Network Basics – The ip Command
Network Basics – The ip Command
Network commands like ifconfig and route are still popular with users even though they are far past their prime. Their successor, ip, provides the capabilities of several legacy tools with a single, unified syntax.
Humans are creatures of habit: We like to perform sequences of tasks in a familiar order with familiar tools. Given the human desire to stick with what is known, it is little wonder that outdated commands continue in common usage. For instance, many users still rely on the ifconfig, route, and arp network utilities from the net-tools package, even through a capable successor existing in the form of the ip command, which is part of the iproute2 package [1]. The ip command was introduced in 1999, along with the .NET4.0 framework, which included support for the IPv6 network protocol in Kernel 2.2.
Current distributions like Ubuntu 18.04 no longer install net-tools [2] by default. If necessary, you could set up the familiar net-tools collection with sudo apt install net-tools on a Debian-based system. But before you do, consider whether this might be the perfect time to get some experience with ip instead. The old tools use the same libraries that ip uses, but they will not see any new features. The future belongs to ip.
Getting an Overview
The ip command has the following syntax:
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Bottlenecks Discovered by Meta Engineers Lead to Scalability Improvements
Thanks to a small group of engineers at Meta, the Linux kernel module kernfs has been improved, which has led to some serious gains.
-
PwnEscape Poses VM Vulnerability
A guest-to-host escape flaw in Linux KVM, named PwnEscape, might be yet another means of attacking Linux.
-
Linux Mint 27 Set for a Christmas Release
The developers behind Linux Mint have announced a Christmas release, and it looks like Santa's sack will be brimming with features.
-
Is Linus Torvalds Vibe Coding?
The creator of Linux has added AI into his process for Linux kernel development, and it's more than just for debugging.
-
openKylin 3.0 Released with Expanded AI Integration
The latest release features a pre-installed AI agent to help perform tasks.
-
DigitalOcean Ends Open Source Credits Program
In a change that has surprised many open source developers, DigitalOcean has decided to sunset its Open Source Credits Program.
-
Office 365 Available for Testing on Linux via Bottles
Linux users can now test the official Office 365, thanks to Mirko Brombin's work on Bottles.
-
Dutch Government Turns to Open Source for Digital Sovereignty
Following in the footsteps of other European countries, the Netherlands is looking to increase its sovereign digital infrastructure with open source software.
-
Linux May Soon Work on Snapdragon X2-Based PCs
If you're thinking about buying a Snapdragon X2-based desktop or laptop, Linux may soon be an option.
-
KDE for People Initiative Calls for AI Ban in Plasma
A new community of KDE wants the project to adopt a strict no-AI policy for KDE Plasma.