How Do I Debug My Vultr Compute Instance Network Configuration?

This guide helps diagnose and fix common network issues on a Vultr Compute instance, such as:

• Inability to ping the instance from another device.
• Inability to access the internet from the instance.

If you've manually modified network settings and lost connectivity, try rebooting the instance first. In many cases, a reboot will restore the default DHCP-based network configuration.

Reboot the instance:

1. Visit the Compute section in the Vultr Customer Portal.

2. Select the instance and click Restart from the Overview tab.

   Note

   Any unsaved or misconfigured network settings may not persist after reboot. Vultr instances rely on DHCP for dynamic IP assignment unless configured otherwise.

If rebooting doesn't restore connectivity, use the console to access the instance and manually enable DHCP using the configuration method appropriate for your OS:

• Enable DHCP on Ubuntu (Netplan):

1. Use this configuration in your Netplan YAML file (e.g., /etc/netplan/50-cloud-init.yaml):

   yaml Copy

   network:
     version: 2
     ethernets:
       enp1s0:
         match:
           macaddress: "<nic-mac-id>"
         dhcp4: true
         set-name: "enp1s0"
   

   Explain Code

2. Apply the changes.

   console Copy

   $ sudo netplan apply
   

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• Enable DHCP on RHEL, CentOS, Rocky, or AlmaLinux:

1. Edit /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-enp1s0 and use:

   ini Copy

   AUTOCONNECT_PRIORITY=120
   BOOTPROTO=dhcp
   DEVICE=enp1s0
   HWADDR="<nic-mac-id>"
   ONBOOT=yes
   TYPE=Ethernet
   USERCTL=no
   

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2. Restart the network service.

   console Copy

   $ sudo systemctl restart network
   

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