MAC OS® X UNIX® Toolbox: 1000+ Commands for the Mac OS® X

Chapter 11. Managing Network Connections

In This Chapter

• Getting network statistics

• Managing network connections

• Checking DNS name resolution with dig, host, and hostname

• Checking connectivity with ping and arping

• Tracing connections with traceroute and route

• Watching the network with netstat

Connecting to a network from a Mac OS X system is often as easy as attaching your computer's network interface card (NIC) to your ISP's hardware (such as a DSL or cable modem) and allowing the system to auto-detect the connection. However, if your network interface doesn't come up or requires some manual intervention, many commands are available for configuring network interfaces, checking network connections, and setting up special routing.

This chapter covers many useful commands for configuring and working with your network interface cards, such as sysinstall and ifconfig. In particular, it covers ways of configuring wired, wireless, and modem network hardware. You will also learn about commands such as netstat, dig, and ping for getting information about your network when your hardware is connected and the network interfaces are in place.

Configuring Network Interfaces

To configure network interfaces on Mac OS X, click the System Preferences icon on your Dock and then click Network. Click Advanced and you can configure settings for AirPort (wireless networking), DNS servers, DHCP, and more (see Figure 11-1).

Figure 11-1. Configuring network Interfaces on Mac OS X

More than likely, you won't need to ...