ifrename - rename network interfaces based on various static criteria
ifrename [-c configfile] [-p] [-d] [-u] [-v] [-V] [-D] [-C]
ifrename [-c configfile] [-i interface] [-n newname]
Ifrename is a tool allowing you to assign a consistent name to each of
your network interface.
By default, interface names are dynamic, and each network interface is assigned
the first available name (
eth0,
eth1...). The order network
interfaces are created may vary. For built-in interfaces, the kernel boot time
enumeration may vary. For removable interface, the user may plug them in any
order.
Ifrename allow the user to decide what name a network interface will
have.
Ifrename can use a variety of
selectors to specify how
interface names match the network interfaces on the system, the most common
selector is the interface
MAC address.
Ifrename must be run before interfaces are brought up, which is why it's
mostly useful in various scripts (init, hotplug) but is seldom used directly
by the user. By default,
ifrename renames all present system interfaces
using mappings defined in
/etc/iftab.
-
-c configfile
- Set the configuration file to be used (by default
/etc/iftab). The configuration file define the mapping between
selectors and interface names, and is described in iftab(5).
If configfile is "-", the configuration is read from
stdin.
- -p
- Probe (load) kernel modules before renaming interfaces. By
default ifrename only check interfaces already loaded, and doesn't
auto-load the required kernel modules. This option enables smooth
integration with system not loading modules before calling
ifrename.
- -d
- Enable various Debian specific hacks. Combined with
-p, only modules for interfaces specified in
/etc/network/interface are loaded.
-
-i interface
- Only rename the specified interface as opposed to
all interfaces on the system. The new interface name is printed.
-
-n newname
- When used with -i, specify the new name of the
interface. The list of mappings from the configuration file is bypassed,
the interface specified with -i is renamed directly to
newname. The new name may be a wildcard containing a single '*'.
When used without -i, rename interfaces by using only mappings that
would rename them to newname. The new name may not be a wildcard.
This use of ifrename is discouraged, because inefficient (-n
without -i). All the interfaces of the system need to be processed
at each invocation, therefore in most case it is not faster than just
letting ifrename renaming all of them (without both -n and
-i).
- -t
- Enable name takeover support. This allow interface name
swapping between two or more interfaces.
Takeover enable an interface to 'steal' the name of another interface. This
works only with kernel 2.6.X and if the other interface is down.
Consequently, this is not compatible with Hotplug. The other interface is
assigned a random name, but may be renamed later with 'ifrename'.
The number of takeovers is limited to avoid circular loops, and therefore
some complex multi-way name swapping situations may not be fully
processed.
In any case, name swapping and the use of this feature is discouraged, and
you are invited to choose unique and unambiguous names for your
interfaces...
- -u
- Enable udev output mode. This enables proper
integration of ifrename in the udev framework,
udevd(8) will use ifrename to assign interface names present
in /etc/iftab. In this mode the output of ifrename can be parsed
directly by udevd(8) as an IMPORT action. This requires udev
version 107 or later.
- -D
- Dry-run mode. Ifrename won't change any interface, it will
only print new interface name, if applicable, and return.
In dry-run mode, interface name wildcards are not resolved. New interface
name is printed, even if it is the same as the old name.
Be also aware that some selectors can only be read by root, for example
those based on ethtool), and will fail silently if run by a normal
user. In other words, dry-run mode under a standard user may not give the
expected result.
- -V
- Verbose mode. Ifrename will display internal results of
parsing its configuration file and querying the interfaces selectors.
Combined with the dry-run option, this is a good way to debug
complex configurations or trivial problems.
- -C
- Count matching interfaces. Display the number of interface
matched, and return it as the exit status of ifrename.
The number of interfaces matched is the number of interface on the system
for which a mapping was found in the config file (which is different from
the number of interface renamed).
Jean Tourrilhes -
[email protected]
/etc/iftab
ifconfig(8),
ip(8),
iftab(5).