# Install net-tools with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, Nix, pacman, zypper Linux networking base tools. Version 2.10 via Homebrew; verified from local package data. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:net-tools ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install net-tools ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata ### Linux - apk (92%): ```sh sudo apk add mii-tool ``` Evidence: Alpine Linux edge package indexes: mii-tool from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install net-tools ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: net-tools from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - dnf (92%): ```sh sudo dnf install net-tools ``` Evidence: Fedora Rawhide package metadata: net-tools from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#net-tools ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: net-tools from https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/master/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix - pacman (92%): ```sh sudo pacman -S net-tools ``` Evidence: Arch Linux sync databases: net-tools from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/core/os/x86_64/core.db.tar.gz - zypper (92%): ```sh sudo zypper install net-tools ``` Evidence: openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: net-tools from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:net-tools - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 2.10 - **Source summary:** Linux networking base tools - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** GPL-2.0-or-later - **Source archive:** - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - arp (cli) - dnsdomainname (cli) - domainname (cli) - hostname (cli) - ifconfig (cli) - ipmaddr (cli) - iptunnel (cli) - mii-tool (cli) - nameif (cli) - netstat (cli) - nisdomainname (cli) - plipconfig (cli) - rarp (cli) - route (cli) - slattach (cli) - ypdomainname (cli) - arp (alias) - dnsdomainname (alias) - domainname (alias) - hostname (alias) - ifconfig (alias) - ipmaddr (alias) - iptunnel (alias) - mii-tool (alias) - nameif (alias) - netstat (alias) - nisdomainname (alias) - plipconfig (alias) - rarp (alias) - route (alias) - slattach (alias) - ypdomainname (alias) ## Dependencies - libdnet ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on arm64_linux, x86_64_linux ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 2.10 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://sourceforge.net/projects/net-tools/ - info: No package-manager update timestamp was available. - info: Release/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories. ## Project history and usage net-tools is the legacy Linux networking command set: `ifconfig`, `route`, `netstat`, `arp`, `hostname`, and related utilities from the old NET-3 networking era. ### Project history The project describes itself as the base set of programs for the NET-3 networking distribution for Linux. Its commands became the muscle-memory interface for early Linux network configuration and inspection. The upstream README now explicitly calls these the legacy tools for controlling the Linux kernel networking subsystem and notes that net-tools is generally considered deprecated, with iproute2 preferred in most cases. ### Adoption history For years, tutorials, init scripts, diagnostics, and administrator habits used `ifconfig`, `route`, `arp`, and `netstat`. SourceForge still describes the package as used in most Linux distributions, even though many modern distributions steer users toward `ip` and `ss`. The deprecation history is part of the package's identity: Red Hat's admin guidance attributes the move away from ifconfig/route/netstat to lack of maintenance and the broader capabilities of iproute2, which has been available since the Linux 2.2 era. Homebrew's Linux-only formula showed 3,074 installs in the 365-day formula window, with 1,484 installs on request. That is consistent with a compatibility package: people install it when old scripts, docs, or habits expect the old command names. ### How it is used Package users install it to get legacy commands on systems where they are absent by default. The most common uses are quick `ifconfig` interface inspection, `route -n` route-table checks, `netstat` socket/process habits, `arp` table inspection, and compatibility with scripts that have not moved to `iproute2`. Package nerds should treat it as compatibility glue, not the modern Linux networking API. For new scripts, `ip addr`, `ip route`, `ss`, and related iproute2 tools are the better target. ### Why package nerds care net-tools is historically important because it froze a generation of Linux networking vocabulary. Its continued packaging is mainly about not breaking workflows and about giving old documentation a working command line. ### Timeline - NET-3 era: tools become the base Linux networking utility set. - 2005-08-16: SourceForge project registration date listed on the project page. - 2009: Debian/Red Hat-linked discussions accelerated public guidance that net-tools was deprecated in favor of iproute2. - 2026-06-12: SourceForge project page listed a last update date, showing maintenance has not vanished entirely. ### Related projects - iproute2 - ss - procps - ethtool ### Sources - - - - - ## Security Notes broad file, network, media, or database tool signal. - **Geiger risk:** blue / medium - broad file, network, media, or database tool signal ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** net-tools - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Requirements:** linux - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Debian apt - net-tools - 2.10-1.3: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: net-tools from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | NET-3 networking toolkit | http://sourceforge.net/projects/net-tools/ - Nix - net-tools: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: net-tools from https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/master/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix - Ubuntu apt - net-tools - 2.10-0.1ubuntu4: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: net-tools from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/main/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | NET-3 networking toolkit | http://sourceforge.net/projects/net-tools/ - apk - mii-tool - 2.10-r3: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: mii-tool from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | media-independent interface (MII) tool | https://sourceforge.net/projects/net-tools/ - apk - net-tools - 2.10-r3: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: net-tools from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Linux networking base tools | https://sourceforge.net/projects/net-tools/ - apk - net-tools-dbg - 2.10-r3: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: net-tools-dbg from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Linux networking base tools (debug symbols) | https://sourceforge.net/projects/net-tools/ - apk - net-tools-doc - 2.10-r3: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: net-tools-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Linux networking base tools (documentation) | https://sourceforge.net/projects/net-tools/ - dnf - net-tools - 2.0-0.77.20160912git.fc44: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: net-tools from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | Basic networking tools | http://sourceforge.net/projects/net-tools/ - pacman - net-tools - 2.10-3: normalized package name match | Arch Linux sync databases: net-tools from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/core/os/x86_64/core.db.tar.gz | Configuration tools for Linux networking | http://net-tools.sourceforge.net/ - zypper - net-tools - 3.14~alpha~git.20251212.7011617-1.1: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: net-tools from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | Important Programs for Networking | https://github.com/ecki/net-tools - zypper - net-tools-deprecated - 3.14~alpha~git.20251212.7011617-1.1: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: net-tools-deprecated from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | Deprecated Networking Utilities | https://github.com/ecki/net-tools - zypper - net-tools-lang - 3.14~alpha~git.20251212.7011617-1.1: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: net-tools-lang from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | Translations for package net-tools | https://github.com/ecki/net-tools - Debian apt - hostname - 3.25: installed executable or alias match | Debian stable package indexes: hostname from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | utility to set/show the host name or domain name - Ubuntu apt - hostname - 3.23+nmu2ubuntu2: installed executable or alias match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: hostname from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/main/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | utility to set/show the host name or domain name - dnf - hostname - 3.25-4.fc44: installed executable or alias match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: hostname from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | Utility to set/show the host name or domain name | https://tracker.debian.org/pkg/hostname - zypper - hostname - 3.25-1.4: installed executable or alias match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: hostname from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | Utility to Set/Show the Host Name or Domain Name | https://tracker.debian.org/pkg/hostname ## Related links - [Secret-risk packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/secret-risk-packages/) - Has protected-tool coverage, approval-gate, or non-low Geiger security signals. - [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata. - [Networking and protocol packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/networking-protocol-tools/) - Matched network, protocol, or remote-service metadata. - [Homebrew utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew-utility-packages/) - Matched Homebrew package provider. - [libdnet](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/libdnet/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [iproute2](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/iproute2/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, linux, networking. - [libnl](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/libnl/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, linux, networking. - [netcat](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/netcat/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, network-utilities, networking. - [iputils](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/iputils/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, linux, networking. - [somo](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/somo/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, linux, netstat, networking. - [aerleon](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/aerleon/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, networking. - [ahcpd](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ahcpd/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, networking. - [airshare](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/airshare/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, networking. - [daemonlogger](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/daemonlogger/) - Local metadata places this package in an adjacent workflow. Shared terms: cli, libdnet, network, networking. - [fprobe](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/fprobe/) - Local metadata places this package in an adjacent workflow. Shared terms: cli, network, networking. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/net-tools.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/net-tools.yml) ## Sources - Nucleus package database - Geiger risk classifier - package-page enrichment - curated package history - package version freshness - av.db category and tag curation - package relationship graph - external package-manager database matches - cross-ecosystem install command graph