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1. Connecting to a Wired Network

Wireless networks When you want optimize your own home or office network, find new open networks or even survey a larger building to identify any network ‘black’ spots, NetSpot is the. Most of you tend to choose a password protect your wireless network on Mac OS X 10.9, 10.8, 10.7 and lower. But trying to set up a wireless connection without knowing the password can be frustrating ordeal.

In this chapter, you learn how to get your Mac online, including tasks like:

• → Connecting to wired networks
• → Connecting to secure wireless networks
• → Configuring network address, DNS, and routing information
• → Verifying network connections
• → Creating VPN connections
• → Managing multiple connections with Locations

Being connected to a network gives you access to information, files, and services such as email or the Web. Your Mac comes with the latest networking technology—802.11ac Wi-Fi and gigabit Ethernet, making it a snap to connect to existing wired or wireless networks.

Connecting to a Wired Network

The most common type of network connection in the business world is a wired Ethernet connection. The cables used to connect to the network look like oversized phone connectors and, as luck has it, plug directly into your MacBook’s Ethernet port. (New Air and Retina MacBook owners need to buy Apple’s USB or Thunderbolt Ethernet adapter.) The MacBook supports gigabit Ethernet, making it able to exchange information at extremely high speeds.

Making an Ethernet (Wired) Connection

On a network that is set up to automatically configure your computer using DHCP, the most complicated thing you need to do is plug in the network cable!

1. Open the System Preferences panel and click the Network icon.

2. The network preference panel displays. All of the active network interfaces are listed here. Red dots indicate that no connection is present on the interface.

3. Plug the network cable into the back of your Mac. After a few seconds, the interface should update, showing a green dot for an active connection. The pane to the right of the interfaces displays the information that your computer is using to communicate online.

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The default mail program is the software that is registered with your operating system as the software that is to handle mailto URL's. When another application wants to send an email, it looks up the default and passes the email to the default mail program.

Wireless Network Connection

Use the following steps to change the default mail program in Mac OS X:

1. Open the Mail application from the Applications folder.

2. Click on the Mail menu and select Preferences...

3. Click the General button. If you don't see the General button, click on the small oval in the upper right corner to reveal it.

4. Select a new default mail program from the Default Email Reader menu (e.g. Thunderbird, Entourage).

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