No ifconfig Package?

Carlwill · 2011-06-09 14:55:20

I just installed Arch Linux on a workstation I'm using at work and did a fresh install from the 'netinst' CD. I noticed once the machine was up and running that I had to way to view my interface configuration:

[root@slave ~]# ifconfig eth0
-bash: ifconfig: command not found
[root@slave ~]# /sbin/ifconfig eth0
-bash: /sbin/ifconfig: No such file or directory
[root@slave ~]# which ifconfig
which: no ifconfig in (/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/local/sbin:/usr/sbin:/sbin:/usr/bin/core_perl)

How did I manage to not install 'ifconfig' package?

karol · 2011-06-09 14:56:38

It is in net-tools package, but http://www.archlinux.org/news/deprecation-of-net-tools/

Inxsible · 2011-06-09 15:11:03

yup. use

ip addr

Carlwill · 2011-06-09 15:16:56

OK thank you. So I must install net-tools to get the 'ifconfig' package and 'net-tools' should be avoided, right?

karol · 2011-06-09 15:23:18

Carlwill wrote:

OK thank you. So I must install net-tools to get the 'ifconfig' package and 'net-tools' should be avoided, right?

Yes. net-tools are still present to prevent scripts from breaking I suppose but you should switch to 'ip addr' as Inxsible pointed.

Carlwill · 2011-06-09 15:30:35

Just wondering if this command [ip addr] is also functional in distributions like RHEL & Debian Linux? I've never used the 'ip addr' command before in a bash system.

karol · 2011-06-09 15:42:11

Carlwill wrote:

Just wondering if this command [ip addr] is also functional in distributions like RHEL & Debian Linux? I've never used the 'ip addr' command before in a bash system.

A similar discussion, but focusing on 'hsstname': https://bugs.archlinux.org/task/24647#comment78365

Last edited by karol (2011-06-09 15:44:20)

R00KIE · 2011-06-09 16:57:25

Carlwill wrote:

Just wondering if this command [ip addr] is also functional in distributions like RHEL & Debian Linux? I've never used the 'ip addr' command before in a bash system.

At least for centos 5 it works, I'd say that the "new" tools will start to be used by "conservative" distros if the "current" one are not maintained anymore.

marvn · 2011-06-09 19:39:58

Carlwill wrote:

Just wondering if this command [ip addr] is also functional in distributions like RHEL & Debian Linux? I've never used the 'ip addr' command before in a bash system.

I haven't used iproute2 commands before as well, but as net-tools are depracted, I guess we'll have to learn them at some point. Here is some quick guide which might come handy: http://whodat.be/iproute2-cheatsheet-an … nce-guide/

and yeah, iproute is in both redhat 6 http://rpm.pbone.net/index.php3/stat/4/ … 6.rpm.html and in debian stable http://packages.debian.org/squeeze/iproute

wolf_1611 · 2011-09-01 21:19:09

I created a forum account just to comment on this thread. First of all: I LOVE ARCH. It's a great system that's helped me to learn SO MUCH about linux that I would not have learned otherwise... I like to truly give thanks to all who make this project possible. Okay, now that I have that out in the open:

Who decided that the net-tools package, or at the very least ifconfig, was no longer worthy of being installed by default? Let me share an example of what just happened to me: During a fresh setup, I made a typo in rc.conf regarding my eth0 subnet. Having not realized this initially, I was not able to connect via pacman to install net-tools an have just spent about an hour trying to understand how in the heck to configure my interface from the shell manually using this "ip addr" command that I previously never knew existed. (Sometimes I don't actually WANT to use the rc.conf file if I'm performing a temporary test of some functionality or want an on-the-fly fix, call me old fashioned...). Now the disclaimer is: Yes, I realize I could have edited the rc.conf file and restarted, but that's not what this post is about. What is IS about is the choice to dis-include a long standing and highly important command that many perceive as "part" of the base-linux-install, if only for the fact that it's been the primary tool to accomplish these activities for so long now, and when a highly used package such as this is simply 404, it can be very distressing to the user if they aren't informed in advance. To be fair, I read the post about how ifconfig is old and going away, or rather, that it won't have any 'new features' added to it. But reality dictates that most people don't use ifconfig for it's fancy new featuresets, they use it because it's SIMPLE and it JUST WORKS. Do we really need ifconfig to configure our interfaces AND do our laundry for us too? I don't know about you, but that's what I have a girlfriend for....

Maybe you should put up a red flag for the user at the time of install such as "Hey (user), you know we just switched to this different network config method, so in case you aren't familiar with the new method would you like to have the old installed as well?". THAT would have been nice.

Great OS, poor design choice in this instance,
-two cents-

-wolf

karol · 2011-09-01 21:27:30

The devs decide what's being used and what's being dropped and I've read it didn't "just work" even if it appeared so from the user's point of view.
The choice is left to the user, net-tools are still available and are included on the CD https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/De … 2011.08.19

laloch · 2011-09-02 00:21:53

wolf_1611 wrote:

To be fair, I read the post about how ifconfig is old and going away, or rather, that it won't have any 'new features' added to it. But reality dictates that most people don't use ifconfig for it's fancy new featuresets, they use it because it's SIMPLE and it JUST WORKS

It's not only about fancy new features. The latest stable net-tools release (1.60) is Linux 2.2/glibc 2.2 antique. It's only a matter of time before the tools themselves or their build stops working (btw, it doesn't "just work" already). Besides, the iproute2 package is around for more than 10 years, so most of people could be used to it by now.

greenfish · 2011-10-22 20:41:56

Just wanted to vent my frustration as well.

Been stuck at this ********* prompt now, it wasn't until I managed to find this thread using my iphone and their network.

I hate it, really really really hate it when legacy applications/commands get's moved or worse deleted.

I've been using ifconfig since 2005, don't care about anything else.

Tell me are linux gurus now using iproute2 over net-tools?????

marvn, thanks for the guide, my network is now up and running using this convoluted method

Last edited by greenfish (2011-10-22 20:46:00)

karol · 2011-10-22 20:49:53

greenfish wrote:

Just wanted to vent my frustration as well.
Been stuck at this ********* prompt now, it wasn't until I managed to find this thread using my iphone and their network.
I hate it, really really really hate it when legacy applications/commands get's moved or worse deleted.
I've been using ifconfig since 2005, don't care about anything else.
Tell me are linux gurus now using iproute2 over net-tools?????
marvn, thanks for the guide, my network is now up and running using this convoluted method

Read the news: http://www.archlinux.org/news/deprecation-of-net-tools/ and the wiki and you should be fine.

greenfish · 2011-10-22 20:51:22

karol wrote:

greenfish wrote:
Just wanted to vent my frustration as well.
Been stuck at this ********* prompt now, it wasn't until I managed to find this thread using my iphone and their network.
I hate it, really really really hate it when legacy applications/commands get's moved or worse deleted.
I've been using ifconfig since 2005, don't care about anything else.
Tell me are linux gurus now using iproute2 over net-tools?????
marvn, thanks for the guide, my network is now up and running using this convoluted method
Read the news: http://www.archlinux.org/news/deprecation-of-net-tools/ and the wiki and you should be fine.

Wow, wasn't even aware they had the entire archive sorted by date, super function!

Thank You!!

Rep to you sir!

Last edited by greenfish (2011-10-22 20:52:33)

venancio · 2011-11-23 23:39:27

Thanks for this post! ;-)

IlPrincipino · 2011-12-10 17:55:38

Good post !

Last edited by IlPrincipino (2011-12-10 17:56:42)

jricha36 · 2018-08-27 14:39:10

although it is good to keep the distro current, it is also good to know what tools which are part of the distro are broken by this change. One example is "cylon" . The network testing is based on ifconfig. is repairing cylon part of the change we users can expect?

V1del · 2018-08-27 14:50:27

The package (as has been mentioned it's in net-tools) still exists, and you shouldn't necrobump 7 year old topics. Furthermore no one in any official capacity will do anything to fix an AUR package, if the package is missing a dep, take it up with the AUR maintainer.

Though as that person seems to be the developer, if find it unlikely that this would be missing if it was any integral part of the software.

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Co … bumping.22

Closing.

Last edited by V1del (2018-08-27 14:53:20)

Arch Linux

#1 2011-06-09 14:55:20

No ifconfig Package?

#2 2011-06-09 14:56:38

Re: No ifconfig Package?

#3 2011-06-09 15:11:03

Re: No ifconfig Package?

#4 2011-06-09 15:16:56

Re: No ifconfig Package?

#5 2011-06-09 15:23:18

Re: No ifconfig Package?

#6 2011-06-09 15:30:35

Re: No ifconfig Package?

#7 2011-06-09 15:42:11

Re: No ifconfig Package?

#8 2011-06-09 16:57:25

Re: No ifconfig Package?

#9 2011-06-09 19:39:58

Re: No ifconfig Package?

#10 2011-09-01 21:19:09

Re: No ifconfig Package?

#11 2011-09-01 21:27:30

Re: No ifconfig Package?

#12 2011-09-02 00:21:53

Re: No ifconfig Package?

#13 2011-10-22 20:41:56

Re: No ifconfig Package?

#14 2011-10-22 20:49:53

Re: No ifconfig Package?

#15 2011-10-22 20:51:22

Re: No ifconfig Package?

#16 2011-11-23 23:39:27

Re: No ifconfig Package?

#17 2011-12-10 17:55:38

Re: No ifconfig Package?

#18 2018-08-27 14:39:10

Re: No ifconfig Package?

#19 2018-08-27 14:50:27

Re: No ifconfig Package?

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