How to Configure Static IP with Netplan on Ubuntu 26.04 Server

This tutorial provides a concise guide to configuring a static IP with Netplan on Ubuntu 26.04 Server. If you need comprehensive coverage including desktop GUI methods, multiple IP addresses, or advanced scenarios, see our complete static IP configuration guide.

Software Requirements

Configure Static IP with Netplan on Ubuntu 26.04 Server

Ubuntu Server uses Netplan for network configuration with YAML syntax. The following steps show how to configure a static IP on a typical Ubuntu 26.04 Server installation.

1. Identify your network interface: Use the ip a command to find your network interface name:

   $ ip a

   Look for the interface with an active connection (state UP). Common names include ens18, enp0s3, or eth0. Note this name for the next steps.

2. Locate the Netplan configuration file: List files in the Netplan directory:

   $ ls /etc/netplan/

   On a standard Ubuntu Server installation, you will find 00-installer-config.yaml created by the subiquity installer. Other possible filenames include 01-netcfg.yaml or 50-cloud-init.yaml.

3. View current configuration: Check the existing settings before making changes:

   $ cat /etc/netplan/00-installer-config.yaml

   A default DHCP configuration looks like this:

   # This is the network config written by 'subiquity'
   network:
     ethernets:
       ens18:
         dhcp4: true
         dhcp6: true
         match:
           macaddress: bc:24:11:5e:a0:5f
         set-name: ens18
     version: 2

4. Edit the configuration: Open the file for editing:

   $ sudoedit /etc/netplan/00-installer-config.yaml

   Replace the DHCP configuration with a static IP configuration. The following example sets the IP address to 172.16.1.170 with gateway 172.16.1.1:

   network:
     ethernets:
       ens18:
         dhcp4: false
         dhcp6: false
         addresses:
           - 172.16.1.170/24
         routes:
           - to: default
             via: 172.16.1.1
         nameservers:
           addresses: [1.1.1.1, 8.8.8.8]
     version: 2

   YAML INDENTATION
   Netplan uses strict YAML formatting. Use spaces (not tabs) and maintain consistent indentation. Incorrect indentation will cause errors when applying the configuration.

   

5. Apply the configuration: Save the file and apply the Netplan changes:

   $ sudo netplan apply

   If you encounter errors, use debug mode to see detailed output:

   $ sudo netplan --debug apply

6. Verify the static IP: Confirm your new IP address is active:

   $ ip a show ens18

   Test connectivity to your gateway and external addresses:

   $ ping -c 3 172.16.1.1
   $ ping -c 3 8.8.8.8
   $ ping -c 3 google.com

   PING NOT FOUND?
   Minimal Ubuntu Server installations may not include ping. Install it with sudo apt install iputils-ping.

   

Cloud-Init Considerations

If your Ubuntu Server was deployed in a cloud environment or uses cloud-init, your Netplan configuration file may be 50-cloud-init.yaml with a header stating changes will not persist. In this case, you must disable cloud-init network management before configuring a static IP.

Check for the cloud-init header:

$ head -2 /etc/netplan/50-cloud-init.yaml

If present, disable cloud-init network configuration:

$ sudo bash -c 'echo "network: {config: disabled}" > /etc/cloud/cloud.cfg.d/99-disable-network-config.cfg'

After disabling cloud-init, you can safely edit the Netplan configuration following the steps above. For more details on Netplan configuration options, see our comprehensive Netplan guide.

Conclusion

You have successfully configured a static IP netplan Ubuntu 26.04 Server. The configuration persists across reboots, providing a fixed IP address for your server. To revert to DHCP, simply change dhcp4: false back to dhcp4: true and remove the addresses, routes, and nameservers sections, then run sudo netplan apply.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why is my static IP configuration not persisting after reboot? Your system likely uses cloud-init to manage network configuration. Check if your netplan file contains a cloud-init header comment and disable cloud-init network management as described in the Cloud-Init Considerations section above.
2. What happened to the gateway4 option in Netplan? The gateway4 option has been deprecated. Use the routes configuration with to: default and via: your-gateway-ip instead, as shown in the examples above.
3. How do I set a static IP without losing SSH connectivity? When configuring a static IP remotely via SSH, ensure your new IP address is on the same subnet as your current connection. Apply the configuration with sudo netplan apply and immediately reconnect using the new IP address if it differs from the DHCP-assigned one.