change metric on network interface - getting error.

[linuxtricks]

I am trying to change the metric on my RedHat Linux 9.0 server so that eth0 has a lower priority than eth0:1.

'man ifconfig' shows this:
metric N
This parameter sets the interface metric.

Everything is set at metric '1' by default.

I tried doing:
/sbin/ifconfig eth0 metric 2

and I get the following error:
SIOCSIFMETRIC: Operation not supported

Can anyone help with 'howto' change the metric on an interface?

Thanks!

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Try not. Do. Or do not. There is no try.

 

[Morsing]

Linux doesn't support the metric value. It's there for compatibility reasons only.

Cheers

Henrik Morsing
Certified AIX 4.3 Systems Administration
& p690 Technical Support

 

[linuxtricks]

Morsing,

Are you sure about this? Can I get a second opinion by another user here? Why would the Linux 'man' page show how to change the metric if Linux didn't support changing the metric?

sorry. just confused.

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Try not. Do. Or do not. There is no try.

 

[Morsing]

Well, maybe they recently changed it then. Things move fast sometimes

Sometimes the man pages are a bit optimistic though.

Cheers

Henrik Morsing
Certified AIX 4.3 Systems Administration
& p690 Technical Support

 

[Morsing]

Well, I was sort of right but then again not. It turns out that the *kernel* doesn't use the metric value but you should still be able to set it.

Cheers

Henrik Morsing
Certified AIX 4.3 Systems Administration
& p690 Technical Support

 

[linuxtricks]

Being able to set the metric value... and have the Linux server ignore the fact that you set the metric value - doesn't sound like it's worth even touching the metric value.

oh well.

Thanks for the information!

---
Try not. Do. Or do not. There is no try.