diff --git a/src/preferences/network/EthernetSettingsView.cpp b/src/preferences/network/EthernetSettingsView.cpp
index 95e193eb60..08b41c7fa3 100644
--- a/src/preferences/network/EthernetSettingsView.cpp
+++ b/src/preferences/network/EthernetSettingsView.cpp
@@ -98,7 +98,6 @@ EthernetSettingsView::EthernetSettingsView()
 {
 	SetViewColor(ui_color(B_PANEL_BACKGROUND_COLOR));
 
-	fSocket = socket(AF_INET, SOCK_DGRAM, 0);
 	_GatherInterfaces();
 
 	// build the GUI
@@ -216,7 +215,6 @@ EthernetSettingsView::EthernetSettingsView()
 
 EthernetSettingsView::~EthernetSettingsView()
 {
-	close(fSocket);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/preferences/network/EthernetSettingsView.h b/src/preferences/network/EthernetSettingsView.h
index 24fd31fee2..452ed3908a 100644
--- a/src/preferences/network/EthernetSettingsView.h
+++ b/src/preferences/network/EthernetSettingsView.h
@@ -79,7 +79,6 @@ private:
 				Settings*		fCurrentSettings;
 
 				int32			fStatus;
-				int				fSocket;
 };
 
 #endif /* ETHERNET_SETTINGS_VIEW_H */