How do I create a manual point-to-point wicked network configuration?

I am tasked with working on an OpenSUSE 42.3 server (without desktop environment) that I’m looking to connect to a Windows10 laptop (configured as 192.168.1.2) using ethernet (in order to run other non-CLI configuration GUIs remotely).

I originally tested and successfully configured a link with Network Manager (NM) on a Leap 15.2 laptop, which I could produce with the command:

nmcli con add con-name wired2Windows ifname eth1 type ethernet ip4 192.168.1.1 802-3-ethernet.auto-negotiate yes ipv4.dns 8.8.8.8 connection.zone home

Feeling pretty pleased with myself, and feeling well-armed, I entered the ‘data-cave’, where the fearsome servers lurk (and the lights switch off automatically after 5 minutes - yes, I took a head-torch!), to find that the OS42.3 machine was configured with wicked not NM; henceforth my resolve crumbled, and after some fruitless messing with Yast2, I retreated to lick my wounds.

Next, I ‘found’ an old server running Opensuse 12.1; this predates wicked, but, again, I’ve managed to create a reliable command:

sudo /sbin/ifconfig eth1 192.168.1.1 pointopoint 192.168.1.2

Now, before I re-enter the data-cave, I want to prepare myself with a reliable equivalent command that works with wicked. It would be great if this were simply:

sudo wicked ifconfig eth1 192.168.1.1 pointopoint 192.168.1.2


but reference to the wicked man page](https://www.mankier.com/8/wicked) suggests that life is not that straightforward.
To recreate my simple point-to-point link:

  1. What files do I need to edit in /etc/wicked/ ?

ifcfg-eth1 currently looks like this (transcribed from a photo - presumably modified as a result of my attempt to configure using ncurses Yast2):

BOOTPROTO='static'
BROADCAST=''
DHCLIENT_SET_DEFAULT_ROUTE='yes'
ETHTOOLS_OPTIONS=''
IPADDR=192.168.1.1/24
MTU=''
NAME='I210 Gigabit Ethernet Connection'
NETMASK=''
NETWORK=''
REMOTE_IPADDR=''
STARTMODE='auto'

which seems to have a lot less info than this example:

TYPE=Ethernet
BOOTPROTO=none
DEFROUTE=yes
IPV4_FAILURE_FATAL=no
IPV6INIT=yes
IPV6_AUTOCONF=yes
IPV6_DEFROUTE=yes
IPV4_FAILURE_FATAL=no
NAME=eth0
UUID=...
ONBOOT=yes
HWADDR=0e:a5:1a:b6:fc:86
IPADDR0=172.31.24.10
PREFIX0=23
GATEWAY0=172.31.24.1
DNS1=192.168.154.3
DNS2=10.216.106.3
DOMAIN=example.com
IPV6_PEERDNS=yes
IPV6_PEERROUTES=yes

  1. What do I need to edit in /etc/sysconfig/network
  2. Do I need to specify a DNS (even though I have no external network connection)?
  3. Would the command then be:
sudo wicked ifup eth1

I’ve been working through ifcfg and ip documentation, and have the following ifcfg-eth1 file in \etc\sysconfig
etwork:

BOOTPROTO=static
IPADDR=192.168.1.1/24
LINK_REQUIRED=no
REMOTE_IPADDR=192.168.1.2

but note that REMOTE_IPADDR does not appear to be translated to wicked’s XML config:

<interface origin="compat:suse:/etc/sysconfig/network/ifcfg-eth1">
  <name>eth1</name>
  <control>
    <mode>manual</mode>
    <link-detection>
      <require-link>false</require-link>
    </link-detection>
  </control>
  <firewall/>
  <link/>
  <ipv4>
    <enabled>true</enabled>
    <arp-verify>true</arp-verify>
  </ipv4>
  <ipv4:static>
    <address>
      <local>192.168.1.1/24</local>
    </address>
  </ipv4:static>
  <ipv6>
    <enabled>true</enabled>
    <privacy>prefer-public</privacy>
    <accept-redirects>false</accept-redirects>
  </ipv6>
</interface>
     

it appears that I can create a temporary solution using:

ip address add dev eth1 192.168.1.1[/24 | peer 192.168.1.2/24]

As you may have gathered, I only have very restricted access to the server room, and negotiating further visits is neither straightforward nor convenient, so a reliable solution, or selection of viable possible solutions would be exceptionally welcome. Thanks.

I wouldn’t know why an ifconfig command would not work with a wicked started configuration. Did you try that?

BTW, I assume you already understood that, but it will be more and more difficult to get well informed help on versions that are already out of support (and out of minds for many) for such a long time.

Henk - thanks for responding

I was trying to confirm this beforehand. In the event, I went with

ip address add dev eth1 192.168.1.1 peer 192.168.1.2/32

Well, although 42.3 is out of support, the ‘problem’ with linux on servers is that, it just keeps on working; probably because they’re not getting additional/new software that requires higher-than-original spec, and why fix somethin’ that ain’t broke? And, ‘wicked’ is still current, so the answer to this question may equally apply to 15.2

best - JS