Setting Up Networking for Multiple NICs

If your machine contains multiple NICs, it is recommend that you create a .network configuration file for each network interface. The following scenario demonstrates how to set one wired network interface to use a static IP address and another wired network interface to use a dynamic IP address obtained through DHCP.

Note: The following configurations are examples and you must change the IP addresses and other information to match your network and requirements.

First, create the .network file for the static Ethernet connection in /etc/systemd/network. A best practice is to match the exact name of the network interface, which is eth0 in this example. This example file also includes a DNS server for the static IP address. As a result, the configuration sets the UseDNS key to false in the DHCP column so that Photon OS ignores the DHCP server for DNS for this interface.

cat > /etc/systemd/network/10-eth0-static-en.network << "EOF"
[Match]
Name=eth0

[Network]
Address=10.137.20.11/19
Gateway=10.137.23.253
DNS=10.132.71.1

[DHCP]
UseDNS=false
EOF

Second, create the .network file for the second network interface, which is eth1 in this example. This configuration file sets the eth1 interface to an IP address from DHCP and sets DHCP as the source for DNS lookups. Setting the DHCP key to yes acquires an IP address for IPv4 and IPv6. To acquire an IP address for IPv4 only, set the DHCP key to ipv4.

cat > /etc/systemd/network/50-eth1-dhcp-en.network << "EOF"

[Match]
Name=eth1

[Network]
DHCP=yes  

[DHCP]
UseDNS=true
EOF

How to configure two gateways for two different NIC ?

This is an IP routing policy feature of kernel and is supported by systemd-networkd. You have to add two routes. One is for the subnet so that the IP address can find its gateway. The other route is for specifying the default gateway for that interface. Finally, we add policy route rules for that IP address that we want to use that table. This will not only ensure that the IP address you are trying to communicate with on that one interface can respond properly, but it will also ensure that you do not route information between subnets.

[Match]
Name=eth2
 
[Network]
Address=192.168.60.70/24
DHCP=no
 
[Route]
PreferredSource=192.168.60.70
Destination=192.168.60.0/24
Table=10
 
 
[Route]
Gateway=192.168.60.1
Table=10
 
[RoutingPolicyRule]
Table=10
To=192.168.60.70/24
 
[RoutingPolicyRule]
Table=10
From=192.168.60.70/24