def main(): iface = "eth0:" f = open("/proc/net/dev","r") lines = f.readlines() f.close() x = 0 r = '\s+'+iface+'\s+\d+\s+\d+\s+\d+\s+\d+\s+\d+\s+\d+\s+\d+\s+\d+\s+\d+\s+\d+\s+\d+\s+\d+\s+\d+\s+\d+\s+\d+\s+\d+' while x < len(lines): result = re.match(r, lines[x]) print result x +=1