[systemd-devel] Configuring ethernet link fails with No such device

[David Miller]

From: Stefan Agner <stefan at agner.ch>
Date: Mon, 11 Apr 2016 15:46:08 -0700

> What is the expectation/definition when link configuration should be
> possible? Only after the network device got opened or before?

Only after it is open.  Drivers almost always have the entire chip in
powerdown state when it is not open, so we wouldn't be able to
properly do link settings even if we wanted to when the device is
closed.