To query and control the settings of the network interface and the network driver, which command is appropriate?

The appropriate command to query and control the settings of the network interface and the network driver is ethtool. This command provides a way to retrieve and configure the parameters of network devices, especially Ethernet interfaces. It is particularly useful for examining driver capabilities, such as supporting link modes, speed, duplex setting, and the ability to enable or disable various hardware features like offloading.

While other commands such as ifconfig, netstat, and ip are also related to network configuration, they serve different primary functions. Ifconfig primarily focuses on configuring network interfaces and viewing their IP addresses and statuses, but it lacks the depth of control and information provided by ethtool regarding the driver and hardware specifics. The netstat command is used mainly for displaying network connections, routing tables, and network statistics rather than adjusting interface settings. The ip command is more modern and versatile than ifconfig, used for managing network interfaces, but it doesn't offer the extensive driver-specific functionalities that ethtool provides. Thus, ethtool is the command specifically designed for detailed interaction with network interfaces and drivers.