Iproute2
iproute2 is the Linux networking toolkit that replaced net-tools (ifconfig, route, arp etc.).
This post serves mostly to compare the old commands with the new standard ones. If you want a more detailed cheatsheet I encourage you to visit https://paulgorman.org/technical/linux-iproute2-cheatsheet.html
net-tools vs iproute2 table
| Net-tools Command | iproute2 Command | Description |
|---|---|---|
ifconfig |
ip addr |
Show or manipulate network interfaces |
route |
ip route |
Display or manipulate the IP routing table |
arp |
ip neigh or ip -4 neigh |
Show or manipulate the ARP cache |
netstat |
ss or ip -s |
Display network connections, routing tables, interface statistics, masquerade connections, and multicast memberships |
hostname |
hostnamectl |
Query and change the system hostname and related settings |
dnsdomainname |
hostnamectl --transient |
Query and change the system transient hostname and related settings |
domainname |
hostnamectl --static |
Query and change the system static hostname and related settings |
nisdomainname |
hostnamectl --pretty |
Query and change the system pretty hostname and related settings |
ifconfig -a |
ip addr show |
Show information about all network interfaces, including those that are down |
route -n |
ip route show |
Display the routing table in numeric format |
ifconfig <iface> up/down |
ip link set <iface> up/down |
Bring an interface up or down |
arp -s <ip> <mac> |
ip neigh add <ip> lladdr <mac> |
Add a static ARP entry |
netstat -tuln |
ss -tuln |
Display listening sockets for TCP and UDP |
netstat -rn |
ip route show |
Display the routing table |
Why iproute2?
Unlike its predecessor net-tools, iproute2 offers a comprehensive set of networking utilities that go beyond the basic functionalities of net-tools.
In addition to providing replacements for commands like ifconfig, route, arp, and netstat, iproute2 introduces a more versatile and unified approach to network configuration. With iproute2, you can not only retrieve information about network interfaces and routes but also perform advanced tasks such as configuring devices, setting up policies, managing tunnels, and more.
This expanded set of capabilities positions iproute2 as the Swiss Army knife for network administrators and users, providing a sophisticated and efficient approach to network management on Linux.