Proxmox VE Network Configuration¶
This guide shows how to configure Linux bridges, VLANs, and network bonds on Proxmox VE. You can manage the network from the web interface or by editing /etc/network/interfaces. Proxmox recommends using the web interface because it helps protect you from configuration errors. The examples below follow the official Proxmox VE network configuration and administration guide.
Warning
A network error can make the node unreachable. Always keep local console or out-of-band access available before changing the management interface.
Apply Network Changes¶
If you make changes from the Proxmox VE web interface, click Apply Configuration. Proxmox saves the pending changes in /etc/network/interfaces.new before applying them.
If you edit /etc/network/interfaces directly, apply the changes with:
ifreload -a
ifupdown2 is installed by default on new Proxmox VE installations since version 7.0. You can also reboot the node to apply the configuration. Avoid using ifdown and ifup on a guest bridge unless you understand their effect on running guest traffic.
Default Static Bridge¶
A new Proxmox VE installation normally creates vmbr0 and connects it to the first Ethernet interface. Replace the interface name, address, and gateway in this example with values from your network.
auto lo
iface lo inet loopback
iface eno1 inet manual
auto vmbr0
iface vmbr0 inet static
address 192.168.10.2/24
gateway 192.168.10.1
bridge-ports eno1
bridge-stp off
bridge-fd 0
The management address belongs on the bridge, not on its physical bridge port. Guests connected to vmbr0 appear on the physical network with their own MAC addresses.
If you need to map a physical port to its Linux interface name, follow the network-interface identification guide.
VLAN-Aware Bridge¶
A VLAN-aware Linux bridge allows you to configure a VLAN tag on a guest network interface. The following documented example places the Proxmox VE management address on VLAN 5 and allows VLAN IDs 2 through 4094 on vmbr0:
auto lo
iface lo inet loopback
iface eno1 inet manual
auto vmbr0.5
iface vmbr0.5 inet static
address 10.10.10.2/24
gateway 10.10.10.1
auto vmbr0
iface vmbr0 inet manual
bridge-ports eno1
bridge-stp off
bridge-fd 0
bridge-vlan-aware yes
bridge-vids 2-4094
Make sure the connected switch port carries the VLANs used by the host and guests.
Redundant Bridge with a Linux Bond¶
Adding multiple physical interfaces directly to bridge-ports does not create documented failover. For network redundancy, create a Linux bond and use the bond as the bridge port.
The active-backup mode keeps one interface active and uses another interface if the active one fails. Proxmox recommends this mode when your switch does not support LACP:
auto lo
iface lo inet loopback
iface eno1 inet manual
iface eno2 inet manual
auto bond0
iface bond0 inet manual
bond-slaves eno1 eno2
bond-miimon 100
bond-mode active-backup
auto vmbr0
iface vmbr0 inet static
address 10.10.10.2/24
gateway 10.10.10.1
bridge-ports bond0
bridge-stp off
bridge-fd 0
If your switch supports IEEE 802.3ad LACP, Proxmox recommends the 802.3ad bond mode. You must also configure LACP on the switch. Follow the complete bond section in the official documentation before enabling it.
Verify the Configuration¶
After applying the configuration, run the following commands to check the interfaces, addresses, routes, bridge ports, and bond state:
ip -brief link
ip -brief address
ip route
bridge link
cat /proc/net/bonding/bond0
The final command applies only when bond0 exists.