If you have been using computers for a while, you must have heard of the term IP Address which stands for Internet Protocol Address. An IP Address is a numeric value assigned to a network device by which we can identify a specific device from the network.
We are going to discuss multiple ways by which you can change your IP Address in Debian which will also apply to other Debian-based Linux distributions such as Ubuntu, Linux Mint, Peppermint OS, and many others before that let’s see how to find your IP.
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How to Find IP Address on Debian 11
We can find the IP Address of our system in two ways. One is by using Terminal and another is by using GUI. As we are going to discuss both, you can choose what seems most appropriate to your workflow.
Method 1: Finding IP Address Using Terminal
This is the most efficient way as we are just going to use a few commands and it will bring an IP Address of our system. If you are familiar with Terminal, you will be able to perform these steps easily.
Step 1: Open Terminal
Click on Activities and type Terminal. Hit Enter on the first result and it will open Terminal for us.
Step 2: Executing Command to Get IP Address
Use the following command to get your IP Address:
ip addr
The above command will get the address from available network interfaces and you will be shown more if you have connected more than one. Similarly, you can also use another command to display the IP Address and that command is as follows:
ip a
Method 2: Finding IP Address Using GUI
This is the easiest way to know your IP Address especially if you don’t have much experience using Terminal as this method does not involve any commands and you will get your IP Address displayed in a few clicks by following the given simple steps.
Step 1: Open Settings
Click on Activities situated on the top left corner and type Settings. Hit Enter on the first result and it will open settings for you.
Step 2: Locate Network
Click on Network and it will show you available interfaces that have an IP Address. To see its IP Address, click on that little gear icon.
It will bring you IPv4 and IPv6 addresses, including DNS.
After finding an IP Address of our system, we can proceed with how we can change it. But before discussing how you can change it, let’s discuss why you should change it and how it can be helpful in different scenarios.
Why you should change your IP Address?
Changing an IP Address of your system can be helpful in many scenarios such as if you want to solve some IP Address related issues, If you have some privacy issues online you can overcome them by changing your IP Address if you want to secure your system from online attacks and many more.
Before changing your IP Address make sure your new IP is active as having a faulty address can disconnect you from the internet and will leave you helpless. Let’s start the process of changing the IP Address in Debian 11.
Changing IP Address in Debian 11
We are going to show you two different ways by which you can easily change your IP with your preferred method. So let’s start with the easiest method of changing IP Addresses using GUI.
Method 1: Changing IP Address Using GUI
This is the easiest way to change the IP Address on Debian and any other Debian-based Linux distribution as it does not involve any usage of complex steps such as commands and Terminal. This method enables you to change IP with a few clicks. Follow the given steps to change your IP Address.
Step 1: Open Settings
Click on Activities and search for settings. Hit Enter on the first result and it will open Settings for us.
Step 2: Locate Network Interface
From settings, click on the first option labeled “Network” and it will open network interfaces for our system. From there, click on the small gear icon to open the configuration for IP Address.
Step 3: Enable Manual Setting for IP
You will be given multiple options when you will click on that little gear icon. From those given icons, click on IPv4 and choose manual as we are going to configure IP Address manually.
Step 4: Configuring IP Address
Once you will select manual from the given options, it will enable you to enter Address, Netmask, and Gateway manually. You have to enter your desired data on the given blanks. We have used the given data for this guide:
Address: 192.168. 62.185
Netmask: 255.255.255.255
Gateway: 192.168.62.2
Once you are done entering details, click on Apply button.
Step 5: Applying Changes
Reconnect your network as it is required to apply changes. Click on that gear icon and you will see the default IP Address has been changed to our desired one.
Method 2: Changing IP Address Using Terminal
This method will utilize Terminal and will get the job done efficiently. Open your Terminal and follow the given steps to change your IP using Terminal.
Step 1: Utilizing Nmtui for Changing IP
We are going to use nmtui which is a command-line utility for network configuration in GNU/Linux. It provides a graphical user interface to its user for simplifying the network configuration process. Use the following command to open the nmtui utility:
sudo nmtui
Step 2: Configuring Nmtui
The above command will open nmtui from which hit Enter on the first option named “Edit a connection”.
Use Tab keys to select the Edit option and hit Enter to open configuration.
Use navigation keys and select the option for IPv4 configuration. By default, it will be on Automatic mode.
Hit Enter on Automatic and it will open options to choose from. Select the Manual option.
Use navigation keys to select “show” and hit Enter.
From here, you are required to enter your desired IP Address.
Use navigation keys and hit Enter on OK.
Step 3: Restarting Network
To activate the changes we have made, we will have to restart our network. It does not require any extra utility as you can easily restart your network in nmtui.
Use your navigation keys to select the Back option and hit Enter.
Select “Activate a connection” option
Use navigation keys to select Deactivate option and hit Enter.
Hit Enter on Activate and it will start your network service with a new IP Address.
Frequently asked questions related to IP Address
How do I find my IP address on Debian?
Open your Terminal and use this single command and it will show your IP Address: ip a
Conclusion
This was our take on how to change IP Addresses in Debian 11 and other Debian-based distros. We have included all the possible methods so you can follow the 2nd if 1st does not work. We hope from now, you can use the desired IP on your Debian system.
