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For a minimal Linux server using Ethernet, internet access usually comes down to activating the NetworkManager connection profile already created for the network card. At the console, check the device and profiles with nmcli, bring the right profile up, and then test the network route and DNS separately. The commands below assume your network provides DHCP; use static settings only when your administrator has supplied them.
Before you start
You need a working network link, a connected switch/router or virtual network, and an upstream internet connection. Your LAN must provide DHCP for the default setup below, or you must have valid static network settings. These instructions assume Ethernet and NetworkManager, and that you have local console or out-of-band access. Interface and profile names differ from machine to machine, so discover the actual names rather than copying examples literally.
Current RHEL and Rocky Linux guidance uses NetworkManager for this task. In Rocky Linux 10 release notes, the project states, “You must use NetworkManager now.” Rocky Linux 10.1 release notes
Check the network device and existing profiles
At a root shell, or with sudo before commands that require administrative privileges, inspect NetworkManager and the available interfaces:
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systemctl status NetworkManager
nmcli device status
nmcli connection show
ip link
ip addrLook for an Ethernet device and a connection profile associated with it. A profile may exist but be inactive; if so, activating it is generally preferable to creating a duplicate. Red Hat documents that Ethernet adapters normally have a connection profile and that the default profile uses automatic addressing (DHCP) for IPv4 and IPv6. Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8: Configuring and managing networking
Enable Ethernet with DHCP
Activate an existing profile
If nmcli connection show lists a suitable profile, bring it up using its exact name:
nmcli connection up "<profile-name>"Replace <profile-name> with the profile name shown on your system. If the name contains spaces, keep the quotation marks.
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Create a profile if none is suitable
Find the device name in nmcli device status or ip link, then create and activate an Ethernet profile. Replace both placeholders with real names:
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nmcli connection up <profile-name>This sets IPv4 to automatic configuration, which is appropriate when the network offers DHCP. Red Hat documents this nmcli pattern for RHEL 7 and later; RHEL 8 documentation also describes a default profile being created for each Ethernet NIC. Red Hat: How to use nmcli to add new Ethernet connection?
Use static IPv4 settings only when assigned
Ask the network administrator for the host address and prefix length, gateway, and DNS server addresses. Do not use the placeholders below as literal values. Substitute settings assigned for your particular network:
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nmcli connection add type ethernet ifname <interface-name> con-name <profile-name>
ipv4.method manual ipv4.address <address>/<prefix> ipv4.gateway <gateway>
nmcli connection modify <profile-name> ipv4.dns "<dns1> <dns2>"
nmcli connection up <profile-name>The address and prefix, gateway, and DNS entries must be valid for the LAN. NetworkManager stores these settings in the connection profile; Red Hat documents the manual IPv4 address and gateway properties, DNS modification, and profile activation. Red Hat: How to use nmcli to add new Ethernet connection?
Verify the address, route, and DNS
First check that the device is connected, the profile is active, the host has an address, and a default route is present:
nmcli device status
nmcli connection show --active
ip addr
ip routeThen test a known reachable IP address and a hostname separately. If the IP test succeeds but the hostname test fails, the link and route may be working while name resolution is not; check the DNS servers configured in the NetworkManager profile. This separation helps distinguish a DNS issue from a general connectivity failure.
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On Rocky Linux 8, 9, and 10, configure DNS through NetworkManager rather than editing /etc/resolv.conf by hand; that file is normally generated or managed as part of the network configuration. Rocky Linux: Implementing the Network
Use the terminal menu instead of commands
If you prefer an interactive terminal interface, run:
nmtuiUse its connection editor to select or configure the relevant NetworkManager profile, then activate the connection. Rocky Linux documentation identifies nmtui and nmcli as NetworkManager tools. Rocky Linux: Implementing the Network
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Troubleshoot when the server is still offline
- No device or link: Confirm the NIC appears in
nmcli device statusandip link. Check the cable, switch port, virtual NIC attachment, or cloud/hypervisor network configuration. - Inactive or mismatched profile: Compare
nmcli connection showwithnmcli device status. Activate the intended profile, or correct the profile-to-device association. - No DHCP lease: Confirm that DHCP is available on the LAN and that the upstream DHCP or VLAN configuration is correct. If the network requires static addressing, obtain its assigned values rather than guessing.
- Missing or incorrect default route: Inspect
ip routeand compare the default gateway with the one intended for the network. - IP works but hostname does not: Check the DNS server settings in the profile. On Rocky Linux 8, 9, and 10, make changes through NetworkManager, not by hand in
/etc/resolv.conf. Rocky Linux: Implementing the Network - Cloud-managed or unmanaged interface: Check which network manager or provider initialization method the platform expects before changing settings. A profile change may not take effect if another component manages the interface.
Release-specific cautions
Rocky Linux 10
Do not follow older instructions that directly edit ifcfg-* files in /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ or rely on ifup and ifdown; Rocky Linux 10 no longer supports those legacy network scripts. Its network configuration files use /etc/NetworkManager/system-connections/, and the documented approach is to use NetworkManager tools. Rocky Linux 10.1 release notes
RHEL minimal installs and Wi-Fi
The Ethernet commands here do not configure wireless networking. Red Hat notes that a RHEL Minimal Install may not include NetworkManager-wifi and wpa_supplicant; if Wi-Fi is required, check that the hardware is supported and those packages are available and installed. This package caveat is specific to RHEL and should not be assumed for every Rocky Linux or CentOS release. Red Hat: NetworkManager profiles that use 802.1x authentication, MACsec, or Wi-Fi fail to activate if the wpa_supplicant package is missing
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