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Lesson 1

Red Hat Network Computing Environments

TCP/IP and Linux Networking using netstat, arp, and ifconfig

The ifconfig command has been deprecated in Red Hat Linux since version 7.0, which was released in 2014. The ip command is now the preferred command for managing network interfaces in Red Hat Linux. The ifconfig command is a legacy command that was originally developed for older versions of Linux. It is not as powerful or flexible as the ip command, and it does not support some of the newer features of Linux networking. The ip command is a more modern command that provides a wider range of features for managing network interfaces. It is also more consistent with the other networking commands in Linux. If you are using Red Hat Linux 7.0 or later, you should use the ip command instead of the ifconfig command. Here is a table that summarizes the differences between the ifconfig and ip commands:

Feature ifconfig ip
Name ifconfig ip
Availability Older versions of Linux Red Hat Linux 7.0 and later
Features Basic network interface management Advanced network interface management
Consistency Not consistent with other networking commands Consistent with other networking commands

Networks are complex computing environments. You must coordinate your computer's configuration with the setup of your network.
If errors in configuration do occur, Red Hat Linux provides the tools you need to find and correct the problems.
Accessing networks over modem lines requires the configuration of your modem, PPP interface, and dial-up connections. Red Hat Linux also comes with graphical tools to make these configurations and connections happen easily.

Learning Objectives

After completing this module, you will be able to:
  1. Describe the function of netstat, arp, and ifconfig
  2. Use the ping command to troubleshoot connectivity problems
  3. Use the ifconfig command to resolve TCP/IP problems
  4. Use the arp -a command to resolve TCP/IP problems
  5. Use the route command to set your default gateway
  6. Configure a modem to create a new PPP connection
  7. Use the Dialup Configuration Tool to configure a PPP connection
  8. Use RP3 to activate a PPP connection
The next lesson describes the tools for network configuration and maintenance.