Note: This is outdated documentation, since AstLinux starting with 1.3.10 (07/2020) dynamically adds VLAN and BRIDGE entries to the interface list.
When you setup a software network bridge in AstLinux, you need to be careful to not lock out your network connection:
Q: When I enter
BRIDGE0="eth0 eth3"
in the user.conf and reboot, why is then eth0 not reachable over the network ?
A: If eth0 was on the external interface, you would also need to set (temporarily):
EXTIF="br0"
or If eth0 was on the 1st internal interface:
INTIF="br0"
in your user.conf. Then after a reboot the (new) bridge will appear in the menu in the Network tab, select br0 as normal and then remove the EXTIF (or INTIF) entry in user.conf.
I know, a little confusing, but it's the only way since we have nice little drop-down menus of the “current” active interfaces.
Remember with a bridge, only the br0 is the “real Interface” the one you bring up and down and set IP address to. NOT eth0 or eth3 .
Finally, be aware that software bridging carries a non-trivial performance penalty. The maximum throughput will be reduced by at least 15% with a software bridge in the path.