Linux Ubuntu: Set Static IP Address with nmcli (Terminal & GUI)

Setting a Static IP Address on Ubuntu Linux

• 💡 This video demonstrates how to set a static IP address on Ubuntu Linux, primarily using the nmcli command-line tool, with a brief mention of the graphical Settings GUI.
• 📌 While the GUI offers a quick option, the terminal method using nmcli is presented as a more universally applicable solution across Ubuntu distributions.

Checking Current Network Configuration

• 🔍 Before making changes, you can check your current IP address and gateway using ip a or nmcli device show.
• 📄 To identify the network connection name, which is crucial for modification, use nmcli connection show.

Modifying Network Settings with nmcli

• 🎯 The core process involves using nmcli connection modify followed by the connection name.
• 🏠 To set a static IP address, use ipv4.addresses with your desired IP and subnet mask (e.g., 192.168.88.100/24).
• ➡️ Configure the gateway using ipv4.gateway and DNS servers using ipv4.dns (e.g., 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4).
• ⚙️ Crucially, change the ipv4.method from automatic (DHCP) to manual.

Activating and Verifying Changes

• 🚀 After modifying the settings, reactivate the connection using nmcli connection up <connection_name>.
• ✅ Verify the changes by checking your IP address again with ip a or nmcli device show, confirming the new static IP, gateway, and DNS settings.
• 🖥️ The changes can also be visually confirmed in the Ubuntu Settings GUI under IPv4 configuration.

Alternative: Netplan YAML Configuration

• ⚠️ For newer Ubuntu releases, network configuration might be managed via Netplan YAML files located in /etc/netplan/.
• 📝 While this method is an alternative, editing these YAML files is presented as less straightforward for a general tutorial compared to nmcli.