In Linux kernel-based operating systems, ethtool is a utility for viewing and modifying network interface controller parameters and device drivers. The example below illustrates the use of ethtool and a command to display the parameters for the primary NIC.

$ ethtool eth0

The next command displays parameter information and display device driver information for the primary NIC:

$ ethtool -i eth0

The final command shown may can set the NIC speed in megabytes per second. This specific example sets the speed to 100 MB/s:

$ ethtool -s eth0 speed 100

For more information about ethtool, including options available on your system, run:

man ethtool

If ethtool is not installed on your system, use your package manager to install it. For example, on Debian or Ubuntu systems, use apt:

sudo apt update && sudo apt install ethtool

Device driver, Kernel, Network terms, NIC

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