When you order an extra IPv4 address or add an extra IPv6 address to your IP addresses via the TransIP control panel, these cannot be automatically added to your VPS via DHCP. Additional IP addresses are added manually to the network interfaces.

In this article, we explain how you can statically add an extra IPv4 or IPv6 address to your Ubuntu 14.04 VPS. For this, an extra IPv4 and/or IPv6 address is required (depending on which you'd like to add / configure). Don't have an extra address yet? The following articles explain how you can get one:

• Ordering an extra IPv4 address in the control panel
• Creating an extra IPv6 address in the control panel

Click here for a complete overview of all our tutorials for adding an extra or static IPv4 or IPv6 address to various Linux distros. For adding an IPv4 or IPv6 address to a Windows VPS, see this article.

Adding an IPv4 address in Ubuntu 14.04

Step 1 

Connect to the VPS via the VPS console or via SSH.

Step 2 

Once logged in you see the current network interfaces and the set IPs by means of the command:

ifconfig -a

For the next steps, it is especially important that you are aware of the correct adapter name. Which is eth0 in this example.    

Step 3 

Now add the extra IPv4 address in the network interfaces. First, open the network configuration file:

sudo nano /etc/network/interfaces

A configuration file opens in which only the loopback network interface is set. Add the following below:

auto eth0
iface eth0 inet dhcp

auto eth0:0
allow-hotplug eth0:0
iface eth0:0 inet static
     address 37.97.219.3
     netmask 255.255.255.0
     gateway 37.97.219.1

The extra IP address that you enter after 'Address' can be found in your control panel. Set the (sub)netmask to 255.255.255.0.

Save the changes and exit nano (ctrl + x > y > enter). For additional IPv4 addresses, add eth0:1, eth0:2, and so on.  

Step 4 

Restart your network to use the new IP address:

sudo ifdown eth0 && sudo ifup eth0

Ubuntu cannot use /etc/init.d/networking restart or systemctl restart networking for example. This is regarded as a 'feature' to prevent possible connection problems. 

Please note: reboot your VPS if the above does not work.

Step 5

If you run ifconfig -a again you will see the newly added IPv4 address. You can test this IP address by performing a ping test from another computer / IP. 

Adding an IPv6 address in Ubuntu 16.04

Step 1 

Connect to the VPS via the VPS console or via SSH.

Step 2 

Once logged in you see the current network interfaces and the set IPs by means of the command:

ifconfig -a

For the next steps, it is especially important that you are aware of the correct adapter name. Which is eth0 in this example.    

Step 3 

Now add the extra IPv6 address in the network interfaces. First, open the network configuration file:

sudo nano /etc/network/interfaces

In the opened configuration file, add the following lines: 

iface eth0 inet6 static
address 2a01:7c8:aab8:77::1337
netmask 48
gateway 2a01:7c8:aab8::1

Use the IPv6 address which you created in your control panel. Save the changes and exit nano (ctrl + x> y> enter).

Step 4 

Restart your network to use the new IP address:

sudo ifdown eth0 && sudo ifup eth0

Ubuntu cannot use /etc/init.d/networking restart or systemctl restart networking for example. This is regarded as a 'feature' to prevent possible connection problems. 

Please note: reboot your VPS if the above does not work.

Step 5 

If you run ifconfig -a again you will see the newly added IPv4 address. You can test this IP address by performing a ping test from another computer / IP.

Repeat the above steps if you want to add more IP addresses.

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