Understanding Your VPS Network Configuration
Every server needs a network connection to do its job, and the Network tab in the FREAKHOSTING VPS Control Panel is your window into exactly how that connection is set up. Whether you are configuring a web server, setting up a firewall, troubleshooting a connectivity hiccup, or just satisfying your curiosity about what is under the hood, this is where you will find every detail you need. Think of this page as your server’s networking passport — it shows its identity, its address, and how it connects to the wider internet.Difficulty
Beginner
Time
3 Minutes
Accessing Network Settings
Navigate to Your Server
Log in at cloud.freakhosting.com, click Servers in the top navigation bar, then click Manage next to the server you want to view.
Primary Network Information
At the top of the Network tab, under the Primary Network heading, you will see a summary table containing your server’s core network identity. A blue Statistics dropdown button sits in the top-right corner for accessing traffic graphs. Here is what each field means in plain English:| Field | Example Value | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| ID | 9193037049 | A unique numeric identifier for this network interface — think of it as a serial number that the hosting platform uses internally to track your connection. |
| MAC | 00:04:38:46:24:0F | The Media Access Control address — a hardware-level identifier for your virtual network adapter. It is like a fingerprint for your network card. You rarely need to change this, but some software licensing systems use it for activation. |
| Interface | eth0 | The name your operating system uses to refer to this network adapter. On Linux, eth0 is the classic name for the first Ethernet interface. If you are writing firewall rules or configuring network services, this is the interface name you will reference. |
| Type | Public | Indicates this interface is directly accessible from the internet. A public interface means anyone on the internet can reach your server’s IP address (subject to any firewall rules you have in place). |
| Speed (Inbound) | ∞ (infinity icon) | The maximum download speed of your network connection. An infinity symbol means your inbound speed is unlimited — there is no artificial cap on how fast data can flow into your server. |
| Speed (Outbound) | ∞ (infinity icon) | The maximum upload speed. Again, an infinity symbol means unlimited — your server can push data out as fast as the physical network allows. |
IPv4 Addresses
The IPv4 Addresses section lists every IP address assigned to your server in a clean table format. Here is a breakdown of each column:| Column | Example Value | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| Address | 31.59.58.152 | Your server’s public IPv4 address. This is the address you type into an SSH client, paste into a browser, or point your domain’s DNS records at. It is your server’s home on the internet. |
| RDNS | Blue Reverse DNS button | Click this button to configure the hostname that resolves back to your IP address. This is especially important for email servers — more on this in the Reverse DNS guide. |
| Gateway | 31.58.58.1 | The network router that your server sends traffic through to reach the rest of the internet. When your server needs to communicate with any external address, the data passes through this gateway first. You will never need to change this — it is configured automatically. |
| Netmask | 255.255.255.0 | Defines the size of your local network segment. A netmask of 255.255.255.0 (also written as /24) means your server shares a network block with up to 254 other addresses. The netmask tells your server which addresses are “local neighbors” and which require routing through the gateway. |
| Resolvers | 1.1.1.1, 8.8.8.8 | The DNS resolver addresses your server uses to translate domain names into IP addresses. You can customize these in the DNS Resolvers section further down the page. |
Network Statistics
Click the blue Statistics dropdown button at the top of the Network page to access detailed traffic analytics. This opens the same interactive chart views available on the Overview page, but filtered specifically to network traffic for the selected interface. You can view bandwidth usage across different time ranges — from the last 30 minutes to the last full week. This is particularly useful when you need to investigate a traffic spike, confirm that a backup completed, or verify that a new application is not consuming more bandwidth than expected.Practical Scenarios
Setting up a web server
Setting up a web server
You have just installed Nginx and need to tell your domain where to point. Head to the Network tab, grab your Address from the IPv4 table (for example,
31.59.58.152), and create an A record in your domain’s DNS pointing to that IP. Your Interface name (eth0) is what you will reference if you need to bind Nginx to a specific network adapter.Configuring a firewall
Configuring a firewall
When writing iptables or UFW rules, you need to know your interface name and gateway. The Network tab gives you both at a glance. For example, you might allow inbound SSH only on
eth0 and route outbound traffic through the gateway at 31.58.58.1.Troubleshooting connectivity issues
Troubleshooting connectivity issues
If your server cannot reach the internet, the Network tab is your first stop. Verify that your Address, Gateway, and Resolvers are all populated. If the resolvers look wrong or missing, you can update them from the DNS Resolvers section without touching any config files.
Software licensing with MAC addresses
Software licensing with MAC addresses
Some software licenses are tied to a specific MAC address. If a vendor asks for your server’s MAC, you will find it right in the Primary Network table — no need to SSH in and run
ip link show.Key Networking Concepts
What is an IP address?
What is an IP address?
An IP address is a unique numerical label assigned to your server that allows it to communicate over the internet. Think of it as your server’s phone number — other devices use it to find and connect to your server. Your IPv4 address is displayed prominently in the IPv4 Addresses table on the Network page.
What is a MAC address?
What is a MAC address?
A MAC (Media Access Control) address is a hardware-level identifier for your virtual network adapter. It is automatically assigned and looks like six pairs of hexadecimal digits separated by colons (e.g.,
00:04:38:46:24:0F). While you generally do not need to change it, some software licensing systems and network policies reference MAC addresses for identification.What is a gateway?
What is a gateway?
The gateway is the network device that routes traffic between your server and the rest of the internet. Picture a post office — your server drops off outgoing mail (data packets) at the gateway, and the gateway figures out how to deliver it to the destination. This is configured automatically and does not need to be modified.
What is a netmask?
What is a netmask?
The netmask defines which portion of an IP address refers to the network and which portion refers to individual devices. A common netmask of
255.255.255.0 means the first three groups of numbers identify the network, and the last group identifies individual devices within that network. It is how your server knows whether to send traffic directly to a neighbor or route it through the gateway.What does the infinity symbol mean for speed?
What does the infinity symbol mean for speed?
The infinity symbol (∞) next to your inbound and outbound speeds means unlimited — FREAKHOSTING is not imposing any artificial speed cap on your connection. Your server can transfer data as fast as the underlying network infrastructure allows, which is ideal for bandwidth-intensive workloads like media streaming, large file transfers, or high-traffic websites.
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Last Updated: March 2026 | VPS Support: Network management simplified.