diff --git a/cpp/devices/ctapdriver.cpp b/cpp/devices/ctapdriver.cpp
index 482c6a47..b730ee80 100644
--- a/cpp/devices/ctapdriver.cpp
+++ b/cpp/devices/ctapdriver.cpp
@@ -134,8 +134,33 @@ bool CTapDriver::Init(const param_map &const_params)
         }
     }
     else {
+        const auto [address, netmask] = ExtractAddressAndMask(inet);
+        if (address.empty() || netmask.empty()) {
+            return cleanUp("Error extracting inet address and netmask");
+        }
+
+        ifreq ifr_a;
+        ifr_a.ifr_addr.sa_family = AF_INET;
+        strncpy(ifr_a.ifr_name, BRIDGE_INTERFACE_NAME.c_str(), IFNAMSIZ - 1); // NOSONAR Using strncpy is safe
+        if (auto addr = (sockaddr_in*)&ifr_a.ifr_addr;
+        inet_pton(AF_INET, address.c_str(), &addr->sin_addr) != 1) {
+            return cleanUp("Can't convert '" + address + "' into a network address");
+        }
+
+        ifreq ifr_n;
+        ifr_n.ifr_addr.sa_family = AF_INET;
+        strncpy(ifr_n.ifr_name, BRIDGE_INTERFACE_NAME.c_str(), IFNAMSIZ - 1); // NOSONAR Using strncpy is safe
+        if (auto mask = (sockaddr_in*)&ifr_n.ifr_addr;
+        inet_pton(AF_INET, netmask.c_str(), &mask->sin_addr) != 1) {
+            return cleanUp("Can't convert '" + netmask + "' into a netmask");
+        }
+
         trace(">ip addr add " + DEFAULT_IP + " brd + dev " + BRIDGE_INTERFACE_NAME);
 
+        if (ioctl(ip_fd, SIOCSIFADDR, &ifr_a) == -1 || ioctl(ip_fd, SIOCSIFNETMASK, &ifr_n) == -1) {
+            return cleanUp("Can't ioctl SIOCSIFADDR or SIOCSIFNETMASK");
+        }
+
         // TODO
     }