I believe the book is mistakenly referring to a "protocol" as the
layer 2 protocol (ethernet, token ring, etc.). We usually view a
protocol as a layer 3 (ip) or higher (tcp, udp, etc.).

This is just a guess but assuming their protocol ls a layer 2
protocol would make the statement correct--meaning, you dont
have to "configure" and ethernet card to talk the ethernet
protocol.

Jason


At 08:05 PM 11/10/00 -0600, you wrote:
>
>
>  I am reading an O'Reilly book, "TCP/IP Network Administration", and
>there is something said which does not make any sense to me. Is there
>someone who might be able to explain the meaning behind this:
>
>  TCP/IP CH 6 - Configuring the Interface
>
> "When networking protocols work only with a single kind of physical
>network, there is no need to identify the network interface to the
>software. The software knows what the interface MUST be; no configuration
>issues are left for the administrator."
>
>  This doesn't make sense to me, because if I set up a machine with an
>ethernet card in it, I still have to configure that interface. I tell it
>what IP address to use. Even if I only have one ethernet card, and no
>other interfaces installed, this is so. Why would they say something like
>this? What do they mean that if there is only one physical interface it
>doesn't need to be configured?
>
>
>
>
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