diff --git a/sys/include/net/netopt.h b/sys/include/net/netopt.h
index 563e3e8be4..73dcbbd900 100644
--- a/sys/include/net/netopt.h
+++ b/sys/include/net/netopt.h
@@ -37,6 +37,15 @@ extern "C" {
  */
 #define NETOPT_MAX_PACKET_SIZE NETOPT_MAX_PDU_SIZE
 
+/**
+ * @brief       A deprecated alias for @ref NETOPT_LINK
+ *
+ * @deprecated  Please use @ref NETOPT_LINK instead of
+ *              `NETOPT_LINK_CONNECTED`. It will be removed after the
+ *              2020.07 release at the latest.
+ */
+#define NETOPT_LINK_CONNECTED NETOPT_LINK
+
 /**
  * @brief   Global list of configuration options available throughout the
  *          network stack, e.g. by netdev and netapi
@@ -286,16 +295,13 @@ typedef enum {
     NETOPT_AUTOCCA,
 
     /**
-     * @brief (@ref netopt_enable_t) Phy link status.
+     * @brief (@ref netopt_enable_t) network interface link status.
      *
-     * Returns NETOPT_ENABLE when the the link of the interface is up,
-     * NETOPT_DISABLE when the link is down. If the interface is wireless or
-     * doesn't support link status detection this function will return
-     * -ENOTSUP.
+     * This option is used to set or check the link status (up or down).
      *
-     * @note Setting this option will always return -ENOTSUP.
+     * @note On error this option should return a negative number.
      */
-    NETOPT_LINK_CONNECTED,
+    NETOPT_LINK,
 
     /**
      * @brief   (@ref netopt_enable_t) CSMA/CA support
diff --git a/sys/net/crosslayer/netopt/netopt.c b/sys/net/crosslayer/netopt/netopt.c
index ab26c1e7e2..db0a75bca9 100644
--- a/sys/net/crosslayer/netopt/netopt.c
+++ b/sys/net/crosslayer/netopt/netopt.c
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ static const char *_netopt_strmap[] = {
     [NETOPT_CSMA_MINBE]            = "NETOPT_CSMA_MINBE",
     [NETOPT_MAC_NO_SLEEP]          = "NETOPT_MAC_NO_SLEEP",
     [NETOPT_IS_WIRED]              = "NETOPT_IS_WIRED",
-    [NETOPT_LINK_CONNECTED]        = "NETOPT_LINK_CONNECTED",
+    [NETOPT_LINK]                  = "NETOPT_LINK",
     [NETOPT_DEVICE_TYPE]           = "NETOPT_DEVICE_TYPE",
     [NETOPT_CHANNEL_PAGE]          = "NETOPT_CHANNEL_PAGE",
     [NETOPT_CCA_THRESHOLD]         = "NETOPT_CCA_THRESHOLD",
diff --git a/sys/shell/commands/sc_gnrc_netif.c b/sys/shell/commands/sc_gnrc_netif.c
index 02d0e87fbf..691a92b438 100644
--- a/sys/shell/commands/sc_gnrc_netif.c
+++ b/sys/shell/commands/sc_gnrc_netif.c
@@ -136,6 +136,11 @@ static int _netif_stats(kernel_pid_t iface, unsigned module, bool reset)
 }
 #endif /* MODULE_NETSTATS */
 
+static void _link_usage(char *cmd_name)
+{
+    printf("usage: %s <if_id> [up|down]\n", cmd_name);
+}
+
 static void _set_usage(char *cmd_name)
 {
     printf("usage: %s <if_id> set <key> <value>\n", cmd_name);
@@ -450,7 +455,7 @@ static void _netif_list(kernel_pid_t iface)
         printf(" CR: %s ", _netopt_coding_rate_str[u8]);
     }
 #endif
-    res = gnrc_netapi_get(iface, NETOPT_LINK_CONNECTED, 0, &u8, sizeof(u8));
+    res = gnrc_netapi_get(iface, NETOPT_LINK, 0, &u8, sizeof(u8));
     if (res >= 0) {
         printf(" Link: %s ", (netopt_enable_t)u8 ? "up" : "down" );
     }
@@ -998,6 +1003,7 @@ static void _l2filter_usage(const char *cmd)
 static void _usage(char *cmd)
 {
     printf("usage: %s\n", cmd);
+    _link_usage(cmd);
     _set_usage(cmd);
     _flag_usage(cmd);
     _add_usage(cmd);
@@ -1107,6 +1113,15 @@ static uint8_t _get_prefix_len(char *addr)
 }
 #endif
 
+static int _netif_link(kernel_pid_t iface, netopt_enable_t en)
+{
+    if(gnrc_netapi_set(iface, NETOPT_LINK, 0, &en, sizeof(en)) < 0) {
+        printf("error: unable to set link %s\n", en == NETOPT_ENABLE ? "up" : "down");
+        return 1;
+    }
+    return 0;
+}
+
 static int _netif_add(char *cmd_name, kernel_pid_t iface, int argc, char **argv)
 {
 #ifdef MODULE_GNRC_IPV6
@@ -1302,6 +1317,12 @@ int _gnrc_netif_config(int argc, char **argv)
 
                 return _netif_set(argv[0], iface, argv[3], argv[4]);
             }
+            else if (strcmp(argv[2], "up") == 0) {
+                return _netif_link((kernel_pid_t)iface, NETOPT_ENABLE);
+            }
+            else if (strcmp(argv[2], "down") == 0) {
+                return _netif_link((kernel_pid_t)iface, NETOPT_DISABLE);
+            }
             else if (strcmp(argv[2], "add") == 0) {
                 if (argc < 4) {
                     _add_usage(argv[0]);
diff --git a/tests/gnrc_ipv6_ext_frag/Makefile.ci b/tests/gnrc_ipv6_ext_frag/Makefile.ci
index 96a80b1307..41ea57e6f2 100644
--- a/tests/gnrc_ipv6_ext_frag/Makefile.ci
+++ b/tests/gnrc_ipv6_ext_frag/Makefile.ci
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ BOARD_INSUFFICIENT_MEMORY := \
     nucleo-f042k6 \
     nucleo-f070rb \
     nucleo-f072rb \
+    nucleo-f302r8 \
     nucleo-f303k8 \
     nucleo-f334r8 \
     nucleo-l031k6 \