How can I clear the IP address of Ethernet interface without cycling the interface up/down or restarting it

Fresh3 days ago

Mar 15, 2026469205 views

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Problem

What is the Linux command to clear IP addresses of an interface without bringing it down and/or restarting network services? Seems strange that is able to change IP addresses but has no option to remove them, or am I wrong?

Error Output

ifconfig

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Fix for: How can I clear the IP address of Ethernet interface without cycling the interface up/down or restarting it

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Use from iproute2. (You need to also specify the prefix length though.) To remove all addresses (in case you have multiple):

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