What's difference between eth0, wlan0, wifi0 ath0 etc.

sawtode · 01-09-2006

Hi there, I cannot find an explanation anywhere. Depending on which WLAN cards I insert in my system, I sometimes see them at ethx, wifix, athx etc. Also I see many references to wlan0 in online notes.
Why do we have so many ways to name the interface?
Why do the names appear differently when different cards are inserted?
How do I use this info consistently?

For example, my laptop is a T23 with a wired eth0.
if I plug a Cisco Aironet into the first slot, and execute iwconfig it is reported simultaneously as eth1 and wifi0! Why? How do I use this information to set parameters? When is it important to note the difference? Ifconfig reports it only as eth1. If I plug in an Orinoco Gold, it is only shown as eth1 in iwconfig and ifconfig. If I plug in a netgear WAG11, it is only shown as ath0. What is "a"th0? Because of 802.11a?

Furthermore when I try to read up on hostap setups, everyone refers to wlan0. Do a google search, no useful info. Do a man -k search, no useful info. What is wlan0?

I tried to follow some nicely written directions to configure airpwn - see http://www.informit.com/guides/conte...ity&SeqNum=158

I already have an eth0 so I expected I could increment. I have a WPC11 for the first interface and for the second I tried lots of cards (spectrum 24, aironet 350, orinoco gold, linksys wpc55ag, netgear wag511). Nothing I tried got me past the first iwpriv step. And no wlan0 appears. Because the cards are big, sometimes I have to swap slots which makes it worse.

I am reasonably good at following directions, and I learn fast but the open source world is full of gaps and I can't even figure out where the gaps are. Anyone have some ideas? Sorry for the rant but this is really an accurate experience what a newcomer to Linux face if they try anything more than power-on.

Thanks in advance!

wrzwaldo · 01-09-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by sawtode

Hi there, I cannot find an explanation anywhere. Depending on which WLAN cards I insert in my system, I sometimes see them at ethx, wifix, athx etc. Also I see many references to wlan0 in online notes.
Why do we have so many ways to name the interface?
Why do the names appear differently when different cards are inserted?
How do I use this info consistently?

For example, my laptop is a T23 with a wired eth0.
if I plug a Cisco Aironet into the first slot, and execute iwconfig it is reported simultaneously as eth1 and wifi0! Why? How do I use this information to set parameters? When is it important to note the difference? Ifconfig reports it only as eth1. If I plug in an Orinoco Gold, it is only shown as eth1 in iwconfig and ifconfig. If I plug in a netgear WAG11, it is only shown as ath0. What is "a"th0? Because of 802.11a?

Furthermore when I try to read up on hostap setups, everyone refers to wlan0. Do a google search, no useful info. Do a man -k search, no useful info. What is wlan0?

I tried to follow some nicely written directions to configure airpwn - see http://www.informit.com/guides/conte...ity&SeqNum=158

I already have an eth0 so I expected I could increment. I have a WPC11 for the first interface and for the second I tried lots of cards (spectrum 24, aironet 350, orinoco gold, linksys wpc55ag, netgear wag511). Nothing I tried got me past the first iwpriv step. And no wlan0 appears. Because the cards are big, sometimes I have to swap slots which makes it worse.

I am reasonably good at following directions, and I learn fast but the open source world is full of gaps and I can't even figure out where the gaps are. Anyone have some ideas? Sorry for the rant but this is really an accurate experience what a newcomer to Linux face if they try anything more than power-on.

Thanks in advance!

No time for a complete breakdown right now but

Quote:

aircrack documentation
If the interface name is wlan0, then the driver is HostAP or wlan-ng. However if
the interface name is eth0 or eth1, then the driver is orinoco and you must ...
http://www.wirelessdefence.org/Conte...kORIGINAL.html - 47k - Cached - Similar pages

P.S. My Senao's are wlan0 and wlan1

Barry · 01-09-2006

Just wondering, which flavor of Linux??

wrzwaldo · 01-09-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barry

Just wondering, which flavor of Linux??

Me?

Slack 10.2 with hostap

fregniacciaro · 01-09-2006

linuxquestions.org may be able to help with your eth0 wlan0 question.

On my system:
eth0 is wired port
eth1 is PCMCIA wireless (Orinoco)
wlan0 is USB wireless (Linksys WUSB12)

beakmyn · 01-09-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by sawtode

Hi there, I cannot find an explanation anywhere. Depending on which WLAN cards I insert in my system, I sometimes see them at ethx, wifix, athx etc. Also I see many references to wlan0 in online notes.
Why do we have so many ways to name the interface?
Why do the names appear differently when different cards are inserted?
How do I use this info consistently?

For example, my laptop is a T23 with a wired eth0.
if I plug a Cisco Aironet into the first slot, and execute iwconfig it is reported simultaneously as eth1 and wifi0! Why? How do I use this information to set parameters? When is it important to note the difference? Ifconfig reports it only as eth1. If I plug in an Orinoco Gold, it is only shown as eth1 in iwconfig and ifconfig. If I plug in a netgear WAG11, it is only shown as ath0. What is "a"th0? Because of 802.11a?

Furthermore when I try to read up on hostap setups, everyone refers to wlan0. Do a google search, no useful info. Do a man -k search, no useful info. What is wlan0?

I tried to follow some nicely written directions to configure airpwn - see http://www.informit.com/guides/conte...ity&SeqNum=158

I already have an eth0 so I expected I could increment. I have a WPC11 for the first interface and for the second I tried lots of cards (spectrum 24, aironet 350, orinoco gold, linksys wpc55ag, netgear wag511). Nothing I tried got me past the first iwpriv step. And no wlan0 appears. Because the cards are big, sometimes I have to swap slots which makes it worse.

I am reasonably good at following directions, and I learn fast but the open source world is full of gaps and I can't even figure out where the gaps are. Anyone have some ideas? Sorry for the rant but this is really an accurate experience what a newcomer to Linux face if they try anything more than power-on.

Thanks in advance!

The name is the device name that your driver has loaded for the device.

It is normally linked to driver and chipset for the card in question. Ath are typically Atheros chipset cards/drivers, ethx are wired devices but can also be some wireless devices. wifix is for wifi devices. Also in the mix is whether or not the wireless extensions are loaded correctly for the device.

There is also Vlanx and brox the former being virtual lans and the latter broadcom devices.

That's all I can tell you, it's documented somewhere but is probably only known by the kernel gurus.

streaker69 · 01-09-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by beakmyn

The name is the device name that your driver has loaded for the device.

It is normally linked to driver and chipset for the card in question. Ath are typically Atheros chipset cards/drivers, ethx are wired devices but can also be some wireless devices. wifix is for wifi devices. Also in the mix is whether or not the wireless extensions are loaded correctly for the device.

There is also Vlanx and brox the former being virtual lans and the latter broadcom devices.

That's all I can tell you, it's documented somewhere but is probably only known by the kernel gurus.

What about the sex0 interface? I keep seeing that one come up.

Mark57 · 01-09-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by streaker69

What about the sex0 interface? I keep seeing that one come up.

That's when you're not getting any. Sorry man. Sex1, 2, 3, 4 is more what you want.

Barry · 01-09-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark57

That's when you're not getting any. Sorry man. Sex1, 2, 3, 4 is more what you want.

Streaker's married with a new kid, he's seeing sex0 alot more now-a-days!

Airstreamer · 01-09-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barry

Streaker's married with a new kid, he's seeing sex0 alot more now-a-days!

I thought it was Null0....

dakkon2k · 01-09-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Airstreamer

I thought it was Null0....

Thought it was /dev/null that Streaker is being directed to?

Airstreamer · 01-09-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by dakkon2k

Thought it was /dev/null that Streaker is being directed to?

Dats' da one!!

Next, she'll have him 'shooting blanks!'

streaker69 · 01-09-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Airstreamer

Dats' da one!!

Next, she'll have him 'shooting blanks!'

That's why we have two kids, cause I wasn't.

G8tK33per · 01-09-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Airstreamer

Dats' da one!!

Next, she'll have him 'shooting blanks!'

Chicks love it when they find out you've been clipped. Oh, they may say they're more concerned about catching something but they all love a nice dripping load oozing out from below.

So I hear...

wrzwaldo · 01-09-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by G8tK33per

Chicks love it when they find out you've been clipped. Oh, they may say they're more concerned about catching something but they all love a nice dripping load oozing out from below.

So I hear...

HAHAHAHA! Could you be any more graphic?

01-09-2006	#1 (permalink)
sawtode Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 2	What's difference between eth0, wlan0, wifi0 ath0 etc. Hi there, I cannot find an explanation anywhere. Depending on which WLAN cards I insert in my system, I sometimes see them at ethx, wifix, athx etc. Also I see many references to wlan0 in online notes. Why do we have so many ways to name the interface? Why do the names appear differently when different cards are inserted? How do I use this info consistently? For example, my laptop is a T23 with a wired eth0. if I plug a Cisco Aironet into the first slot, and execute iwconfig it is reported simultaneously as eth1 and wifi0! Why? How do I use this information to set parameters? When is it important to note the difference? Ifconfig reports it only as eth1. If I plug in an Orinoco Gold, it is only shown as eth1 in iwconfig and ifconfig. If I plug in a netgear WAG11, it is only shown as ath0. What is "a"th0? Because of 802.11a? Furthermore when I try to read up on hostap setups, everyone refers to wlan0. Do a google search, no useful info. Do a man -k search, no useful info. What is wlan0? I tried to follow some nicely written directions to configure airpwn - see http://www.informit.com/guides/conte...ity&SeqNum=158 I already have an eth0 so I expected I could increment. I have a WPC11 for the first interface and for the second I tried lots of cards (spectrum 24, aironet 350, orinoco gold, linksys wpc55ag, netgear wag511). Nothing I tried got me past the first iwpriv step. And no wlan0 appears. Because the cards are big, sometimes I have to swap slots which makes it worse. I am reasonably good at following directions, and I learn fast but the open source world is full of gaps and I can't even figure out where the gaps are. Anyone have some ideas? Sorry for the rant but this is really an accurate experience what a newcomer to Linux face if they try anything more than power-on. Thanks in advance!

01-09-2006	#3 (permalink)
Barry Managing the iTards. Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Ohio Posts: 5,948	Just wondering, which flavor of Linux?? __________________ Never do anything you don't want to explain to the paramedics.

01-09-2006	#5 (permalink)
fregniacciaro Where's my Guinness? Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Sq'rat on the loose!! Shoot 'im! (not you G8t) Posts: 1,943	linuxquestions.org may be able to help with your eth0 wlan0 question. On my system: eth0 is wired port eth1 is PCMCIA wireless (Orinoco) wlan0 is USB wireless (Linksys WUSB12) __________________ When I was your age, television was called books. And this is a special book. It was the book my father used to read to me when I was sick, and I used to read it to your father. And today, I'm gonna read it to you. Rompipalle della Chiesa del WiFi SHAMELESS PLUG! "Are you trying to irritate my colon ? Because if you are, I'll shit all over you in such a way you'll end up in a sanatorium, never to be heard from again." --Dutch

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