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Network Utility Deprecated in macOS Big Sur

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Apple has deprecated its long-standing Network Utility app in macOS Big Sur, with the app no longer functioning in the first developer beta.

network utility macos big sur
Network Utility provided information and troubleshooting tools to help users check their network connection, view routing tables, trace network traffic paths, check for open TCP ports, and more. Since the release of macOS Mojave, the app had been rather hidden under System > Library > CoreServices > Applications.

Network Utility's functionality can still be replicated with Terminal commands, and for Wi-Fi issues, Apple says to use the Wireless Diagnostics app.

Related Forum: macOS Big Sur

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Top Rated Comments

phalseHUD Avatar
phalseHUD
75 months ago
Disappointing. Always found this handy to help diagnose network issues...

I still find the former Disk Utility much better than the current version too.

Perhaps I’m just an old fart now.
Score: 35 Votes (Like | Disagree)
T
ThinkDifferentPodcast
75 months ago
Really doesn’t make any sense to remove this feature!
Score: 31 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Z
Zen_Arcade
75 months ago
I think this is just part of the ongoing dumbing down of macOS . . .
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
E
eharley
75 months ago
Why not open source these things to GitHub (or whatever) and allow the community to sustain the features in their own apps.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
V
VictorTango777
75 months ago
Probably because most people didn't even know it existed. In older versions of MacOS, Network Utility was located in the Utilities folder. Then it was eventually buried somewhere in system folders that were not easy to manually browse to. Since it was no longer in the Utilities folder, people might have assumed it was no longer available.

The best solution was to add "Open Network Utility" and "Wireless Diagnostics" buttons in the network preferences. If you need to use these tools, chances are that:
1. You already have network preferences open
2. You are already frustrated and don't want to spend additional time hunting around for these applications.

I also wish Apple would make the IPv6 link local address visible in the network preferences where it displays your IPv6 address, instead of having to dig around in terminal. Just because someone may work with technical networking stuff on the job doesn't mean they want to deal with it at home, off the job. There really seems to be 2 factions inside Apple: One faction that wants to keep dumbing down MacOS to make it resemble iOS. And another faction consisting of Linuxheads who think that everyone should do everything in the command line. Leaving the rest of Mac users caught in the middle.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
J
jwdsail
75 months ago
Disappointing .. the GUI tool/Utility is easier to walk family/customers through over the phone to be sure.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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