IP Command Cheatsheet
Quick reference for using ip command to manage addresses, routes, links, and network diagnostics in Linux
The `ip` command is the standard Linux tool for managing network interfaces, IP addresses, routes, ARP/neighbor entries, and policy routing. This cheatsheet covers the most common commands you will use in daily administration and troubleshooting.
Basic Syntax
Use this structure for most ip operations.
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
ip [OPTIONS] OBJECT COMMAND | General ip command syntax |
ip -br a | Show addresses in brief format |
ip -c a | Show colorized output |
ip -4 a | Show only IPv4 addresses |
ip -6 a | Show only IPv6 addresses |
Show Interfaces and Addresses
Inspect links and assigned IP addresses.
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
ip link show | Show all network interfaces |
ip link show dev eth0 | Show one interface |
ip addr show | Show all IP addresses |
ip addr show dev eth0 | Show addresses on one interface |
ip -br addr | Brief interface and address overview |
Add and Remove IP Addresses
Assign or remove IP addresses on interfaces.
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
sudo ip addr add 192.168.1.50/24 dev eth0 | Add IPv4 address |
sudo ip addr del 192.168.1.50/24 dev eth0 | Remove IPv4 address |
sudo ip addr add 2001:db8::50/64 dev eth0 | Add IPv6 address |
sudo ip addr flush dev eth0 | Remove all addresses from interface |
ip addr show dev eth0 | Verify interface addresses |
Bring Interfaces Up or Down
Enable, disable, or rename network links.
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
sudo ip link set dev eth0 up | Bring interface up |
sudo ip link set dev eth0 down | Bring interface down |
sudo ip link set dev eth0 mtu 9000 | Change MTU |
sudo ip link set dev eth0 name lan0 | Rename interface |
ip -br link | Show link state quickly |
Routing Table
Inspect and manage network routes.
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
ip route show | Show IPv4 routing table |
ip -6 route show | Show IPv6 routing table |
ip route get 8.8.8.8 | Show route used for destination |
sudo ip route add default via 192.168.1.1 | Add default gateway |
sudo ip route del default | Remove default gateway |
sudo ip route add 10.10.0.0/16 via 192.168.1.254 dev eth0 | Add static route |
Neighbor (ARP/NDP) Table
View and manage neighbor cache entries.
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
ip neigh show | Show neighbor table |
ip neigh show dev eth0 | Show neighbors for one interface |
sudo ip neigh flush dev eth0 | Clear neighbor entries on interface |
sudo ip neigh del 192.168.1.10 dev eth0 | Remove a neighbor entry |
ip -s neigh | Show neighbor statistics |
Policy Routing
Work with multiple routing tables and rules.
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
ip rule show | List policy routing rules |
sudo ip rule add from 192.168.10.0/24 table 100 | Route source subnet using table 100 |
sudo ip route add default via 10.0.0.1 table 100 | Add default route to custom table |
sudo ip rule del from 192.168.10.0/24 table 100 | Remove policy rule |
ip route show table 100 | Show routes in table 100 |
Network Namespaces
Inspect or run commands inside network namespaces.
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
ip netns list | List network namespaces |
sudo ip netns add ns1 | Create namespace |
sudo ip netns exec ns1 ip a | Run ip a inside namespace |
sudo ip netns del ns1 | Delete namespace |
ip -n ns1 route | Show routes in namespace |
Troubleshooting
Fast checks for common network issues.
| Issue | Check |
|---|---|
| No IP assigned to interface | ip addr show dev eth0 |
| Interface is down | ip link show dev eth0 then sudo ip link set dev eth0 up |
| Wrong default route | ip route show and verify default via ... |
| Cannot reach destination | ip route get DESTINATION_IP |
| Stale ARP/neighbor entry | sudo ip neigh flush dev eth0 |
Related Guides
Use these articles for detailed networking workflows.
| Guide | Description |
|---|---|
Linux ip Command with Examples | Complete ip command guide |
How to Find Your IP Address in Linux | Public and private IP lookup methods |
Traceroute Command in Linux | Path and hop diagnostics |
UFW Cheatsheet | Firewall rules quick reference |
