NAME

primary-interface-irix – Make a new network card the primary interface on IRIX

DESCRIPTION

IRIX ties the primary interface (the one that carries $HOSTNAME) to iface 1 in /etc/config/netif.options. By default that is the onboard ec0 or ef0. To make the new card primary, name it as if1 and move the old one to if2.

STEPS

1. Confirm the card is seen and what it is called:

# hinv -c network
# netstat -in

2. Edit /etc/config/netif.options. Uncomment and set:

if1name=tg0
if1addr=$HOSTNAME
if2name=ef0
if2addr=gate-$HOSTNAME

3. Give the second interface a name in /etc/hosts, or leave if2 out

entirely if the onboard port is not going to be used:

172.28.x.y   gate-hostname

4. Reboot (or autoconfig -f first if the kernel has not seen the card

yet). Then check:

# netstat -in
# ifconfig tg0

NOTES

The ordering in netif.options is what matters, not the slot. If the old interface was configured by DHCP (proclaim), the same move applies to /etc/config/proclaim.options.

SEE ALSO

articles/3com-3c996-to-sgi