backs up the first Synology), my Brother multi-function printer in the foyer closet (2nd closet Ethernet line does not connect to the switch, but rather the telephone line so I have FAX service from my printer; I had to attach an RJ-11 connector on the basement end of the Ethernet cable in order to do plug into the Telephone line), the Ethernet capable TVs, the Apple TV, an old Mac in the basement I use as a server, and a few other devices.
All other network capable devices use the WiFi.
I have about 50'ish devices on my home network, between computers (multiple for both me (about 5) and my wife (about 3); it is hard to keep track), iPhones, iPads, iPod touch (or old iPhones used as a Touch), Ring door bells, Roomba vacuums, TVs, Apple TVs, webcams, NAS servers, etc...
I'm glad I was able to answer your question. Have a nice rest of your week. Maybe it is warmer where you are than it is here (27ºF ; -3C, and everything is snow covered)
HA, I wish I could re-wire my house. It's a 1950's ranch with most of the original electrical wiring, and no ethernet wiring, natch. On the bright side, the whole house is accessible pretty easily via crawl space if we decide to do something like that. Good ideas there, outlets in closets... The mesh is comprised of TP-Link Deco units, a couple newer ones with 6E (the router and the office one, backhauled), a couple older ones that are 5Ghz. Never counted devices on the network, but we have Roku/Fire TVs and a robot vac and the thermostat and the alarm system, 3 ipads and at least 3 computers, maybe 4 at times. OH, and the game consoles. And the cell phones use wi-fi calling because the cell network is weak inside the house. One day I will have to update the network, but for now, with the backhauled Rokus and office node, everything seems to be running smoothly.
We pay for cable TV with the fiber (from Spectrum). The Roku boxes (we own them) work in place of Spectrum's DTA boxes (which are $15/month per TV!!). To watch live TV, we have to launch the Spectrum app on the Roku box connected to whichever TV we want to watch. Kind of a pain but a serious money-saver.
Temperature-wise, it's 46°F here right now, heading into evening. Which is kind of cold for us in North Carolina. Daytime temps in the winter are usually in the 50s.
But, I digress. Thank you again for the answers! Nice chat, I'm sure I will come across you again here on the Apple forums.
Ventura: Make wired connection the preferred over wi-fi when wi-fi is turned on?
