WICD vs Network-Manager Applet

Nimbus · 2011-04-28 20:44:15

For the most part I tend to use nm-applet, but lately I've heard that WICD is more lightweight, is this true.

What advantages/disadvantage does WICD have over nm-applet?

Ashren · 2011-04-28 21:14:43

I found that network-manager-applet and networkmanager have proven to be more stable than wicd when using wireless networks and nm has good support for vpnc which I need.

If you have a modern computer with lots of free storage I see no reason why not to use network-manager-applet.

Last edited by Ashren (2011-04-28 21:15:55)

Stebalien · 2011-04-28 22:10:33

nm-applet has a lot of dependencies.
Try running

sudo pacman -Rsnp network-manager-applet networkmanager
sudo pacman -Rsnp --print-format %s network-manager-applet networkmanager|awk '{s+=$1} END {print s/1048576}'

The first command will tell you what will be removed if you remove networkmanager and network-manager-applet.
The second command will tell you how much space will be freed if you remove networkmanager and network-manager-applet.

Last edited by Stebalien (2011-04-28 22:11:18)

stlarch · 2011-04-29 01:48:33

I think networkmanager is the only one that works at this time with mobile broadband too, if you need that.

BurntSushi · 2011-04-29 02:09:13

Applets aside, wicd has an amazing curses interface that wins it hands down for me. Network manager has some cli support, but it doesn't cut it IMO.

Last edited by BurntSushi (2011-04-29 02:10:02)

manzdagratiano · 2011-05-01 04:12:37

I shall gladly tell you the pros of wicd - I used to use networkmanager exclusively in Ubuntu as well as in Arch, until I installed Arch on a USB drive. Networkmanager does NOT load until you have X running, while wicd can be started as a daemon. This means that if you are in text mode without X started, wpa_supplicant or wicd is the only way to go. wicd_curses, as reported above, is amazing. Networkmanager has a text based app called cnetworkmanager, which did not work for me at all. In Slackware and Gentoo as well until you installed X, wicd was the only way to go for me. Moreover, even if networkmanager was running, it will be killed along with you internet connection if you kill X - so if you log out of, say Gnome and log into blackbox or ratpoison, you need to have set nm-applet to run in a tray, else you will be out of your internet connection. With wicd, since it does not depend on X, no such issues.
I was told that with Ubuntu Natty, networkmanager can apparently start before X starts - I did not bother to check this out as wicd is just too amazing.

I use vpnc all the time from the command-line, so no need to go with networkmanager there for me.

As for mobile broadband, I never deal with that, so I am content with wicd. If you do not need that as well, I will suggest you make the switch.

Diaz · 2011-05-02 07:04:01

I installed wicd moments ago to test and i really like the ncurses interface .

Just wondering, i had a ppptp (i think that's it xD) vpn connection in network manager and knowing that wicd does not support vpn connections, how do you handle that?
I need that connection rarely so no really sure how to do it. The only way i ever messed with vpns was with network manager interface :x

chmurli · 2011-05-02 08:20:43

manzdagratiano wrote:

Moreover, even if networkmanager was running, it will be killed along with you internet connection if you kill X - so if you log out of, say Gnome and log into blackbox or ratpoison, you need to have set nm-applet to run in a tray, else you will be out of your internet connection. With wicd, since it does not depend on X, no such issues.

You are wrong, nm-applet is only a applet to easily manages networkmanager deamon. You can use cli version aswell without X. Or you can establish connection (wifi) right after system boots. That way you have internet access after you login to tty, without starting X (lynx ftw!). Just read wiki.

BimoZX · 2011-05-02 09:17:20

Well as far as how I used it I like networkmanager more, maybe a little biased cause I really
need the mobile broadband thing. Since living in Indonesia where good internet connection is
hard to come by in most places unless you use mobile broadband. Other reason would be
it just looks better cause I have a kind of OCD when it comes to icons.

Though Ashren vouch for networkmanager stability, I've been having a quirk with nm-applet or
the networkmanager itself lately, it just won't auto connect to my wired network unless I restart
the daemon, which is quite frustrating when I crapped my xorg expecting that it already connects
itself.

Hope it's helpful.

Arch Linux

#1 2011-04-28 20:44:15

WICD vs Network-Manager Applet

#2 2011-04-28 21:14:43

Re: WICD vs Network-Manager Applet

#3 2011-04-28 22:10:33

Re: WICD vs Network-Manager Applet

#4 2011-04-29 01:48:33

Re: WICD vs Network-Manager Applet

#5 2011-04-29 02:09:13

Re: WICD vs Network-Manager Applet

#6 2011-05-01 04:12:37

Re: WICD vs Network-Manager Applet

#7 2011-05-02 07:04:01

Re: WICD vs Network-Manager Applet

#8 2011-05-02 08:20:43

Re: WICD vs Network-Manager Applet

#9 2011-05-02 09:17:20

Re: WICD vs Network-Manager Applet

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