Cisco "show ip interface brief" Command Explained
show ip interface brief — gives a one-line status summary of every interface — IP address, up/down state — the fastest health check on any Cisco device. Runs in privileged EXEC mode.
Syntax and common variants
| Variant | Purpose |
|---|---|
show ip interface brief | All interfaces, one line each |
show ip int br | exclude unassigned | Hide interfaces without IPs |
show ipv6 interface brief | The IPv6 equivalent |
Reading the output
| Output field | Meaning |
|---|---|
Interface | Port name (Gi0/0, Vlan1…) |
IP-Address | Assigned address or “unassigned” |
Status | Layer 1: up / down / administratively down |
Protocol | Layer 2: up / down |
When to use it
Your reflex first command: instantly shows which interfaces are up, which are shut (administratively down = someone typed shutdown), and whether IPs are where you expect. "Status up / Protocol down" points to Layer 2 issues like encapsulation or the far end. Browse more in the command reference or practise in the free labs.
Frequently asked questions
What does administratively down mean?
The interface is disabled by configuration — bring it up with no shutdown.
Status up but Protocol down — what's wrong?
Layer 1 is fine but Layer 2 isn't — check the far-end device, encapsulation, or (on serials) clocking/keepalives.
How is it different from show interfaces?
This is the one-line summary; show interfaces gives full per-interface detail, counters and errors.
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