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Toggle network interfaces with ip link

Disable or re-enable a NIC or Wi-Fi interface manually to reset a flaky connection.

LinuxinterfacesnetworktroubleshootingMedium risk
Run sudo ip link set dev enp3s0 down to disable an interface and sudo ip link set dev enp3s0 up to bring it back.

01Command

Command
$ sudo ip link set dev enp3s0 up

02What it does

ip link operates on the link layer: up/down toggles the interface state, and the same subcommand also sets MTU, MAC address or promiscuous mode. Toggling an interface is the quickest fix for a NIC stuck without carrier or a Wi-Fi card that stopped scanning. Note this only changes the link state — assigning the IP address is ip addr's job, and NetworkManager usually restores it automatically.

03Risk

RiskMedium risk
Requirementsiproute2 package; root access. Interface names differ per machine — find yours with ip link show. If you are connected over SSH via that interface, you will cut yourself off.
!Warning: If you are connected over SSH through the very interface you bring down, the session dies instantly; use a command that re-enables it (sudo ip link set dev enp3s0 up) or have console access ready. On managed interfaces, NetworkManager or systemd-networkd may flip your change right back.

04Undo

Undo
$ sudo ip link set dev enp3s0 down

05Sources

  • ip-link(8) — Debian bookworm
    Debian Manpages · community · 2026-09-17
    Evidence: Documents ip link set - change device attributes, with the [ { up | down } ] state argument and dev DEVICE selector.
  • ip-link(8) — Arch Manual Pages
    Arch Linux · community · 2026-09-17
    Evidence: Shows the same 'ip link set - change device attributes' synopsis including the up/down device state option.

Last verified: 2026-09-19 · Category: Network

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