Using Network Configuration Applications

As complex as networking may seem, Mac OS X greatly simplifies network configuration. Almost all configuration is performed using just three applications:

• Network Setup Assistant Configures Mac OS X for the most common methods of connecting to the Internet. You can open Network Setup Assistant by clicking the "Assist me" button in Network preferences. During the initial Mac OS X setup, networking is configured in the Setup Assistant if you do not have an active Ethernet port available. If that port is available, Ethernet is automatically enabled and configured using Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (discussed later in this lesson).

  

• Network preferences Configures the network settings beyond the basic configuration provided by the Network Setup Assistant.

  

• Internet Connect application Establishes connections to remote networks. Most frequently it is used to establish an Internet connection with an Internet service provider (ISP) via Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) or Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet (PPPoE), but it is also used to establish VPN connections and provide authentication for 802.1x-enabled networks.

  You can also import and export Internet Connect configurations. This allows network administrators to create and distribute network-specific configurations that users can import and use.