OSX 10.6.8 upgrade disactivated my ethernet port.

Since posting to this thread on Nov 9th my ethernet port on my Mini started working again. I can't say that there was any one thing that fixed it, or say what did fix it. I was using different systems on 4 external drives to continue to troubleshoot the problem. I moved my office to another room in the house, whcih had been planned, and shortly after that the Mini ethernet port just started working again and has been working ever since. That was sometime in early December. I use it daily. The problem has just gone away. I can switch between OS revs and the ethernet holds. Go figure.

I don't know why and I don't care why my Ethernet is still orange in Network prefs (where it used to be Green) - but my computer with 10.6.8 has found my HP LaserJet 4050n printer again. :-) :-) :-)

I followed the steps advised by Neil Ward 1 in this thread:

▶ [ https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2160549?start=0&tstart=0 ]

and it did the trick! Thanks, Neil!

I hope others will benefit from his tip also. Good luck - I'm out of this nightmare thread...

FIxed my problem!

After years the problem was solved somply!

Go to System preferences

Go to Ethernet
Go to Advance
Go to Hardware

The just make the changes like in the pictures below

Good to hear this. What exactly did you change? Was it the speed from auto to 100? I had done that before but perhaps it will work this time.

I just found by mistake this configuration by mistake in some forum. I just copy what they say and worked.

It worked for me too. We'll have to see if this is a permanent fix or just a temporary one. I tried this before and I wonder if this was some kind of an operating system or driver fix that had been done previously without letting us know.

I don't think will,be a temporary fix. As it looks just and only a configuration problem nothing else.

Don't forget to click fixed or solved the problem bottom

Well, I just upgraded to 10.6.8 and the ethernet port quit working, just like that. I've been searching for a solution. This work-around reduces the ethernet connection speed from 1000BaseTX to 100BaseTX. A lot of bandwidth is lost. Besides that, on my unit, when I change it to 'Manually', the Speed pop up menu does not respond and stays blank, so it cannot be configured either way. Hoping that there is some other fix. Anyone come across anything else?

In my case, if I boot to SAFE MODE, the Apple USB-to-Ethernet works.

The moment I rebooted back to normal mode, the Ethernet stops working.

I don't install some special software that messed up my Mac, other than OSX 10.7!!

Hi TechND - from what you write seems I have same problem. I've been posting on a different thread but basically my Mac Mini running 10.6.8 just won't synch with the new gigabyte switch I bought - it won't even step down to 100 Trying "Manual" does nothing as you say. Did anyone ever answer you?