Network Interface Configuration Tools:
Most Linux distributions offer menu-driven or graphical-configuration tools for the network interface. Every distribution is different, but they all provide some tool. In this section, we used the Network Configuration tool provided with Red Hat 7.2.
On a Red Hat 7.2 system, the network interface is configured through the Network Configuration tool found on the Programs -> System menu. The Network Configuration tool presents a window with four tabs:
Hardware: Select the Hardware tab to add, remove, or configure a network adapter. To remove an adapter, highlight the adapter in the list presented on this tab, and click the button labeled Delete. To add an adapter, click the Add button and select the hardware type, which is either Ethernet, Modem, ISDN, or token ring. The Network Adapter Configuration window then appears. It has input boxes that accept an IRQ, the adapter memory address, the I/O port address, and the DMA request number. To configure an adapter, select the adapter from the list and click Edit. The same Network Adapter Configuration window used to add an adapter appears, giving you the chance to change the various hardware configuration values.
Devices: Select the Devices tab to add, remove or configure a Linux network device. To remove a device, highlight the device in the list presented on this tab, and click the button labeled Delete. To add a device, either copy an existing device and edit the result, or click Add and select the device type. A device configuration window appropriate to the device type appears. For example, the Ethernet Device window has three tabs:
1.General: Use this tab to enter the device name, for example, eth0, and to select whether or not the device should be started at boot time.
2.Protocols: Use this tab to add, delete, or configure the network protocol associated with the device. TCP/IP is configured through this tab.
3.Hardware Device: Use this tab to associate the device to a specific hardware adapter. For example, eth0 could be associated with the SMC Ultra Ethernet adapter.
Hosts: Select the Hosts tab to make entries in the /etc/hosts table. The Hosts file is covered in "Linux DNS Server" tutorial.
DNS: Select the DNS tab to define the Domain Name System configuration for a DNS client. Use the tab to set the system's hostname and domain name, and to provide the addresses of the name servers the system should use. The DNS configuration is covered in "Linux DNS Server" tutorial.