---
name: "tunctl"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "uml-utilities"
version: "20020415-3"
release: "Debian 3.0 (Woody)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/tunctl"
---

# tunctl(1)

create and manage persistent TUN/TAP interfaces

## NAME

tunctl — create and manage persistent TUN/TAP interfaces

## SYNOPSIS

**tunctl** \[**-f** *tun-clone-device*\]  \[**-u** *owner*\]  \[**-t** *device-name*\]

**tunctl** \[**-f** *tun-clone-device*\] **-d** *device-name*

## DESCRIPTION

This manual page documents briefly the  **tunctl** command.

This manual page was written for the **Debian GNU/Linux** distribution  because the original program does not have a manual page.  Instead, it has documentation in HTML format; see below.

**tunctl** allows the host sysadmin to  preconfigure a TUN/TAP device for use by a particular user.  That  user may open and use the device, but may not change any aspects  of the host side of the interface.

## USAGE

To create an interface for use by a particular user, invoke  tunctl without the -d option:

```
# tunctl -u someuser
Set 'tap0' persistent and owned by uid 500
```

Then, configure the interface as normal:

```
# ifconfig tap0 192.168.0.254 up
# route add -host 192.168.0.253 dev tap0
# bash -c 'echo 1 > /proc/sys/net/ipv4/conf/tap0/proxy_arp'
# arp -Ds 192.168.0.253 eth0 pub
```

To delete the interface, use the -d option:

```
# tunctl -d tap0
Set 'tap0' nonpersistent
```

## SEE ALSO

The *UserModeLinux-HOWTO (link to URL http://user-mode-linux.sourceforge.net/UserModeLinux-HOWTO.html)*

## AUTHOR

tunctl was written by Jeff Dike  jdike@karaya.com

This manual page was written by Matt Zimmerman mdz@debian.org for  the **Debian GNU/Linux** system, based on examples from Jeff Dike.