Re: ifconfig

[john gennard <joney@clara.co.uk>]

On Sunday 15 September 2002 21:19, Bob Proulx wrote:
> john gennard <joney@clara.co.uk> [2002-09-15 20:30:54 +0100]:
> > Have been trying to use 'ifconfig' to configure a number of NICs
> > as an alternative to 'etherconf'.
> >
> > Etherconf puts the configurations into /etc/network/interfaces,
> > but I don't see where ifconfig puts them. Running 'ifconfig -a'
> > shows the eth0 and eth1 details if run shortly afterwards, but
> > if run after rebooting it shows the details minus the inet
> > address and the card is not usable.
>
> The ifconfig program is a very low level command like 'mv' or
> 'rm'. It does not have configuration files.
>
> The etherconf script is a higher level interface that attempts to
> set up and configure those configuration files you mentioned for
> the ifup command.
>
> For years the ifconfig script was used directly at system startup
> time in the /etc/*rc* scripts.  The system admin would just hard
> code in the script the commands needed to boot that particular
> system. Obviously every machine was hand crafted with tender
> loving care.
>
> As machines became more mass produced those scripts were
> generalized. Hand crafting startup scripts is now out of favor. 
> But how to do that?  Every system does it differently.  On most
> systems you are in a maze of twisty little passages all different.
>  Whereas on debian you are in a twisty little maze of passages all
> different.  Debian is no different in that it is different from
> everyone else.
>
> I am not an expert here because since I started using Debian this
> part has always just worked for me and I have not needed to dig
> into the details.  But I believe debian uses 'ifup' called from
> the /etc/init.d/networking script to configure the networking.  I
> believe ifup is a program designed to replace ifconfig and reads
> those configuration files you mentioned.
>
> So to better answer your question, the alternative to etherconf is
> not ifconfig but rather your favorite editor on those files.
>

Thank you very much for the detailed explanation - I've made great 
strides as a result of this and other responses.

Regards,		john.