When a NetworkInterface instance is created it contains a snapshot of the INET addresses that are bound to the interface at the time the NetworkInterface object was created. In an environment where network interfaces are dynamically configured, looking up the "same" interface again will yield a new instance that may reveal a different configuration. The two instances may thus contain a different configuration snapshot, and they may not compare equals even if they represent the "same" interface.

How to clarify the specification of NetworkInterface to set expectations on how the class reacts to configuration changes should be evaluated.