43. Create and Configure a Location  BEFORE YOU BEGIN 27 Set Your Network Device Preference Order 40 Connect to the Internet Wirelessly
 SEE ALSO 44 Switch to a New Location
Your Mac starts out with a single location : Automatic . This location is set up to use the most automatic TCP/IP setup methods possible for all available network devices, such as DHCP and automatic connection to the nearest AirPort network. If your Mac is a stationary desktop machine, you can safely change the settings on the default Automatic location to match your local network; however, it's bestespecially if your Mac is a portable, but even if it isn'tto create a new location and use it to hold your specific connection configuration. 43. Create and Configure a Location 
After you've created a new location, you have to set up the networking configuration associated with it. The networking configuration depends on what types of network connectivity are available, what kinds of manual options you want to have available, and what role your computer plays in the network. Your laptop might just be an AirPort-connected web-surfing device while you're at home, but at work it might have to connect to two or three different Ethernet networks and a VPN . Any number of configurations is possibleeach location can have an entirely different style of networking from the next . | 1. | Open Network Preferences
Open the System Preferences application (using the Apple menu or the Applications folder) and click the Network icon to open the Network Preferences . Alternatively, open the Network Preferences directly from the Location submenu of the Apple menu.
| | 2. | Create a New Location From the Location drop-down menu, choose New Location . A sheet appears that asks for a name for the new location.  NOTE As the sheet points out, your new location is accessible by any of the users on your Mac, if you have multiple users set up. | | 3. | Name the New Location and Click OK
Enter a name for the new location. The name can contain any special characters you like, and can be as long as you want. Use a short, descriptive name such as Home or Joe's Coffee .
Click OK to create the new location. The Network Preferences now shows the configuration for this location, but it isn't active until you click Apply Now to make your changes take effect. Before you click that button, though, you should adjust the networking settings for your various devices to match the network the location represents.
| | 4. | Identify Active Network Ports From the Show menu, select Network Port Configurations . On the configurations screen, you can disable any network devices you don't use, duplicate configurations for devices you want to use in different circumstances, or rename your device configurations. Determine which network devices will be useful in the location you're configuring. If you won't ever have access to an AirPort network in this location, for example, deselect the check box next to the AirPort entry. TIP To add a VPN configuration to your active network ports, open Internet Connect (from the Applications menu) and create a new VPN connection, as described in 34 Configure a Secure Tunnel ( VPN ) . After the VPN configuration is complete, the new configuration appears in the Show drop-down menu in the Network Preferences pane. | | 5. | Sort Network Ports
Click and drag the network devices in the port configuration list into your preferred order. Sort the devices so that the fastest , most flexible devices are at the top of the list, followed by devices that are more reliable and likely to be available. For instance, Ethernet is faster than AirPort, but you might not always have Ethernet plugged in; if you put Ethernet at the top of the list and AirPort below it, Mac OS X will use Ethernet if it's connected, but otherwise will fall back on AirPort ( assuming that you're within range of a base station).
| | 6. | Configure Each Network Port
Select each network device in turn from the Show drop-down menu. Using the TCP/IP tab for each device, configure the TCP/IP settings according to the environment in the location you're configuring. For instance, configure the device to use DHCP if automatic configuration is available (usually the case in AirPort and corporate Ethernet networkssee 29 Configure Networking Automatically with DHCP or BootP ), or configure the settings manually if necessary (see 30 Configure Networking Manually ).
| | 7. | Apply Your Changes
When your configuration is complete, click the Apply Now button. The TCP/IP configuration for the network device that's highest in your preference order and that is connected will be applied immediately.
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