How do I delete virtual interface in Linux?

Question

ip link shows this:

[root@0-25-90-68-79-4a log]# ip link
1: lo: <LOOPBACK,UP,LOWER_UP> mtu 65536 qdisc noqueue state UNKNOWN 
    link/loopback 00:00:00:00:00:00 brd 00:00:00:00:00:00
2: eth0: <BROADCAST,MULTICAST,SLAVE,UP,LOWER_UP> mtu 1500 qdisc mq master bond0 state UP qlen 1000
    link/ether 00:25:90:68:79:4a brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff
5: bond0: <BROADCAST,MULTICAST,MASTER,UP,LOWER_UP> mtu 1500 qdisc noqueue state UP 
    link/ether 00:25:90:68:79:4a brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff
8: gre0: <NOARP> mtu 1476 qdisc noop state DOWN 
    link/gre 0.0.0.0 brd 0.0.0.0
10: 35978f0: <BROADCAST,MULTICAST,UP,LOWER_UP> mtu 1500 qdisc pfifo_fast master br35978f0 state UP qlen 32
    link/ether fe:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff
13: br35978f0: <BROADCAST,MULTICAST,UP,LOWER_UP> mtu 1500 qdisc noqueue state UP 
    link/ether fe:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff

Here, the interface 35978f0 is the virtual interface which is tied to the bridge br 35978f0. I've already done ifconfig 35978f0 down and brctl delif br35978f0 35978f0.

But how do I delete interface 35978f0?

use ip link delete 35978f0 – Ady Junior Apr 20 '18 at 10:49 — Ady Junior, Apr 20 '18 at 10:49

score 134 · Answer 1 · edited Aug 18 '23 at 12:00

134

You can use sudo ip link delete br35978f0 to remove the interface (replacing br35978f0 with the code for the interface you wish to delete, as needed).

edited Aug 18 '23 at 12:00

JohnLBevan

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answered Dec 17 '15 at 04:42

Frederik Deweerdt

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After reboot, then the virtual bridges showed again, even with brctl commands. Then I found it is because docker network, after deletion by command `docker network delete `, two bridges disappeared after reboot. [https://docs.docker.com/engine/reference/commandline/network_create/] – zqcolor May 08 '19 at 17:36
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RTNETLINK answers: Operation not supported – Alex Jansen Jun 29 '21 at 10:54
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sudo ip link delete 35978f0 – Ahmad Alhilal Sep 21 '21 at 05:36
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@AlexJansen: I managed to delete the interface after reading [this answer](https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/558839/unable-to-delete-virtual-network-interface-on-linux): `sudo iw wlp3s0mon del` – Matthias Braun Nov 24 '22 at 21:25

score 17 · Answer 2 · edited Feb 15 '17 at 13:00

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Have you tried:

ifconfig 10:35978f0 down

As the physical interface is 10 and the virtual aspect is after the colon :.

See also https://www.cyberciti.biz/faq/linux-command-to-remove-virtual-interfaces-or-network-aliases/

edited Feb 15 '17 at 13:00

jkalden

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answered Feb 15 '17 at 11:49

Just trying to help

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How do I delete virtual interface in Linux?

2 Answers2