"ifconfig -a" does not show all the inet4 interfaces

[nutznboltz]

Binary package hint: net-tools

$ ifconfig -a | fgrep .27

No output.

$ ip addr ls | fgrep .27
    inet 140.147.222.27/24 brd 140.147.222.255 scope global secondary eth0:FWB5
$

Magic "secret" interface is revealed.

Note: first eth0:FWB5 interface conceals the second one

$ ip addr ls | grep FWB5$
    inet 140.147.222.234/24 brd 140.147.222.255 scope global secondary eth0:FWB5
    inet 140.147.222.27/24 brd 140.147.222.255 scope global secondary eth0:FWB5

vs.

$ ifconfig -a | grep 'FWB5 '
eth0:FWB5 Link encap:Ethernet HWaddr 18:a9:05:5e:a0:88

(only one line of ifconfig -a output when two interfaces exist)

Note: addresses came into existence like

ip -4 addr add 140.147.222.234/24 dev eth0 brd + scope global label eth0:FWB5
ip -4 addr add 140.147.222.27/24 dev eth0 brd + scope global label eth0:FWB5

So now you have the ability to test this bug on your own; just run those two commands and try to see both addresses using "ifconfig -a" just like the ifconfig(8) man page says: "if a single -a argument is given, it displays the status of all interfaces" (which is an untruth as this example demonstrates.)

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.04
Package: net-tools 1.60-23ubuntu2
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.32-27.49-generic 2.6.32.26+drm33.12
Uname: Linux 2.6.32-27-generic i686
NonfreeKernelModules: vmblock vsock vmci vmxnet vmmemctl vmhgfs
Architecture: i386
Date: Tue Dec 21 19:10:45 2010
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 10.04 LTS "Lucid Lynx" - Release i386 (20100427.1)
ProcEnviron:
 LANG=en_US.utf8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: net-tools

[nutznboltz (nutznboltz-deactivatedaccount)]

Possibly related
http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=324306

[nutznboltz (nutznboltz-deactivatedaccount)]

"Please keep in mind that most net-tools programs are obsolete now: "
http://www.linuxfoundation.org/collaborate/workgroups/networking/net-tools

[nutznboltz (nutznboltz-deactivatedaccount)]

"Please keep in mind that we must continue to distribute buggy software since our replacement is incomplete." - implicit

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.