ifconfig is unaccessible?

ocicat · 07-02-2008, 04:27 PM

When attempting to find the assigned IP address, I was surprised to find out that ifconfig(8) is inaccessible as a regular used, but accessible while as root. Why are network configuration issues hidden from regular users?

Thanks.

colucix · 07-02-2008, 04:32 PM

Network management is an administrative task. What if an unexperienced user modifies the configuration of the network card and makes the machine unaccessible from other users in the same network? It's pretty unfair. Anyway as a user you can run ifconfig without arguments to retrieve the IP address, specifying its full path:

Code:

/sbin/ifconfig

custangro · 07-02-2008, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ocicat

When attempting to find the assigned IP address, I was surprised to find out that ifconfig(8) is inaccessible as a regular used, but accessible while as root. Why are network configuration issues hidden from regular users?

Thanks.

You can also add /sbin to your path

Code:

root@host# export PATH=$PATH:/sbin

If you want it permanent you have to edit your .bash_profile file in your home directory.

-C

ocicat · 07-02-2008, 05:01 PM

Thanks, I had not thought that this would be a path issue. I've been a bad boy...