---
name: "vlan-interfaces"
section: "5"
platform: "linux"
package: "vlan"
version: "2.0.5+nmu3"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/vlan-interfaces"
---

# vlan-interfaces(5)

legacy VLAN extensions for the interfaces(5) file format

## NAME

/etc/network/interfaces (vlan) - legacy VLAN extensions for the [**interfaces**(5)](/interfaces/5.md) file format

## DESCRIPTION

/etc/network/interfaces contains network interface configuration information for the [**ifup**(8)](/ifup/8.md) and [**ifdown**(8)](/ifdown/8.md) commands. This manpage describes the VLAN extensions to the standard [**interfaces**(5)](/interfaces/5.md) file format.

Primary extensions exist to make and destroy VLAN interfaces, secondary extensions exist for IPv4 interface manipulation which are generally needed when using (a lot of) VLANs.

## VLAN CREATION

VLAN interface definitions exist of the VLAN interface name, and an optional ´raw-device´ parameter.  Vlan interfaces are numbered 1 to 4095.  You have the option to have interface names zero-padded to 4 numbers, or just the plain digits without leading zero.  The following example shows four ways to create a VLAN with id 1 on interface eth0.  They all result in different names.

 iface eth0.1 inet static\
  	address 192.168.1.1\
  	netmask 255.255.255.0

 iface vlan1 inet static\
  	vlan-raw-device eth0\
  	address 192.168.1.1\
  	netmask 255.255.255.0

 iface eth0.0001 inet static\
  	address 192.168.1.1\
  	netmask 255.255.255.0

 iface vlan0001 inet static\
  	vlan-raw-device eth0\
  	address 192.168.1.1\
  	netmask 255.255.255.0

 \# We don't have br support out of the box\
  iface br0.2 inet static\
  	vlan-raw-device br0\
  	address 192.168.1.1\
  	netmask 255.255.255.0

 \# Aliases are ignored\
  iface br0.2:1 inet static\
  	address 192.168.1.1\
  	netmask 255.255.255.255

## EXTRA IFACE OPTIONS

Usually someone who uses vlans also wants to do some other manipulations with the ip stack or interface.

- **vlan-raw-device** *devicename*

  Indicates the device to create the vlan on.  This is ignored when the devicename is part of the vlan interface name.

- **ip-proxy-arp** *0\|1*

  Turn proxy-arp off or on for this specific interface.  This also works on plain ethernet like devices.

- **ip-rp-filter** *0\|1\|2*

  Set the return path filter for this specific interface.  This also works on plain ethernet like devices.

- **hw-mac-address** *mac-address*

  This sets the mac address of the interface before bringing it up.  This works on any device that allows setting the hardware address with the ip command.

## AUTHOR

This manpage was adapted from [interfaces(5)](/interfaces/5.md) by Ard van Breemen \<ard@kwaak.net\>

## SEE ALSO

**[vconfig(8)](/vconfig/8.md)**, **[interfaces(5)](/interfaces/5.md)**