I believe the book is mistakenly referring to a "protocol" as the layer 2 protocol (ethernet, token ring, etc.). We usually view a protocol as a layer 3 (ip) or higher (tcp, udp, etc.). This is just a guess but assuming their protocol ls a layer 2 protocol would make the statement correct--meaning, you dont have to "configure" and ethernet card to talk the ethernet protocol. Jason At 08:05 PM 11/10/00 -0600, you wrote: > > > I am reading an O'Reilly book, "TCP/IP Network Administration", and >there is something said which does not make any sense to me. Is there >someone who might be able to explain the meaning behind this: > > TCP/IP CH 6 - Configuring the Interface > > "When networking protocols work only with a single kind of physical >network, there is no need to identify the network interface to the >software. The software knows what the interface MUST be; no configuration >issues are left for the administrator." > > This doesn't make sense to me, because if I set up a machine with an >ethernet card in it, I still have to configure that interface. I tell it >what IP address to use. Even if I only have one ethernet card, and no >other interfaces installed, this is so. Why would they say something like >this? What do they mean that if there is only one physical interface it >doesn't need to be configured? > > > > >--------------------------------------------------------------------- >To unsubscribe, e-mail: tclug-list-unsubscribe at mn-linux.org >For additional commands, e-mail: tclug-list-help at mn-linux.org >