Introduction
CentOS 7 Minimal Server doesn’t include ifconfig by default. If you try to check your network settings and get “command not found”, this guide shows the modern replacement command.
Implementation
I. Prerequisites
- A CentOS 7 server (Minimal install)
II. Why ifconfig Doesn’t Work
ifconfig comes from the older net-tools package, which isn’t installed by default on CentOS 7 Minimal. CentOS 7 replaced it with the newer ip command, part of the iproute2 package, which is installed by default.
III. Check Your IP Address
ip addr
This shows all network interfaces along with their IP addresses.
IV. Check the Network Adapter Link Status
ip link
This shows whether each network interface is up or down.
V. Conclusion
If ifconfig isn’t working on CentOS 7 Minimal, use ip addr to check IP addresses and ip link to check interface status — both come pre-installed and do the same job.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I still install ifconfig if I prefer it? Yes — run yum install net-tools to install it.
What’s the difference between ip addr and ifconfig? They show similar information, but ip addr is the current standard tool and supports more networking features that ifconfig doesn’t.
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