Hi!

I'm struggling to configure a quite simple network using Debian. I can't see the difference between using the following commands to set the networking parameters.

ip
ifconfig
netplan
/etc/network/interfaces file

When to use one or another?
Why so many tools for the same purpose?
Does any of them cause conflict with the other?

Thanks!

ifconfig is the old now deprecated command but still included in many distributions.

ip is the new improved ifconfig command.

Neither ip or ifconfig commands are permanent.

The /etc/network/interfaces file is the old way to manually configure the network interfaces. Typically the lo (local loopback adapter) is still configured via the interfaces file. In most distributions now days Network Manager is in control and you typically use the desktop applet to configure networking.

Ubuntu now uses netplan by default which replaces the traditional interfaces file with a yaml based configuration file.

debian by default uses network manager. As posted you can use the desktop applet or nmcli from the command line to configure your network. If you turn off Network Manager you can go back to using the old interfaces file.

[QUOTE=michaelk;6454643]ifconfig is the old now deprecated command but still included in many distributions.

ip is the new improved ifconfig command.

Neither ip or ifconfig commands are permanent.

The /etc/network/interfaces file is the old way to manually configure the network interfaces. Typically the lo (local loopback adapter) is still configured via the interfaces file. In most distributions now days Network Manager is in control and you typically use the desktop applet to configure networking.
"Neither ip or ifconfig commands are permanent". That was one thing I was struggling to. Thanks for clarifying.

I also had to create my /etc/network/interfaces file manually, since the directory was empty. So I should use either "interfaces" file or "netplan" yaml file. But never both of them, to avoid conflicts. ¿Is that correct?

¿What is the major difference between Network Manager and systemd-networkd?

Thanks for your straightforward reply!

Yes running multiple networking services will conflict with each other.

To use the old interfaces file you need to disable Network Manager and enable the networking service. With debian I would just use the Network Manager and configure the network adapters as required. What are you trying to accomplish?

Nothing special. Just came across several tutorials explaining different tools and I wanted to have clear the difference.

Thanks!