10.8.1 Triggering network configuration at boot time
On boot the /etc/rcS.d/S40networking init script runs the command
ifup -a. This brings up all physical interfaces listed in
auto stanzas in /etc/network/interfaces.
These days it is often better to handle network configuration using dynamic
methods. Once mechanisms for supporting dynamically changing hardware are in
place it becomes simplest to treat static hardware as if it were dynamic too.
Booting can then be treated as just another hotplug event. (See Triggering network configuration –
hotplug, Section 10.8.2.)
However, in almost all cases one wants at least the loopback interface
lo to be brought up on boot. Therefore, make sure that
/etc/network/interfaces includes the following stanzas.
auto lo
iface lo inet loopback
You can list additional physical interface names in auto stanzas
if you want them to be brought up on boot too. Never list
PCMCIA interfaces in auto stanzas. The PCMCIA
cardmgr is started later in the boot sequence than when
/etc/rcS.d/S40networking runs.
