Subject: Re: Trying to ping from a subinterface.

From: CLOSE Dave <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 2 Jun 2014 17:41:45 -0700

Stephen Hemminger wrote (in response to my complaint):

>>> # ping -I eth3:sub1 172.17.30.1
>>> ping: SO_BINDTODEVICE: Invalid argument

> Interface aliases (sub interfaces) aren't real interfaces in Linux.
> They are a deprecated way of doing multiple addresses on the same
> device. Aliases aren't real devices, they don't behave like devices,
> and they only are useful with ancient tools like ifconfig.
>
> Don't use them unless you have to deal with systems older than 10
> years.

I apologize to the group. I had been led to believe this was working on 
earlier Fedora releases. In fact, it was complaining but then falling 
back to the main interface and performing the ping anyway. What is new 
is the refusal to fall back.

Starting fresh, I'd agree with your suggestion. But there is a lot of 
legacy code in the world...
-- 
Dave Close