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11.2.10. Other Interfaces
Other common interface configuration files include the following:
ifcfg-lo- A local loopback interface is often used in testing, as well as being used in a variety of applications that require an
IPaddress pointing back to the same system. Any data sent to the loopback device is immediately returned to the host's network layer.Warning
The loopback interface script,/etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-lo, should never be edited manually. Doing so can prevent the system from operating correctly. ifcfg-irlan0- An infrared interface allows information between devices, such as a laptop and a printer, to flow over an infrared link. This works in a similar way to an Ethernet device except that it commonly occurs over a peer-to-peer connection.
ifcfg-plip0- A Parallel Line Interface Protocol (PLIP) connection works much the same way as an Ethernet device, except that it utilizes a parallel port.
Interface configuration files for Linux on System z include the following:
ifcfg-hsiN- A HiperSockets interface is an interface for high-speed TCP/IP communication within and across z/VM guest virtual machines and logical partitions (LPARs) on an IBM System z mainframe.

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