AppleScript/Disable Ethernet Mac OS X 10.5

Question

AppleScript/Disable Ethernet Mac OS X 10.5

I have tried to accomplish this by using ifconfig and /usr/sbin/networksetup and their respective commands, but neither works. I get an error message that "a privilege violation occurred."

These are the statements I've tried (separately):

do shell script"ifconfig en0 down" with administrator privileges

do shell script "/usr/sbin/networksetup -setnetworkserviceenabled Ethernet off" with administrator privileges

FWIW, this works post-Leopard without error.

 eMac (2005)-OTHER, Mac OS X (10.5.8), PowerPC G4 1.42GHz, 150GB, 512MB RM

Posted on May 15, 2015 4:05 PM

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Answer 1

May 18, 2015 12:06 PM in response to stevejobsfan0123

I forgot to add, turning off Wi-Fi works OK using /usr/bin/networksetup -setairportpower off. There is no privilege issue. It would be nice if there was a "setethernetpower" command.

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Answer 2

May 19, 2015 9:11 PM in response to stevejobsfan0123

I'll try one last bump...

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Answer 3

lllaass

Level 10

210,411 points

May 23, 2015 2:01 AM in response to stevejobsfan0123

Give me so me details of how to do what you say. I will y it on my old G4..

If I am successful, how would I turn it back on?

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Answer 4

BDAqua

Level 10

239,159 points

May 23, 2015 11:20 AM in response to stevejobsfan0123

This works in 10.5.8 for me...

do shell script "sudo ifconfig en1 down" with administrator privileges

en1 because I'm using Ethernet 2 on a G5.

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Answer 5

BDAqua

Level 10

239,159 points

May 23, 2015 11:19 AM in response to lllaass

do shell script "sudo ifconfig en1 up" with administrator privileges

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Answer 6

May 23, 2015 3:33 PM in response to BDAqua

I thought you couldn't/shouldn't use "sudo" from a shell script? Maybe that's only for modern Mac OS X versions. I'll give it a try.

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Answer 7

May 23, 2015 4:15 PM in response to BDAqua

I'm also on 10.5.8, and tried what you said, but there's still no sign that it's working. After running the command, if you go to System Preferences > Network, what does it say next to Ethernet? "Disabled?" "Off?"

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Answer 8

May 23, 2015 4:31 PM in response to BDAqua

I was able to get it working with:

do shell script "sudo networksetup -setnetworkserviceenabled Ethernet off" with administrator privileges

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Answer 9

BDAqua

Level 10

239,159 points

May 23, 2015 5:54 PM in response to stevejobsfan0123

Yes, the first one I posted did turn it off, took maybe 5 seconds to show that in Network though.

You used en0 on yours right?

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Answer 10

May 23, 2015 5:59 PM in response to BDAqua

Yep, en0. I ran networksetup -getallhardwareports to confirm that this was the correct value.

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Answer 11

BDAqua

Level 10

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May 24, 2015 10:44 AM in response to stevejobsfan0123

Hmmmm, is yours PPC or Intel? Might that be the diff?

In Terminal does...

sudo ifconfig en0 down

Work?

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Answer 12

May 24, 2015 9:15 PM in response to BDAqua

PPC... sudo ifconfig en0 down doesn't work in Terminal, either.

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Answer 13

May 30, 2015 10:22 PM in response to stevejobsfan0123

In case anyone else has this issue, note that "do shell script "sudo networksetup -setnetworkserviceenabled Ethernet off" with administrator privileges" worked for me, but on some Macs, you may need to say "Built-in\\ Ethernet" in place of "Ethernet." For example, my PowerBook G4 on 10.5.8 says Ethernet, but my eMac, also 10.5.8, uses "Built-in Ethernet."

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Answer 14

BDAqua

Level 10

239,159 points

May 30, 2015 10:31 PM in response to stevejobsfan0123

How strange, it works here on a Quad G5/10..5.8 & an eMac/1.42./10.5.8 here!???

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Answer 15

May 30, 2015 10:33 PM in response to BDAqua

I have no explanation either. I haven't tried your suggestion on my eMac yet, though. Either way, as long as I found something that works, it's okay.

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