Managing Network Interfaces


In most cases, you need to configure your network interface or interfaces only oncewhen you install Fedora Core 4. If you add or remove network interface hardware or the configuration of your network changes, however, you might need to make additional changes to your network configuration.

Fedora Core 4 provides a desktop Network Configuration tool to manage and configure your network interfaces. The Network Configuration tool is used to configure such items as address, nameserver, and gateway configuration, as well as the hardware network devices installed on your system. Start the Network Configuration tool by choosing Desktop, System Settings, Network. The Network Configuration tool appears, as shown in Figure 29.6, listing all the network interfaces configured on your system.

Figure 29.6. Using the Network Configuration tool, you can configure your network interfaces.


Editing Static IP or DHCP Properties

To edit the address properties of a particular network interface, select the interface you want to configure in the Network Configuration dialog box and then click the Edit button. A more detailed configuration dialog box is displayed, as shown in Figure 29.7.

Figure 29.7. Using the Ethernet Device dialog, you can configure the IP address of the selected Ethernet hardware.


To specify that the network device in question should be automatically configured, click the Automatically Obtain IP Address Settings option. Then configure the rest of the automatic configuration options:

  • Select a protocol type from the drop-down list. For most networks, the correct automatic configuration type is the default, Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP).

  • If your network is capable of supplying nameserver information, check Automatically Obtain DNS Information from Provider.

  • If you have been instructed to manually configure your system's hostname, enter your assigned hostname in the Hostname box.

If your network administrator has given you an IP address, netmask, and gateway address for use with your host, you should choose to configure the network interface manually. To do so, click the Statically Set IP Addresses option. Then fill out the remaining fields:

  • Enter your assigned IP address in the Address box.

  • Enter your netmask in the Subnet Mask box.

  • Enter your default gateway in the Default Gateway Address box.

After you configure your network hardware to work properly with your network, click the OK button to accept the settings you selected and dismiss the detailed configuration dialog box.

Manually Configuring DNS Information

If you have not selected to have your network device's nameserver (DNS) information automatically configured, you must manually configure the DNS information. To do this, click the DNS tab in the Network Configuration dialog box. The DNS options are displayed, as shown in Figure 29.8.

Figure 29.8. On the DNS tab, you can configure the name service properties for your network hardware.


To configure the basic DNS properties for your network interface, do the following:

  • Enter your assigned hostname in the Hostname box.

  • Enter your primary DNS address in the Primary DNS box, your secondary DNS in the Secondary DNS box, and your tertiary DNS (if applicable) in the Tertiary DNS box.

  • Enter the primary domain name of your network in the DNS Search Path box; this domain is appended to hostnames when a domain name is not specified.

After you configure the DNS properties as desired, choose File, Save. If you configured all the network properties for your hardware correctly, click the Close Window button to close the Network Configuration dialog box.

Enabling or Disabling Network Interfaces

Sometimes you might need to completely disable a running network devicefor example, if you are experiencing a hacking attack or if you need to troubleshoot some aspect of network operation by disconnecting from the network. To disable a network device, click the device in the device list of the main Network Device Control tool (refer to Figure 29.6), and then click the Deactivate button.

To activate a network device that has been deactivated, click the device in the list and then click the Activate button.

After you make all the desired changes to your network equipment, click the Close button to dismiss the Network Device Control tool.



    SAMS Teach Yourself Red Hat(r) Fedora(tm) 4 Linux(r) All in One
    Cisco ASA and PIX Firewall Handbook
    ISBN: N/A
    EAN: 2147483647
    Year: 2006
    Pages: 311
    Authors: David Hucaby

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