{"id":202431,"date":"2024-03-14T15:44:19","date_gmt":"2024-03-14T15:44:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/?post_type=definition&p=202431"},"modified":"2024-03-14T15:44:19","modified_gmt":"2024-03-14T15:44:19","slug":"ifconfig","status":"publish","type":"definition","link":"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/ifconfig","title":{"rendered":"ifconfig"},"content":{"rendered":"

What is ifconfig?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Ifconfig (interface configuration) is a <\/span>command-line<\/span><\/a> utility used to retrieve, display, and configure network interfaces on machines running <\/span>Unix<\/span><\/a>-like <\/span>operating systems<\/span><\/a>, including <\/span>Linux<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>macOS<\/span><\/a>, and <\/span>BSD<\/span><\/a>. On <\/span>Windows<\/span><\/a>, the command for displaying and configuring network-related information is \u2018<\/span>ipconfig<\/span><\/a>\u2019.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ifconfig is used to retrieve and display information about the system’s network interfaces, providing a way to configure details like IP addresses, <\/span>network masks<\/span><\/a>, broadcast addresses, and other parameters.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ifconfig is a <\/span>deprecated<\/span><\/a> command. Deprecated commands are often removed from an<\/span> operating system<\/span><\/a> because they are outdated or pose a security risk. Ifconfig has been replaced with newer by the ip command, part of the Linux iproute2 collection of utilities for controlling <\/span>TCP \/ IP<\/span><\/a> networking and traffic control in Linux.<\/span><\/p>\n

Despite its depreciation, ifconfig can still be installed on some Linux distributions, as shown in <\/span>this LinuxConfig tutorial<\/span><\/a>. However, it is highly recommended that newer utilities be used.<\/span><\/p>\n

Techopedia Explains the ifconfig Meaning<\/h3>\n

\"Techopedia<\/p>\n

Ifconfig is used to display and configure network interfaces on systems running Linux and related operating systems. It allows users to configure a variety of network parameters, like IP addresses and network masks. Ifconfig has been replaced with a newer tool called \u2018ip\u2019, which offers more advanced features and better control.<\/span>
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How Does ifconfig Work?<\/span><\/h2>\n

When the command is run without any arguments (‘ifconfig’), it will display information about all active network interfaces.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"How
Source: Help Desk Geek<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Detailed information about a specific interface can be displayed by providing the interface name as an argument. For example, ‘ifconfig <\/span>eth1<\/span>‘ will display detailed information about the \u201ceth1″ network interface, providing information like IP address, MAC address, and other network configuration settings.<\/span><\/p>\n

The ifconfig command is also used to configure network interfaces. For example, the following command would be used to deactivate the “eth1” interface: \u2018sudo ifconfig eth1 down\u2019.<\/span><\/p>\n

When modifying network configurations, use \u2018<\/span>sudo<\/span><\/a>\u2019, as these changes require administrator privileges.<\/span>
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Starting ifconfig
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