# [solved] "Strange" network device names

## sensimuc

Hi guys,

with my new machine i noticed a strange (at least for me   :Smile:  ) behavior regards the network interface names.

After installing the gentoo system i was expecting to have my network device named eth0 or eth1. After a while i found out it is renamed while booting and i created the /etc/init.d/net.[name] according to the manual and everything was fine (tested only wired network yet). Now i recognized the same story with the wlan device.

My question is: Do i need to change these device names to lets say the "common" names (like eth0/eth1/wlan0) or is this not needed? My fear is that there might be maybe some programs/components which are expecting some certain network device names but to be honest im not having really a clue  :Smile:  So... does it have any disadvantages just to keep that devices names?

```
dmesg | grep net

[    1.130684] audit: initializing netlink socket (disabled)

[    5.473233] r8169 Gigabit Ethernet driver 2.3LK-NAPI loaded

[   10.931207] systemd-udevd[13657]: renamed network interface eth0 to enp4s0f2

[   25.423560] microcode: Microcode Update Driver: v2.00 <tigran@aivazian.fsnet.co.uk>, Peter Oruba

[   25.489531] systemd-udevd[13666]: renamed network interface wlan0 to wlp3s0
```

```
lspci | grep -i net*

03:00.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation Centrino Wireless-N 135 (rev c4)

04:00.0 Unassigned class [ff00]: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. Device 5289 (rev 01)

04:00.2 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet controller (rev 0a)
```

Last edited by sensimuc on Thu Apr 18, 2013 8:34 pm; edited 1 time in total

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## khayyam

 *sensimuc wrote:*   

> My question is: Do i need to change these device names to lets say the "common" names (like eth0/eth1/wlan0) or is this not needed? My fear is that there might be maybe some programs/components which are expecting some certain network device names but to be honest im not having really a clue :) So... does it have any disadvantages just to keep that devices names?

 

sensimuc ... these device names have changed, the default schema with udev-2.00 is to use the PCI address, which is what your seeing. Much has been said as to the wisdom of having this as the default, but you have it, so unless you want to actively change it then, no, there is nothing that you need to do ITR. There may, or may not, be some config file here or there that uses eth0, or wlan0, as the device name, so ... some advanced warning.

best ... khay

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## sensimuc

ok...lets see then...couldn't notice any problems so far...thx khayyam

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