Chapter 6. Network Configuration
To communicate with other computers, computers need a network connection. This is accomplished by having the operating system recognize an interface card (such as Ethernet, ISDN modem, or token ring) and configuring the interface to connect to the network.
The Red Hat Network Administration Tool can be used to configure the following types of network interfaces:
Ethernet
ISDN
modem
xDSL
token ring
CIPE
wireless devices
To use the Red Hat Network Administration Tool, you must be running the X Window System and have root privileges. To start the application, use one of the following methods:
On the GNOME desktop, go to the Main Menu Button (on the Panel) => Programs => System => Network Configuration.
On the KDE desktop, go to the Main Menu Button (on the Panel) => System => Network Configuration.
Type the command redhat-config-network at a shell prompt (for example, in an XTerm or a GNOME terminal).
If you prefer modifying the configuration files directly, refer to the Official Red Hat Linux Reference Guide for information on their location and contents.
 | Tip |
|---|---|
Go to the Red Hat Hardware Compatibility List (http://hardware.redhat.com/hcl/) to determine if Red Hat Linux supports your hardware device. |
Overview
To configure a network connection with the Network Administration Tool, perform the following steps:
Add the physical hardware device to the hardware list.
Add a network device associated with the physical hardware device.
Configure any hosts that can not be looked up through DNS.
Configure the hostname and DNS settings.
This chapter will discuss each of these steps for each type of network connection.