Disable/Enable network interface

Edwardml · 10-18-2005, 01:29 PM

I know this sounds like it should be an easy question, but I can't find the answer anywhere. I can't find out how to turn my wireless card on or off on my laptop...When I have the ethernet cable plugged in, it still tries to use the wireless. Any help?

macemoneta · 10-18-2005, 01:51 PM

I switch between wired (eth0) and wireless (eth1) with:

/etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifdown eth1
/etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifup eth0

to switch back (obviously):

/etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifdown eth0
/etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifup eth1

tkedwards · 10-18-2005, 11:59 PM

just typing:

Code:

ifdown eth0
ifup eth1

will work fine, as root of course.

pingu · 10-19-2005, 03:34 AM

...only the routing-table is sometimes not correctly updated (a problem with every distro I tried!)
so eventually you will have to manually edit it: Example:

Code:

[root@killbill peterh]# ifdown eth1
[root@killbill peterh]# route
Kernel IP routing table
Destination     Gateway         Genmask         Flags Metric Ref    Use Iface
172.16.1.0      172.16.1.36     255.255.255.0   UG    0      0        0 eth0
172.16.1.0      *               255.255.255.0   U     10     0        0 eth0
10.0.4.0        *               255.255.254.0   U     10     0        0 eth1
default         10.0.4.1        0.0.0.0         UG    10     0        0 eth1
default         172.16.1.1      0.0.0.0         UG    10     0        0 eth0

As you can see, even though eth1 is down, it is still default gateway. Delete it with:

Code:

[root@killbill peterh]# route del default eth1

tkedwards · 10-19-2005, 04:24 AM

Quote:

...only the routing-table is sometimes not correctly updated (a problem with every distro I tried!)

Are your routes in /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/route-ethX ? If they're not then they won't be properly deleted/added by the ifup/ifdown scripts.

Edwardml · 10-19-2005, 10:00 AM

I knew it had to be something easy. thanks:-)