Servers should not change addresses. Whether it is an office file server, a home-lab VM or a machine behind a load balancer, a static IP on Ubuntu is configured through Netplan — the YAML-based network configuration system Ubuntu has used since 18.04. It looks intimidating the first time; it is actually three keys and a safety command that makes lockouts nearly impossible.
Step 1 — Find your interface and current settings
ip -br addr ip route | grep default ls /etc/netplan/
Note the interface name (eth0, ens3, enp1s0…), your current gateway, and which YAML files exist.
Step 2 — Write the Netplan configuration
sudo nano /etc/netplan/01-static.yaml
network:
version: 2
ethernets:
eth0:
dhcp4: false
addresses:
- 192.168.1.100/24
routes:
- to: default
via: 192.168.1.1
nameservers:
addresses: [1.1.1.1, 8.8.8.8]
Adjust interface name, address (with CIDR suffix — /24 means netmask 255.255.255.0), gateway and DNS servers. YAML is whitespace-sensitive: two spaces per level, never tabs. Secure the file or Netplan will warn about permissions:
sudo chmod 600 /etc/netplan/01-static.yaml
Step 3 — Test with netplan try (not apply!)
sudo netplan try
netplan try applies the config and automatically reverts after 120 seconds unless you press Enter — so a typo cannot permanently cut off a remote machine. Only when it works, confirm; netplan apply makes it permanent without the safety net.
Step 4 — Verify
ip -br addr show eth0 ip route resolvectl status | grep "DNS Servers" ping -c 3 ubuntu.com
Cloud-init keeps overwriting my config
On cloud images, 50-cloud-init.yaml regenerates at every boot. Disable network management by cloud-init once:
echo 'network: {config: disabled}' | sudo tee \
/etc/cloud/cloud.cfg.d/99-disable-network-config.cfg
DHCP with a reserved address: often the better answer
On a LAN, the cleanest setup is frequently a DHCP reservation on the router — the server keeps dhcp4: true and the router always hands it the same address. One place to manage all addressing, zero risk of conflicts.
Related Ubuntu guides
- Initial Ubuntu 24.04 Server Setup Guide: Secure Your New VPS in 10 Steps
- How to Change the Hostname and Timezone on Ubuntu Server
- How to Set Up UFW Firewall on Ubuntu 24.04: Complete Configuration Guide
- How to Manage Services on Ubuntu with systemctl: The Complete systemd Guide
Prefer to have experts handle it?
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