Summary

Using a network requires that you initiate some form of network connection. Most local networks use Ethernet as a connection medium, and Linux includes excellent support for Ethernet networking. Most such networks require that you either configure your IP address manually or use a DHCP client to do the job. Linux includes support for both methods. Many other local network technologies use these same methods of configuration. One major exception is a PPP connection, which is most commonly used for low-speed network links over telephone lines. These are handled by pppd , the Linux PPP daemon. This program may be controlled through GUI configuration tools, simple scripts, or the diald dial-on-demand daemon. In any of these cases, a PPP connection creates a network interface that, from a software perspective, is similar to an Ethernet or other local network interface.