diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Build/2020-11-19-17-01-50.bpo-31904.894dk2.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Build/2020-11-19-17-01-50.bpo-31904.894dk2.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..d1ec647ed34
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Build/2020-11-19-17-01-50.bpo-31904.894dk2.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+remove libnet dependency from detect_socket() for VxWorks
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 398d9251a6c..b7a7d26c532 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -1132,11 +1132,7 @@ class PyBuildExt(build_ext):
     def detect_socket(self):
         # socket(2)
         kwargs = {'depends': ['socketmodule.h']}
-        if VXWORKS:
-            if not self.compiler.find_library_file(self.lib_dirs, 'net'):
-                return
-            kwargs['libraries'] = ['net']
-        elif MACOS:
+        if MACOS:
             # Issue #35569: Expose RFC 3542 socket options.
             kwargs['extra_compile_args'] = ['-D__APPLE_USE_RFC_3542']