How can I enable/disable network interfaces from the GUI and CLI (6.2 and above)?

This article covers the improvement feature "Interface Enable/Disable", which is supported in R6.2 and above version. If necessary (e.g. maintenance or other reasons), interfaces can be administratively shutdown or no shutdown.

"Interface Enable/Disable" can be configured in two different modes (GUI and CLI).

• via Network | Interfaces (GUI).
• via Configure |Interfaces (CLI).
  
  

  NOTE: the Default WAN interface does not support this feature.

Resolution for SonicOS 6.5

This release includes significant user interface changes and many new features that are different from the SonicOS 6.2 and earlier firmware. The below resolution is for customers using SonicOS 6.5 firmware.

In order to demonstrate the feature, an interface X5 has been already configured and the network cable will always be connected during the following procedure. The link status for the interface is 100 Mbps Full Duplex showing in the following picture.

Enable/Disable Network Interfaces in GUI

There are two places to enable/disable network interfaces in GUI. One is via  Manage | Network | Interfaces screen, the other is in the Advanced tab of Edit Interface screen.

• Enable/Disable interfaces via Network/Interfaces screen.

1. Navigate to Network/Interfaces screen. Comparing to previous version, R6.2 added a column Enabled in the Interface Settings table. 
   
   

    NOTE: If there is no button for the interface, the interface is being used for web management.
   
   

2. Click the green tick button for the interface X5 to shutdown the interface.
   
3. A pop-up box will be displayed as following. Click OK button, the interface will be shutdown. 
    
   
   
4. Check the status of the interface. The interface status becomes no link.
   

    NOTE: Likewise, click the red "cross" button and click OK in the next pop-up window can no shutdown the interface. 

    

•  Enable/Disable interfaces via Edit Interface screen.

1. Navigate to Network/Interfaces screen. Click the Configure edit button in the Interface Settings table.
2. In the pop-up Edit Interface window, select Advanced tab.
   
3. Unselect the box for Shutdown Port and click OK button showing in the above picture to enable the interface and check the status of the interface becomes  1 Gbps Full Duplex . 
   

    NOTE: Likewise, select the box of  Shutdown Port and click "OK" button can shutdown the interface. 
    

    

Enable/Disable Network Interfaces in CLI

Enable/Disable Network Interfaces is also supported in Command Line Interface from R6.2.

1.  Before configure, you should first login to the SonicOS CLI.
2. Enter interface configuration mode  and show the interface status.
   
   The current Admin-Status for interface X7 is no shutdown-port (enable).
   
   
3. Disable the interface via command shutdown-port under interface configure mode. The interface status becomes shutdown-port (disable) after commit the configuration.
   
   

    NOTE: The configuration takes effective after using command commit or the system will ask you whether to commit the changes when exiting the configure mode. 

4. Enable the interface via command no shutdown-port  under interface configure mode. The interface status becomes no shutdown-port (enable) after commit the configuration.
    
   
   

Resolution for SonicOS 6.2 and Below

The below resolution is for customers using SonicOS 6.2 and earlier firmware. For firewalls that are generation 6 and newer we suggest to upgrade to the latest general release of SonicOS 6.5 firmware.

In order to demonstrate the feature, an interface X7 has been already configured and the network cable will always be connected during the following procedure. The link status for the interface is 1 Gbps Full Duplex showing in the following picture.

Enable/Disable Network Interfaces in GUI

There are two places to enable/disable network interfaces in GUI. One is via Network/ Interfaces screen, the other is in the Advanced tab of Edit Interface screen.

• Enable/Disable interfaces via Network/Interfaces screen.

1. Navigate to Network/Interfaces screen. Comparing to previous version, R6.2 added a column Enabled in the Interface Settings table.
   
   

   NOTE:f there is no button for the interface, the interface is being used for web management.
   
   

2. Click the green tick button for the interface X7 to shutdown the interface.
3. A pop-up box will be displayed as following. Click OK button, the interface will be shutdown. 
    
   
   
4. Check the status of the interface. The interface status becomes no link.
   

   NOTE: Likewise, click the red cross button and click OK in the next pop-up window can no shutdown the interface. 

• Enable/Disable interfaces via Edit Interface screen. 

1. Navigate to Network/Interfaces screen. Click Configure edit button in the Interface Settings table.
   
   
   
2. In the pop-up Edit Interface window, select Advanced tab.
   
   
   
3. Unselect the box for Shutdown Port and click OK button showing in the above picture to enable the interface and check the status of the interface becomes  1 Gbps Full Duplex .
   
   

   NOTE: Likewise, select the box of  Shutdown Port and click OK button can shutdown the interface. 

    

Enable/Disable Network Interfaces in CLI

Enable/Disable Network Interfaces is also supported in Command Line Interface from R6.2.

1.  Before configure, you should first login to the SonicOS CLI.
2. Enter interface configuration mode  and show the interface status.
   
   The current Admin-Status for interface X7 is no shutdown-port (enable).
   
   
3. Disable the interface via command "shutdown-port" under interface configure mode. The interface status becomes "shutdown-port" (disable) after commit the configuration.
   
   

   NOTE: The configuration takes effective after using command "commit" or the system will ask you whether to commit the changes when exiting the configure mode.

4. Enable the interface via command no shutdown-port under interface configure mode. The interface status becomes no shutdown-port (enable) after commit the configuration.