Linux Commands to Display and Change IP Configuration Settings

Managing network configuration from the command line is one of the most fundamental skills for any Linux administrator. Whether you're setting up a fresh VPS Hosting environment, troubleshooting a connectivity issue on a production server, or configuring a static IP after deployment, knowing the right commands gives you fast, precise control over how your system connects to the network — no GUI required.

This guide covers every essential command you need to display, modify, and persist IP configuration settings on modern Linux systems.

Why Linux Network Configuration via CLI Matters

Linux powers the vast majority of the world's servers, cloud infrastructure, VPS nodes, routers, and embedded devices. In all of these environments, graphical interfaces are either unavailable or impractical. The command line is your primary — and often only — tool for network management.

In real-world scenarios, you'll use these commands to:

• Display current IP addresses assigned to all network interfaces (IPv4 and IPv6)
• Check link status — whether an interface is UP or DOWN, its MTU, and MAC address
• View the routing table and identify the active default gateway
• Temporarily change IP configuration for testing, failover, or emergency recovery
• Diagnose connectivity problems — wrong subnet, missing route, downed interface
• Confirm which interface and route the system uses to reach a specific destination

Understanding these tools is non-negotiable for anyone managing Dedicated Servers or cloud-based infrastructure at scale.

The Modern Standard: ip (from iproute2)

The primary command for displaying and changing IP configuration on modern Linux is:

ip

This tool is part of the iproute2 suite and has replaced the older ifconfig and route utilities across virtually all major distributions. It works consistently on Debian, Ubuntu, CentOS, RHEL, Fedora, Arch, and their derivatives — making it the definitive standard for production environments.

Displaying IP Configuration (Read-Only Commands)

These commands let you inspect the current network state without making any changes.

Show All Interfaces and IP Addresses

ip addr show
# Shorthand:
ip a

This outputs all network interfaces along with their assigned IPv4 and IPv6 addresses, subnet masks, and flags.

Show a Specific Interface

ip addr show dev eth0

Replace eth0 with your actual interface name (e.g., ens3, enp0s3, bond0).

Show Link State, MAC Address, and MTU

ip link show

This reveals whether each interface is UP or DOWN, its hardware (MAC) address, and its Maximum Transmission Unit (MTU).

Show the Full Routing Table

ip route show
# Shorthand:
ip r

This displays all active routes, including the default gateway — critical for diagnosing why traffic isn't reaching its destination.

Show the Route Used to Reach a Specific Host

ip route get 8.8.8.8

This is one of the most useful diagnostic commands available. It tells you exactly which interface and gateway the kernel will use to reach a given IP address — invaluable when troubleshooting routing issues on complex network setups.

Changing IP Configuration at Runtime (Non-Persistent)

> Important: Changes made with ip are temporary. They apply immediately but are lost after a reboot or if NetworkManager/systemd-networkd rewrites the configuration. For permanent changes, see the persistence section below.

Bring an Interface Up or Down

sudo ip link set dev eth0 up
sudo ip link set dev eth0 down

Add an IP Address (CIDR Notation)

sudo ip addr add 192.168.10.50/24 dev eth0

Remove an IP Address

sudo ip addr del 192.168.10.50/24 dev eth0

Replace an IP Address (Clean Method)

sudo ip addr flush dev eth0
sudo ip addr add 192.168.10.50/24 dev eth0

Using flush before adding ensures no stale addresses remain on the interface.

Add a Default Gateway

sudo ip route add default via 192.168.10.1 dev eth0

Replace the Default Gateway (Without Conflicts)

sudo ip route replace default via 192.168.10.1 dev eth0

Add a Static Route to a Specific Network

sudo ip route add 10.50.0.0/16 via 192.168.10.254 dev eth0

This is useful when you need traffic destined for a specific subnet to go through a particular gateway — common in multi-homed server setups or VPN configurations.

Making IP Changes Persistent

Runtime changes disappear on reboot. For a stable, production-ready configuration, you need to persist your settings using one of the following methods depending on your distribution and init system.

Method 1: NetworkManager with nmcli

Best for: Ubuntu Desktop, most RHEL/CentOS-based systems, Fedora, and many cloud images.

Show All Network Connections

nmcli con show

Configure a Static IPv4 Address on a Connection

sudo nmcli con mod "Wired connection 1" 
  ipv4.method manual 
  ipv4.addresses 192.168.10.50/24 
  ipv4.gateway 192.168.10.1 
  ipv4.dns "1.1.1.1 8.8.8.8"

Apply the Changes

sudo nmcli con up "Wired connection 1"

Replace "Wired connection 1" with the actual connection name shown by nmcli con show.

Method 2: systemd-networkd with networkctl

Best for: Minimal server installations, containers, and systems using systemd as the primary network manager.

Check Interface Status

networkctl status

Configure Persistence via .network Files

Create or edit configuration files in:

/etc/systemd/network/

A typical static IP configuration file (/etc/systemd/network/10-eth0.network) looks like this:

[Match]
Name=eth0

[Network]
Address=192.168.10.50/24
Gateway=192.168.10.1
DNS=1.1.1.1
DNS=8.8.8.8

After editing, restart the service:

sudo systemctl restart systemd-networkd

Legacy Commands: Still Present, No Longer Preferred

You'll occasionally encounter these older tools in documentation, tutorials, or legacy systems — but they are not recommended for modern environments.

The net-tools package (which provides ifconfig and route) is no longer installed by default on most distributions. If you encounter it on a system you're managing, consider it a signal that the environment may need modernization.

Quick Reference: Most-Used ip Commands

Practical Summary

Applying This Knowledge in Hosted Environments

If you're managing a Linux server in a hosted environment, these commands are your first line of defense when something goes wrong with connectivity. Whether you're running a VPS with cPanel or a bare-metal dedicated machine, the ability to inspect and reconfigure networking from the CLI can mean the difference between a quick fix and extended downtime.

For environments where you need full control over your network stack — including custom routing, multiple IPs, or VLAN configuration — VPS Control Panels can complement CLI tools by providing a visual overview of your network interfaces alongside the power of direct shell access.

And if your server also handles outbound email, ensuring your IP configuration is correct is directly tied to mail deliverability. Misconfigured reverse DNS or a wrong gateway can silently break your Email Hosting setup — another reason to master these commands.

Mastering the ip command and understanding when to use nmcli or systemd-networkd for persistence puts you firmly in control of Linux networking — whether you're managing a single VPS or an entire fleet of production servers.