HomeAway is a tiny macOS CLI that flips my Wi-Fi between manual and DHCP mode. It exists because I got tired of digging through System Settings every time I left home.
At home, my setup is a little strange but very effective.
I keep a side router around specifically for traffic that needs to get past the Great Firewall. When I am home, I point my Mac at that router with manual Wi-Fi settings and let it handle the first proxy layer. From there I can add a second VPN on macOS, like NordVPN, if I want another layer on top.
Outside, that setup falls apart. The side router is not with me, so manual mode is useless. I need DHCP just to get normal internet access. And without that first router-based proxy layer, NordVPN is usually not an option either. I can still use Clash or another local proxy for basic GFW bypass, but the network setup on the Mac has to change first.
That small switch between home and away turned into a recurring nuisance: open settings, find Wi-Fi, flip from manual to DHCP or back, recheck router and DNS values, then hope I did not leave something half-configured.
So I made HomeAway.
What it does
HomeAway is not a full network manager. It is a thin wrapper around the one thing I actually keep doing.
- Detect the Wi-Fi interface
- Switch between manual mode and DHCP
- Pick an available IP when switching back to manual
- Optionally clear DNS when returning to DHCP
Install it:
gem install homeaway
Run it:
homeaway
On first run it asks for the router address, DNS server, and whether DHCP mode should clear DNS settings. After that, it just remembers.
Why this exists
The point is not sophistication. The point is removing friction from a real routine.
I know exactly when I want manual mode: at home, with the side router. I know exactly when I want DHCP: everywhere else. That should be a one-command decision, not a small trip through macOS settings.
That is all HomeAway does. Small tool, specific job, less clicking.