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What is the difference between ifconfig and ipconfig? What do dhcpcd and ifconfig actually do?

Peter Mortensen
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Sharath
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2 Answers2

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ipconfig (internet protocol configuration) in Microsoft Windows is a console application that displays all current TCP/IP network configuration values and can modify Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol DHCP and Domain Name System DNS settings.

ifconfig (short for interface configuration) is a system administration utility in Unix-like operating systems to configure, control, and query TCP/IP network interface parameters from a command line interface (CLI) or in system configuration scripts.

dhcpcd is a DHCP client. It is used to obtain an IP address and other information from a dhcp server, renew the IP address lease time, and automatically configure the network interface. The program performs a similar function as dhclient.

Community
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Eugene S
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    dhcpd is a server side implementation of the DHCP protocol (the ending d usually means "daemon" which is the Unix equivalent of Windows services). – Ouki May 28 '12 at 08:10
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    ipconfig is also the name for an linux dhcp client/tool to configure network device with klibc. This is mostly used in early user space, e.g. initramfs – Ulrich Dangel May 28 '12 at 12:42
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    ipconfig is used in initramfs by Ubuntu et al, not by Fedora et al. – fpmurphy May 28 '12 at 13:29
  • Really, thanks for the answer. It will kill my insomnia after years! :D – Kirby Apr 05 '18 at 14:21
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The ifconfig command is used to get the information of active network-interfaces in a UNIX-like operating system such as Linux, whereas ipconfig is used in the Windows OS.

psygo
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moulali
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