Apple seems to have introduced a new Ethernet settings preferences pane in the Settings menu with the iOS 10.2 update. Hidden by default, the preferences option will automatically show up in the Settings menu in iOS 10.2 when an Ethernet adapter is connected to an iPhone or iPad through Apple’s Lightning to USB 3 Camera adapter.

Sitting right below the Wi-Fi preferences in the Settings menu, the Ethernet preferences pane contains various DHCP related options that one might need while using a hardwired LAN connection. It will also show your existing LAN IP address, subnet mask, DNS address, and other information that might come in handy while troubleshooting any network related issue.

It is possible that Apple has silently added this option in iOS in a bid to please its enterprise clients as they can then use the iPad for troubleshooting purposes.

Have you ever connected your iPhone or iPad to an ethernet connection using the Lightning to USB 3 adapter? If yes, what other Ethernet related options do you think Apple should add to the operating system? Drop a comment below and let us know!