Strange net device __tmp*

[Reid Rivenburgh]

Cameron Simpson wrote:
> I have this happen with my wireless interface (ipw2200) from time to
> time, and I'm fairly sure it happened under FC6 too.
> 
> I have a theory, based entirely on conjecture and without a shred of
> evidence. I think interfaces go through a period of being named __tmp*
> during the driver load - I'm guessing after being detected, but before
> the hardware initialisation has completed. The something happens that
> prevents the final naming from completing. It's very bodgy looking.
> 
> A reboot is my usual fix (ugh, what a hack!). I have see a handy tool
> somewhere for renaming interfaces; you could try that. It was called
> "nameif" or something like that.

Thanks for the info and pointer to nameif.  It doesn't bother me much, 
because my only real interface is always properly named.  The biggest 
annoyance so far is that gkrellm displays a tab (now that I'm looking at 
it again) for each interface in its configuration dialog, and for some 
reason there are lots (like 15) of these __tmp* ones.  Also cipsec0, 
dev6984, dev28613, dev1804289383, ppp0, sit0, tun, and tun0!  The dialog 
ends up about four screens wide.  It all seems strange, but probably not 
dangerous, I guess.

reid