Enable Ehternet

This guide provides steps to enable the Ethernet interface (enp8s0) and use it instead of the Wi-Fi interface (wlp2s0) on Ubuntu Server 24.04.

Steps to Enable Ethernet and Switch from Wi-Fi

1. Verify Ethernet Interface Status Run the following command to confirm the current network interfaces:

   ip link

   You should see enp8s0 (Ethernet) and wlp2s0 (Wi-Fi). Note the state of enp8s0 (likely DOWN). Your devices may be different based on the hardware.

2. Enable the Ethernet Interface Bring the Ethernet interface up:

   sudo ip link set enp8s0 up

   This enables the interface, but it still needs an IP address.

3. Configure Ethernet to Use DHCP Ubuntu Server 24.04 uses Netplan for network configuration. Check if the Ethernet interface is configured in the Netplan configuration file, typically located at /etc/netplan/.

   List the Netplan configuration files:

   ls /etc/netplan/

   You’ll likely see a file like 00-installer-config.yaml or 01-netcfg.yaml.

   Edit the Netplan configuration file (e.g., 00-installer-config.yaml) using a text editor like nano:

   sudo nano /etc/netplan/00-installer-config.yaml

   Ensure the file includes the Ethernet interface (enp8s0) configured for DHCP. A typical configuration might look like this:

   network:
     version: 2
   #  renderer: networkd
     ethernets:
       enp8s0:
         dhcp4: true
     wifis:
       wlp2s0:
         dhcp4: true
         access-points:
           "YOUR_WIFI_SSID":
             password: "YOUR_WIFI_PASSWORD"

   Modify the file to prioritize Ethernet and optionally disable Wi-Fi. For example:

   network:
     version: 2
   #  renderer: networkd
     ethernets:
       enp8s0:
         dhcp4: true
     wifis:
       wlp2s0:
         dhcp4: false
         optional: true
         access-points:
           "YOUR_WIFI_SSID":
             password: "YOUR_WIFI_PASSWORD"

   • dhcp4: true enables DHCP for the Ethernet interface.

   • dhcp4: false disables DHCP for Wi-Fi (effectively disabling it).

   • optional: true ensures the system doesn’t wait for Wi-Fi during boot.

   Save the file (Ctrl+O, then Ctrl+X in nano).

4. Apply the Netplan Configuration Apply the changes with:

   sudo netplan apply

   This will restart the network services and configure the Ethernet interface.

5. Verify Ethernet Connectivity Check if the Ethernet interface has received an IP address:

   ip addr show enp8s0

   Look for an IP address under inet (e.g., 192.168.x.x). If no IP is assigned, ensure the Ethernet cable is connected and the router’s DHCP server is active.

   Test connectivity:

   ping 8.8.8.8

   If successful, the Ethernet interface is working.

6. Disable Wi-Fi (Optional) If you want to ensure Wi-Fi is fully disabled, bring the interface down:

   sudo ip link set wlp2s0 down

   The Netplan configuration above (dhcp4: false) should prevent Wi-Fi from reconnecting after a reboot.

7. Check Network Status Verify the overall network status:

   networkctl

   You should see enp8s0 as configured and wlp2s0 as off or unmanaged.