Configure the network interface on the server

Last update: June 26 2025

To connect the server to the private and public network, configure the network interfaces on the server.

The network interface for the public network will be configured automatically only when the OS is auto-installed.

The network interface for the private network will be configured automatically only when Linux OS is auto-installed.For Windows OS, the network interface for the private network can only be configured manually.

You can view the settings for customization in the Control Panel: from the top menu, click Products → Dedicated Servers → Servers → Server page → Network tab.

Configure the network interface of the public network⁠

Ubuntu

1. Connect to the server via SSH or via KVM console.

2. Open the netplan utility configuration file with the vi text editor:

   vi /etc/netplan/01-netcfg.yaml

3. Add or change the values of the public network interface settings. The type of configuration file depends on the Ubuntu version:

   Ubuntu 20.04 LTS

   network:
     ethernets:
       <eth_name>:
         addresses:
           - <ip_address>/<mask>
         gateway4: <gateway>
         nameservers:
           addresses: [<dns_servers>]
       renderer: networkd
       version: 2

   Specify:

   • <eth_name> — the name of the network interface of the public network;
   • <ip_address>/<mask> — public IP address of the server with a subnet mask, e.g. 188.93.23.36/29;
   • <dns_servers> — DNS servers. We recommend using Selectel recursive DNS servers but you can specify any available DNS servers;
   • <gateway> — gateway.

   Ubuntu 22.04 LTS, 24.04 LTS

   network:
     version: 2
     renderer: networkd
     ethernets:
       <eth_name>:
         addresses:
           - <ip_address>/<mask>
         nameservers:
           addresses: [<dns_servers>]
         routes:
           - to: default
             via: <gateway>
           - to: <destination_subnet>
             via: <next_hop_ip_address>

   Specify:

   • <eth_name> — the name of the network interface of the public network;
   • <ip_address>/<mask> — public IP address of the server with a subnet mask, e.g. 188.93.23.36/29;
   • <dns_servers> — DNS servers. We recommend using Selectel recursive DNS servers but you can specify any available DNS servers;
   • <gateway> — gateway;
   • <destination_subnet> — for static routes: the CIDR of the destination subnet to which the traffic will be routed;
   • <next_hop_ip_address> — for static routes: next-hop is the IP address through which devices on the source subnet will forward traffic to the destination subnet. You can enter any address from the source subnet.

4. Press ESC.

5. Exit the vi text editor with your changes saved:

   :wq

6. Apply the configuration:

   netplan apply

7. Optional: reboot the server.

Debian

1. Connect to the server via SSH or via KVM console.

2. Open the network interfaces configuration file with the vi text editor:

   vi /etc/network/interfaces

3. Add or change the values of the public network interface settings:

   auto <eth_name>
   iface <eth_name> inet static
   address <ip_address>
   netmask <mask>
   gateway <gateway>
   dns-nameserver <dns_servers>

   Specify:

   • <eth_name> — the name of the network interface of the public network;
   • <ip_address> — public IP address of the server, e.g. 188.93.23.36;
   • <gateway> — gateway;
   • <mask> — subnet mask;
   • <dns_servers> — DNS servers. We recommend using Selectel recursive DNS servers but you can specify any available DNS servers.

4. Press ESC.

5. Exit the vi text editor with your changes saved:

   :wq

6. Restart the network:

   service networking restart

7. Optional: reboot the server.

CentOS

1. Connect to the server via SSH or via KVM console.

2. Output information about the network interfaces:

   ip address

3. Create or open a public network interface configuration file with the vi text editor:

   vi /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-<eth_name>

   Specify <eth_name> is the name of the network interface.

4. Add or change the values of the network interface settings:

   NAME="<eth_name>"
   ONBOOT=yes
   NETBOOT=yes
   BOOTPROTO=static
   HWADDR="<mac_address>"
   IPADDR="<ip_address>"
   NETMASK="<mask>"
   GATEWAY="<gateway>"
   TYPE=Ethernet

   Specify:

   • <eth_name> — the name of the network interface of the public network;
   • <mac_address> — The MAC address of the network device;
   • <ip_address> — IP address, e.g. 188.93.23.36;
   • <mask> — subnet mask;
   • <gateway> — gateway.

5. Press ESC.

6. Exit the vi text editor with your changes saved:

   :wq

7. Restart the network:

   systemctl restart network

8. Optional: reboot the server.

An example of changing network settings in CentOS in the blog article Configuring Networking in CentOS 7.

Windows

1. Connect to the server via RDP or via KVM console.

2. Open the Network and Sharing Center.

3. Open the network interface of the public network.

4. Click Properties.

5. From the list, select IPv4.

6. Click Properties.

7. Specify the network interface parameters:

   • IP-address — public IP address of the server, e.g. 188.93.23.36;
   • Subnet mask — subnet mask.

8. Press OK.

Configure the network interface of the private network⁠

Ubuntu

1. Connect to the server via SSH or via KVM console.

2. Open the netplan utility configuration file with the vi text editor:

   vi /etc/netplan/01-netcfg.yaml

3. Add or change values for the network interface settings of the private network:

       <eth_name>:
               addresses: [<ip_address>]

   Specify:

   • <eth_name> — the name of the network interface of the private network;
   • <ip_address> — private IP address of the server with subnet mask, e.g. 192.168.0.2/24.

4. Press ESC.

5. Exit the vi text editor with your changes saved:

   :wq

6. Apply the configuration:

   netplan apply

7. Optional: reboot the server.

8. Optional: assign a private IP address to the server in the control panel.

Debian

1. Connect to the server via SSH or via KVM console.

2. Open the network interfaces configuration file with the vi text editor:

   vi /etc/network/interfaces

3. Add or change values for the network interface settings of the private network:

   auto <eth_name>
   iface <eth_name> inet static
   address <ip_address>

   Specify:

   • <eth_name> -name of the network interface of the private network;
   • <ip_address> — private IP address of the server with subnet mask, e.g. 192.168.0.2/24;

4. Press ESC.

5. Exit the vi text editor with your changes saved:

   :wq

6. Restart the network:

   service networking restart

7. Optional: reboot the server.

8. Optional: assign a private IP address to the server in the control panel.

CentOS

1. Connect to the server via SSH or via KVM console.

2. Output information about the network interfaces:

   ip address

3. Create or open the private network interface configuration file with the vi text editor:

   vi /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-<eth_name>

   Specify <eth_name> is the name of the network interface of the private network.

4. Add or change the values of the network interface settings:

   NAME="<eth_name>"
   ONBOOT=yes
   BOOTPROTO=none
   IPADDR="<ip_address>"

   Specify:

   • <eth_name> -name of the network interface of the private network;
   • <ip_address> — private IP address of the server with subnet mask, e.g. 192.168.0.2/24;

5. Press ESC.

6. Exit the vi text editor with your changes saved:

   :wq

7. Restart the network:

   systemctl restart network

8. Optional: reboot the server.

9. Optional: assign a private IP address to the server in the control panel.

An example of changing network settings in CentOS in the blog article Configuring Networking in CentOS 7.

Windows

1. Connect to the server via RDP or via KVM console.

2. Open the Network and Sharing Center.

3. Open the network interface of the private network.

4. Click Properties.

5. From the list, select IPv4.

6. Click Properties.

7. Specify the network interface parameters:

   • IP-address — Private IP address of the server with subnet mask, e.g. 192.168.0.2;
   • Subnet mask — subnet mask.

8. Press OK.

9. Optional: assign a private IP address to the server in the control panel.