How do I get my MacBook Pro to automatically understand that it is connected to an ethernet and abandon wifi?

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How do I get my MacBook Pro to automatically understand that it is connected to an ethernet and abandon wifi?

I have just moved from a Windows machine to a MacBook Pro. How do I get my MacBook Pro to understand that when I plug it into my large display at the office (which I think of a a docking station) I want it to switch automatically from wifi to the ethernet connected to the display. It seems so simple but the only way I can get it to do it is to manually switch wifi off before I connect it to the display... sound like a dumb way of doing things...

MacBook Pro, OS X Yosemite (10.10.4), null

Posted on Aug 5, 2015 6:38 AM

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Answer 1

Aug 5, 2015 7:15 AM in response to chito55

If you are also plugging in the Ethernet cable when you add to the big display, you could do this by putting the Ethernet FIRST in the order devices will be used to connect to the Internet. The reason you will not be punished later when you disconnect from Ethernet is that the WiFi, now second, will take over when you disconnect Ethernet.

For a Portable Mac used in many different situations with different settings, Apple intended you to use "Locations", also shown in the System Preferences > Network panel. You set up one location for use at the office, a different one for Home, another for Starbux, and so on. By choosing a particular "Location", you immediately change a basket of settings from several different places to meet your needs in that situation. Be sure to give them each a meaningful mnemonic name.

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Answer 2

Aug 5, 2015 7:47 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

• "Set service Order" is on the gear pop-up menu at the bottom of the left pane in System Preferences > Network.

• A new "Location" can be created in that same pane at any time by choosing (Assist me) > (Assistant) and deliberately specifying a new name for the Location to be created.

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Answer 3

chito55 Author

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Aug 5, 2015 9:02 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Yes, this should work in theory, but it appears not to do so in practice. When I switch from Home (where I have only Wifi) to Office (where I have set Ethernet only) after I have connected to the display, my email and web browsers stop working. The question really is, when should I make the change from Home to Office? Before I plug it in? It seems the point of having a "Service Order" is that I could do it on the fly... Thanks for responding

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Answer 4

Csound1

Level 9

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Aug 5, 2015 9:04 AM in response to chito55

How is the service order set currently

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