Matter Mac OS

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Don Smith asks a wonderful leading question on networking in OS X:

I have an ethernet connection to my FiOS modem/router and it works great. Somewhere along the line I had to turn on my WiFi as well. Don’t remember why. Just curious, is it a benefit or a deficit or is it neutral to have both connections active at the same time?

Don (and Don really exists, I didn’t invent him, I swear), that’s a great area to discuss. OS X is a well-designed modern operating system that for many releases has let you have multiple active network interfaces. They can be “real” in the sense of directly corresponding to physical hardware that’s part of or attached to a Mac, or “virtual,” as is the case with VPNs (virtual private networks).

Typically, they won’t conflict, even if you have two or more interfaces connected to the same network, such as Wi-Fi and ethernet. A few years ago, OS X would balk at this; but since Mavericks (10.9), I’ve kept both active. (You may want Wi-Fi active at all times so you can take advantage of Continuity features that require Wi-Fi, and to use AirDrop.)

OS X automatically sorts network interfaces in the Network system preferences pane in the order of first “connected” interfaces (ones with an active signal and IP address), then disconnected ones, and finally those marked inactive. (You can select any interface, click the gear icon, and choose Make Service Inactive to disable it.)

But you can choose the order in which OS X access your local network and the Internet. Click the gear icon and then select Set Service Order, and you can drag interfaces around in the priority you want OS X to use them when they’re available and connected.

The most likely scenario for this is cascading an ethernet, Wi-Fi, and iPhone USB connection with a laptop. When you’re plugged into ethernet, you don’t want to have to turn Wi-Fi, so you set ethernet as the first item in the Service Order. Likewise, if you’ve unplugged from ethernet, you’d prefer Wi-Fi, but if that’s not available either, you want to use your iPhone’s hotspot. Setting this order means no mucking about when your network conditions change.

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What is Bitcoin Mining?Best Bitcoin Mining Software

Now that you already know about the best Bitcoin mining hardware, we’re going to talk about Bitcoin mining software.

What is Bitcoin Mining Software?

Bitcoin mining hardware handles the actual Bitcoin mining process, but:

Bitcoin mining software is equally as important.

  • If you are a solo miner: the mining software connects your Bitcoin miner to the blockchain.
  • If you mine with a pool: the software will connect you to your mining pool.
  • If you are cloud mining: you do not need mining software.

Mining Software Compared

SoftwareCategoryPricingBest Feature
Braiins OS+Best Overall1-2% depending on pool
  • A ton of security features
  • Stratum V2
  • Bulk device installation
Hive OSBest For MacOS$2/month per deviceAmazing mobile app


Quick Tip

Mining is not the fastest way to get bitcoins.

Buying bitcoin is the fastest way.


Read Our Buying Guide


Importance of Bitcoin Mining Software

The main job of the software is to deliver the mining hardware’s work to the rest of the Bitcoin network and to receive the completed work from other miners on the network.

Bitcoin mining software monitors this input and output of your miner while also displaying statistics such as the speed of your miner, hashrate, fan speed and the temperature.

You may also need Bitcoin tax software in order to calculate your taxes owed. Just as an example, we have a great guide on how that software works to pay taxes on Coinbase buys.