

{"id":18288,"date":"2020-08-31T09:38:27","date_gmt":"2020-08-31T13:38:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/it\/dev\/kb\/?post_type=ht_kb&#038;p=18288"},"modified":"2025-05-21T10:09:23","modified_gmt":"2025-05-21T14:09:23","slug":"plists","status":"publish","type":"ht_kb","link":"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/it\/dev\/kb\/article\/plists\/","title":{"rendered":"Recreating macOS Networking Plists"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Recreating macOS networking plists is an advanced wireless troubleshooting step. It should not be done hastily, as it causes many network settings to be reset to their defaults. Before clearing out these settings, please:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/it\/kb\/article\/connect-to-uvm-wireless\/\">Click here for UVM&#8217;s instructions on connecting to UVM Wifi<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>Ensure your operating system is up-to-date and fully patched. Legacy and outdated versions of macOS will have issues connecting to some wireless networks, including UVM&#8217;s. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/it\/kb\/article\/outdated-macos-and-how-to-upgrade\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">See this guide for more information on Outdated macOS and How to Upgrade<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/it\/kb\/article\/uvm-wireless-remove-outdated-profile\/\">Remove outdated or redundant UVM profiles that impact your network settings, as outlined in this guide<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n    \t\t<div class=\"hts-toggle  \"  >\r\n    \t\t\t<div class=\"hts-toggle__title\"><h3>What is a plist?<\/h3><\/div>\r\n    \t\t\t<div class=\"hts-toggle__content\">\r\n    \t\t\t\t<div class=\"hts-toggle__contentwrap\">\r\n    \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>A plist is a file used by macOS and some other systems and frameworks to store properties. Most often, these properties are user preferences and settings, many of which are set by default by macOS.<\/p>\n<p>Upon reboot, if a given .plist file isn&#8217;t where the system expects it to be, a new one will be creating using default settings.<\/p>\n<p>\n    \t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n    \t\t\t<\/div><!-- \/ht-toggle-content -->\r\n    \t\t<\/div>\r\n    \t\t\n    \t\t<div class=\"hts-toggle  \"  >\r\n    \t\t\t<div class=\"hts-toggle__title\"><h3>Recreating plists<\/h3><\/div>\r\n    \t\t\t<div class=\"hts-toggle__content\">\r\n    \t\t\t\t<div class=\"hts-toggle__contentwrap\">\r\n    \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>This process will guide you through creating a backup folder on your desktop to temporarily store .plist files, and then moving some files into that folder. After a restart, your computer will re-create .plist files with default values and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/it\/kb\/article\/connect-to-uvm-wireless\/\">you should be able to connect to UVM wireless<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><div class=\"hts-messages hts-messages--alert  hts-messages--withtitle hts-messages--withicon \"   >\n    \t\t\t<span class=\"hts-messages__title\">Need help?<\/span>    \t\t\t    \t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\n    \t\t\t\t\tIf you&#8217;d like assistance with this process, please <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/it\/kb\/contact\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">contact the UVM Tech Team<\/a> for help.    \t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><!-- \/.ht-shortcodes-messages -->\n    \t\t<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Right-click your desktop and create a new folder named <strong>network-plists.<\/strong>\n<pre>network-plists<\/pre>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/kb.helpline.w3.uvm.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/NewFoldernetworkplists.png\" rel=\"lightbox-0\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-18297\" src=\"https:\/\/kb.helpline.w3.uvm.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/NewFoldernetworkplists.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"216\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/it\/dev\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/NewFoldernetworkplists.png 792w, https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/it\/dev\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/NewFoldernetworkplists-300x162.png 300w, https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/it\/dev\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/NewFoldernetworkplists-768x415.png 768w, https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/it\/dev\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/NewFoldernetworkplists-50x27.png 50w, https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/it\/dev\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/NewFoldernetworkplists-60x32.png 60w, https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/it\/dev\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/NewFoldernetworkplists-100x54.png 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Open a Finder window, and then click <strong>Go<\/strong> from the top bar and select\u00a0<strong>Go to Folder<\/strong>.<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/kb.helpline.w3.uvm.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/GoToFolder.png\" rel=\"lightbox-1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-16945\" src=\"https:\/\/kb.helpline.w3.uvm.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/GoToFolder.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"375\" height=\"174\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/it\/dev\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/GoToFolder.png 777w, https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/it\/dev\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/GoToFolder-300x139.png 300w, https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/it\/dev\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/GoToFolder-768x356.png 768w, https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/it\/dev\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/GoToFolder-50x23.png 50w, https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/it\/dev\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/GoToFolder-60x28.png 60w, https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/it\/dev\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/GoToFolder-100x46.png 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 375px) 100vw, 375px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Enter <strong>\/Library\/Preferences\/SystemConfiguration\/<\/strong>, and then click <strong>Go<\/strong>.\n<pre>\/Library\/Preferences\/SystemConfiguration\/<\/pre>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/kb.helpline.w3.uvm.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/goToLibPrefSyscon.png\" rel=\"lightbox-2\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-18294\" src=\"https:\/\/kb.helpline.w3.uvm.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/goToLibPrefSyscon.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"412\" height=\"97\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/it\/dev\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/goToLibPrefSyscon.png 828w, https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/it\/dev\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/goToLibPrefSyscon-300x70.png 300w, https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/it\/dev\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/goToLibPrefSyscon-768x180.png 768w, https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/it\/dev\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/goToLibPrefSyscon-50x12.png 50w, https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/it\/dev\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/goToLibPrefSyscon-60x14.png 60w, https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/it\/dev\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/goToLibPrefSyscon-100x23.png 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 412px) 100vw, 412px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Find the following files, and then hold down the <strong>Command<\/strong> key and click-drag them into the desktop folder you created in step 1 (Holding the Command key <em>moves<\/em> the files instead of copying them).<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/kb.helpline.w3.uvm.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/move-these-plists.png\" rel=\"lightbox-3\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-18295\" src=\"https:\/\/kb.helpline.w3.uvm.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/move-these-plists.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"441\" height=\"186\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/it\/dev\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/move-these-plists.png 1370w, https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/it\/dev\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/move-these-plists-300x127.png 300w, https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/it\/dev\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/move-these-plists-1024x432.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/it\/dev\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/move-these-plists-768x324.png 768w, https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/it\/dev\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/move-these-plists-50x21.png 50w, https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/it\/dev\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/move-these-plists-60x25.png 60w, https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/it\/dev\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/move-these-plists-100x42.png 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 441px) 100vw, 441px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><em>com.apple.airport.preferences.plist<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>com.apple.network.eapolclient.configuration<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>com.apple.wifi.message-tracer.plist<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>NetworkInterfaces.plist<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>preferences.plist<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<li>Verify you no longer see any of the above files in the SystemConfiguration folder, and then <strong>restart your computer<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>\n    \t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n    \t\t\t<\/div><!-- \/ht-toggle-content -->\r\n    \t\t<\/div>\r\n    \t\t\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Recreating macOS networking plists is an advanced wireless troubleshooting step. It should not be done hastily, as it causes many network settings to be reset to their defaults. Before clearing out these settings, please: Click here for UVM&#8217;s instructions on connecting to UVM Wifi. Ensure your operating system is up-to-date&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":119,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"ht-kb-category":[269],"ht-kb-tag":[],"class_list":["post-18288","ht_kb","type-ht_kb","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","ht_kb_category-network-and-connectivity"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/it\/dev\/kb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ht-kb\/18288","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/it\/dev\/kb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ht-kb"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/it\/dev\/kb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/ht_kb"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/it\/dev\/kb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/119"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/it\/dev\/kb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18288"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/it\/dev\/kb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ht-kb\/18288\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":31263,"href":"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/it\/dev\/kb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ht-kb\/18288\/revisions\/31263"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/it\/dev\/kb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18288"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"ht_kb_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/it\/dev\/kb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ht-kb-category?post=18288"},{"taxonomy":"ht_kb_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/it\/dev\/kb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ht-kb-tag?post=18288"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}