How to Configure Networking in Ubuntu 16.04

Networking is a critical aspect of any system, whether you are setting up a server, virtual machine, or desktop. In Ubuntu 16.04, networking is managed by a tool called ifupdown, which uses the configuration file /etc/network/interfaces. In this article, we will guide you through configuring networking on Ubuntu 16.04.

Step 1: Access the Network Configuration File

Networking in Ubuntu 16.04 is managed via the /etc/network/interfaces file. Open the file with a text editor:

Step 2: Configure a Static IP Address

If you want to assign a static IP address to your network interface, edit the configuration file as follows:

1. Identify your network interface (e.g., eth0 or enp0s3). You can check your interface name by running:
   ip link show
2. Add the following configuration to the /etc/network/interfaces file:
   auto eth0 iface eth0 inet static address 192.168.1.100 netmask 255.255.255.0 gateway 192.168.1.1 dns-nameservers 8.8.8.8 8.8.4.4

   Replace eth0 with your actual interface name, and adjust the IP address, gateway, and DNS servers according to your network setup.

Step 3: Restart Networking Service

After editing the configuration, restart the networking service to apply the changes:

Step 4: Verify the Configuration

To verify that the networking configuration is working correctly, run the following commands:

• Check the assigned IP address:
  ip addr show eth0
• Test the network connection by pinging an external server:
  ping google.com

Conclusion

Configuring networking on Ubuntu 16.04 using /etc/network/interfaces is straightforward. By following this guide, you can set up static IP addresses, define DNS servers, and manage network interfaces. Make sure to restart the networking service after making changes to ensure that the new settings take effect.