Why reset PRAM for network issues?

[tazmiffy]

Hey all,

Can someone explain to me why resetting PRAM on a machine has any effect whatsoever for networking issues? ie; self assigned ip etc.

I have noticed this is a common troubleshooting step that a lot of people are recommending for issues related to networking.

I am wondering why?

Cheers

 

[miles01110]

Stupidity, mostly.

 

[larkost]

In theory there could be some driver value stored in PRAM that could get messed up. But I have never run into one, and I do this a lot.

More likely the people giving that advice are giving it as a generic talisman: they heard that it solved something sometime, and now give it out as a generic troubleshooting step without understanding what it does. That being said, it is probably not going to hurt anything (even if it also does not help anything).

It is right up there with rebuilding the desktop.

 

[tazmiffy]

I was thinking the same thing!

I am in the process of creating a flow chart to trouble Mac OS X network issues and was using the forums for researching common core drivers and I noticed this step but having never used/needed it and knowing what PRAM does, I couldnt not understand why it was so commonly used.

Also, a lot of people recommend removing the preference files for the networking etc, at what point would you want to do this? If the machine cannot get an IP even if you have verified connection etc?