---
name: "ipsec-add"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "libreswan"
version: "5.2-2.2"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/ipsec-add"
---

# ipsec-add(8)

Add a connection specification to pluto internal database from /etc/ipsec.conf

## NAME

ipsec-add - Add a connection specification to pluto internal database from /etc/ipsec.conf

## SYNOPSIS

**ipsec add** \[*connection* \| --checkconfig\] \[--dry-run\] \[--config */etc/ipsec.conf*\] \[--ctlsocket */run/pluto/pluto.ctl*\]

## DESCRIPTION

**ipsec add** *connection*  adds a connection specification from /etc/ipsec.conf to internal database within pluto, The Libreswan IKE daemon. If there already was connection specification with same connectionname, old tunnels are torn down and new specification replaces old one.

This only adds the connection specification making it possible for remote to connect. To establish the connection you need to use **ipsec up** *connection* or to do both **add** and **up** with one run you can use **ipsec start** *connection*.

Note: you might also need to run **ipsec rereadsecrets** when your new connection uses pre-shared key (PSK) authentication, **authby=secret** because secrets keys are only being read at startup.

With **ipsec add --checkconfig** you can validate your configuration file. This will return 0 if config was valid. Optionally you can add **--verbose** for more detailed analysis.

With **--dry-run** the underlying **whack** or **addconn** command is displayed but not executed.

## SEE ALSO

[**ipsec.conf**(5)](/ipsec.conf/5.md), [**ipsec**(8)](/ipsec/8.md), [**ipsec-algparse**(8)](/ipsec-algparse/8.md), [**ipsec-briefconnectionstatus**(8)](/ipsec-briefconnectionstatus/8.md), [**ipsec-briefstatus**(8)](/ipsec-briefstatus/8.md), [**ipsec-certutil**(8)](/ipsec-certutil/8.md), [**ipsec-checkconfig**(8)](/ipsec-checkconfig/8.md), [**ipsec-checknflog**(8)](/ipsec-checknflog/8.md), [**ipsec-checknss**(8)](/ipsec-checknss/8.md), [**ipsec-connectionstatus**(8)](/ipsec-connectionstatus/8.md), [**ipsec-crlutil**(8)](/ipsec-crlutil/8.md), [**ipsec-delete**(8)](/ipsec-delete/8.md), [**ipsec-down**(8)](/ipsec-down/8.md), [**ipsec-ecdsasigkey**(8)](/ipsec-ecdsasigkey/8.md), [**ipsec-fetchcrls**(8)](/ipsec-fetchcrls/8.md), [**ipsec-fipsstatus**(8)](/ipsec-fipsstatus/8.md), [**ipsec-globalstatus**(8)](/ipsec-globalstatus/8.md), [**ipsec-import**(8)](/ipsec-import/8.md), [**ipsec-initnss**(8)](/ipsec-initnss/8.md), [**ipsec-letsencrypt**(8)](/ipsec-letsencrypt/8.md), [**ipsec-listall**(8)](/ipsec-listall/8.md), [**ipsec-listcacerts**(8)](/ipsec-listcacerts/8.md), [**ipsec-listcerts**(8)](/ipsec-listcerts/8.md), [**ipsec-listcrls**(8)](/ipsec-listcrls/8.md), [**ipsec-listen**(8)](/ipsec-listen/8.md), [**ipsec-listpubkeys**(8)](/ipsec-listpubkeys/8.md), [**ipsec-modutil**(8)](/ipsec-modutil/8.md), [**ipsec-newhostkey**(8)](/ipsec-newhostkey/8.md), [**ipsec-ondemand**(8)](/ipsec-ondemand/8.md), [**ipsec-pk12util**(8)](/ipsec-pk12util/8.md), [**ipsec-pluto**(8)](/ipsec-pluto/8.md), [**ipsec-purgeocsp**(8)](/ipsec-purgeocsp/8.md), [**ipsec-redirect**(8)](/ipsec-redirect/8.md), [**ipsec-replace**(8)](/ipsec-replace/8.md), [**ipsec-rereadall**(8)](/ipsec-rereadall/8.md), [**ipsec-rereadcerts**(8)](/ipsec-rereadcerts/8.md), [**ipsec-rereadsecrets**(8)](/ipsec-rereadsecrets/8.md), [**ipsec-restart**(8)](/ipsec-restart/8.md), [**ipsec-route**(8)](/ipsec-route/8.md), [**ipsec-rsasigkey**(8)](/ipsec-rsasigkey/8.md), [**ipsec-setup**(8)](/ipsec-setup/8.md), [**ipsec-showhostkey**(8)](/ipsec-showhostkey/8.md), [**ipsec-showroute**(8)](/ipsec-showroute/8.md), [**ipsec-showstates**(8)](/ipsec-showstates/8.md), [**ipsec-shuntstatus**(8)](/ipsec-shuntstatus/8.md), [**ipsec-start**(8)](/ipsec-start/8.md), [**ipsec-status**(8)](/ipsec-status/8.md), [**ipsec-stop**(8)](/ipsec-stop/8.md), [**ipsec-trafficstatus**(8)](/ipsec-trafficstatus/8.md), [**ipsec-unroute**(8)](/ipsec-unroute/8.md), [**ipsec-up**(8)](/ipsec-up/8.md), [**ipsec-vfychain**(8)](/ipsec-vfychain/8.md), [**ipsec-whack**(8)](/ipsec-whack/8.md)

## BUGS

none

## AUTHOR

Tuomo Soini