Day 1: Linux IP address

Photo by Thomas Jensen on Unsplash

Hello Everyone!

If you’re a Linux enthusiast or a system administrator, you probably know that Linux is a powerhouse when it comes to handling network-related tasks. From checking your IP address to troubleshooting network issues, Linux provides a broad range of commands and tools to manage your network effectively.

In this post, we’ll explore various Linux networking commands, focusing especially on the commands used to find the IP address of your system.

Understanding IP Addresses in Linux

An Internet Protocol (IP) address is a numerical label assigned to each device connected to a computer network. It serves two main functions: identifying the host or network interface, and providing the location of the host in the network.

There are two types of IP addresses: IPv4 and IPv6. IPv4 is the most commonly used version and consists of four sets of numbers from 0 to 255, separated by periods (e.g., 192.168.0.1). On the other hand, IPv6 is a more modern version that uses alphanumeric characters and consists of eight groups of four characters each.

Finding Your IP Address in Linux

Finding your IP address in Linux is a straightforward task, and you can do it by using various commands like ifconfig, ip, hostname, and more. Let’s look at how to use these commands:

1. Using the ifconfig command: ifconfig (interface configuration) command is used to display or configure a network interface.

ifconfig

1. Using the ip command: ip command is a versatile tool that is used for network interface management.

ip addr show

1. Using the hostname command: hostname command is used to display the system’s DNS name, and to display or set its hostname or NIS domain name.

hostname -I

Each of these commands provides valuable information about your network interfaces and IP addresses. To delve into more details about how these commands work, check out this comprehensive guide on how to find IP address in Linux.

Conclusion

Mastering the network commands in Linux is crucial for effectively managing and troubleshooting your system’s network. We hope this guide has helped you understand the basics of network management in Linux, especially in finding your IP address. Don’t forget to delve deeper into each command and happy Linux networking!