5 ms·

Don't you think it is? I can't remember the lasttime i used an eth cable (apart of testing the network/router)

kelnos 14y ago
I use one every day. WiFi is unreliable and slow.
unimpressive 14y ago
Depends. Ethernet cables have saved me quite a few times while installing Linux. (But that's irrelevant to apple, they don't even need to concern themselves with drivers.) Besides that I haven't really needed an ethernet cord all that often for my laptop. (Or at all really.) For my desktop, depending on your definition of "use" (If that means installing an ethernet cable, or connecting to a network with one.) I last used one a few weeks ago, or right now.
- rogerbinns 14y ago
  On the Mac you can enter wireless network information in the equivalent of the BIOS menu so wireless networking is available early on. About the only time I physically connect some of my machines is for a network boot to install Linux.
X-Istence 14y ago
Those of us who work in classified locations or on classified projects are not allowed to use wireless. Also, since when have we been able to push 1000 Mbps over Wireless?
- codeka 14y ago
  I'd say that particular use case is rather uncommon. It's not that wired ethernet is never required, just that wireless is perfectly acceptable for the vast majority of users.
  - reitzensteinm 14y ago
    And in the cases that it's not, having to use a $30 dongle on a $2200 machine is just not a big deal. As an aside, if an office is paranoid enough to lock down well encrypted Wifi, I wouldn't be surprised if Thunderbolt got the boot as well. It's built like Firewire; devices that are plugged in have direct access to the host machine's memory. Though at least it now has the ability to mask off sections of memory. An attack via a malicious network adapter doesn't sound out of the question. Seems like it would be on the same level of plausibility as sniffing WPA2 traffic and decrypting meaningful information from it.
    - X-Istence 14y ago
      Thunderbolt requires physical access to the machine. Wireless can leak and potentially be available outside of the building. That it is the biggest concern with Wifi. Is there a likely hood of WPA2 AES being cracked? Yes, it is very small but it is still possible. Also if a secure device is captured by an attacker and they steal the credentials to access the wireless network they can now come and go as they please. At least with physical they would have to enter the building and plug in. Are other attacks feasible, absolutely and I will grant that, but having wifi enabled just doesn't work for certain situations and where paranoia runs high due to the work that is being done.
  - X-Istence 14y ago
    Sure, but having a $30 dongle available just makes my life a whole lot simpler. I wish it was still integrated, but it may simply be too large of a connector to that meaningfully. I can live with that.
- simonh 14y ago
  Apple does make Macbook pros that do have ethernet jacks. They also make ones that don't. Take your pick.
btbuilder 14y ago
Used mine today to run a full time machine backup in around an hr. Over wireless it would have been 10 times that. While doable, it would have been annoying.

I use one every day. WiFi is unreliable and slow.

Depends. Ethernet cables have saved me quite a few times while installing Linux. (But that's irrelevant to apple, they don't even need to concern themselves with drivers.) Besides that I haven't really needed an ethernet cord all that often for my laptop. (Or at all really.) For my desktop, depending on your definition of "use" (If that means installing an ethernet cable, or connecting to a network with one.) I last used one a few weeks ago, or right now.

rogerbinns 14y ago
On the Mac you can enter wireless network information in the equivalent of the BIOS menu so wireless networking is available early on. About the only time I physically connect some of my machines is for a network boot to install Linux.

X-Istence 14y ago

Those of us who work in classified locations or on classified projects are not allowed to use wireless. Also, since when have we been able to push 1000 Mbps over Wireless?

codeka 14y ago
I'd say that particular use case is rather uncommon. It's not that wired ethernet is never required, just that wireless is perfectly acceptable for the vast majority of users.
- reitzensteinm 14y ago
  And in the cases that it's not, having to use a $30 dongle on a $2200 machine is just not a big deal. As an aside, if an office is paranoid enough to lock down well encrypted Wifi, I wouldn't be surprised if Thunderbolt got the boot as well. It's built like Firewire; devices that are plugged in have direct access to the host machine's memory. Though at least it now has the ability to mask off sections of memory. An attack via a malicious network adapter doesn't sound out of the question. Seems like it would be on the same level of plausibility as sniffing WPA2 traffic and decrypting meaningful information from it.
  - X-Istence 14y ago
    Thunderbolt requires physical access to the machine. Wireless can leak and potentially be available outside of the building. That it is the biggest concern with Wifi. Is there a likely hood of WPA2 AES being cracked? Yes, it is very small but it is still possible. Also if a secure device is captured by an attacker and they steal the credentials to access the wireless network they can now come and go as they please. At least with physical they would have to enter the building and plug in. Are other attacks feasible, absolutely and I will grant that, but having wifi enabled just doesn't work for certain situations and where paranoia runs high due to the work that is being done.
- X-Istence 14y ago
  Sure, but having a $30 dongle available just makes my life a whole lot simpler. I wish it was still integrated, but it may simply be too large of a connector to that meaningfully. I can live with that.
simonh 14y ago
Apple does make Macbook pros that do have ethernet jacks. They also make ones that don't. Take your pick.

btbuilder 14y ago

Used mine today to run a full time machine backup in around an hr. Over wireless it would have been 10 times that. While doable, it would have been annoying.