switching between wireless and ethernet

[ebenhero]

I've recently set-up a small network at home, with a Quicksilver G4 acting as a server, and two Powerbooks that connect to it. Both the Quicksilver and an Aiport Extreme are connected to a router, and then to an ADSL2+ modem and the internet.

Now my question is this: mostly I connect to the server with the Powerbooks wirelessly (I have set them up to do this at login), but sometimes when I have a big file to transfer I connect the Powerbook to the router with an ethernet cable. If I have already connected to the server wirelessly, it seems that I have to disconnect, and then reconnect to make use of the ethernet connection. Is this right? Or is there something I can do to make the connection to the server automatically detect that there is the faster option of ethernet available?

I guess the question is probably elementary networking, but I am new to it. So thanks for any replies.

 

[yippy]

I usually turn off Airport in that case to force the use of ethernet.

In System preferences->network. Choose Show: Network Port Configurations. Drag the order around so that ethernet is above airport. In theory, this tells the computer to use ethernet if it is available instead of wireless.

That is all I can think of though.

 

[ebenhero]

I've never noticed that option in System Preferences before. But it doesn't seem to make a difference with switching the connection to ethernet when I plug the cable in.

 

[ebenhero]

Anyone have anything more to add to this? Or am I right in thinking I have to reconnect to the server when I plug in the ethernet cable?

While I'm at it, I have another network-related question. The fact that when you drag a file from the server to the trash it is deleted immediately makes me nervous. Is there a way to have delete preceeded by requirement for administrator password? Or other protection? I am worried that other users on the network may accidently delete files.

Cheers

 

[interlaced]

I think the quickest way is to just click on the airport icon at the top and turn off airport. I needed to do that one time to fix my wireless connection and it worked fine.

 

[thewhitehart]

I found it quite useful that the Network Status Pane actually tells you which medium the computer is connecting to the internet through. When you first click on 'Network', you should get the status page with the 'green bubbles' next to your connections. I am connected to my router via airport and via ethernet at the same time, but my internet traffic comes through the ethernet. The network pane will tell you "You are connected to the internet via...(insert means)." Mine tells me that I am connected to the internet via ethernet.