Quick wins for a faster PC:
Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Use ip link show to find network interfaces and see their link details, then run ip addr to check the IP addresses assigned to each one. Match the interface name across both outputs: a device can appear in the link list without having an IPv4 or IPv6 address assigned.
List the network interfaces Linux can see
Run:
ip link showThis lists network interfaces and their link information, including state. Find the device name at the start of each interface entry; you will use that name to match its addresses in the next command.
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Filters can narrow the list. For example, ip link show up displays links matching the up filter. If an expected device is missing, first rerun the command without filters: a filter may have excluded it.
Check which IP addresses are assigned
Run:
ip addrRead the address entries beneath the interface name you identified. Check for both IPv4 and IPv6 entries. If no address for a particular family appears beneath that interface, the command is not showing an address of that family assigned there.
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Link visibility and IP assignment answer different questions: ip link show tells you which links are visible and reports their state, while ip addr shows addresses assigned to interfaces. Use both when you need to identify a device and determine whether it has an IP address.
Check whether an interface is up
Inspect the interface with ip link show and read its link information and state. Do not assume that having an IP address proves the link is up, or that a visible link has an address; these are separate checks.
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- Connects a USB 3.0 device (computer/laptop) to a router, modem, or network switch to deliver Gigabit Ethernet to your network connection. Does not support Smart TV or gaming consoles (e.g.Nintendo Switch).
- Supported features include Wake-on-LAN function, Green Ethernet & IEEE 802.3az-2010 (Energy Efficient Ethernet)
- Supports IPv4/IPv6 pack Checksum Offload Engine (COE) to reduce Cental Processing Unit (CPU) loading
- Compatible with Windows 8.1 or higher, Mac OS
ip link set dev DEVICE up and ip link set dev DEVICE down change interface state. They are not inspection commands. Check the device name and current state before using either command, and run a fresh ip link show afterward if you need to inspect the result.
If an interface does not appear
- Remove filters: Run
ip link showwithout a filter such asup. Filters restrict which devices are displayed. - Check the network namespace: Linux network namespaces have separate visibility and configuration for network devices. Confirm that your shell or process is in the namespace expected for the service or container you are diagnosing.
Why use ip instead of ifconfig?
For current command-line checks, use the iproute2 ip commands. The ifconfig(8) manual recommends ip link for link inspection. The key commands for this task are ip link show for interfaces and state, and ip addr for assigned addresses.
Quick Recap
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