[SOLVED]Want to use NetworkManager - I can't disable netctl in systemd

frumble · 2013-06-21 14:18:10

I have used Archboot to reinstall my system and now I want to use NetworkManager. I wanted to follow the steps in the wiki and ran into problems. First, I have no idea what network daemon is running.

$ sudo systemctl disable net-auto-wireless.service
Failed to issue method call: No such file or directory

The wiki says:
If you are running netctl, instead use:
systemctl stop netctl-auto@<interface>.service
systemctl disable netctl-auto@<interface>.service

So, what is <interface>? "ip link" tells me, my ethernet port is

2: enp11s0: <BROADCAST,MULTICAST,UP,LOWER_UP> mtu 1500 qdisc pfifo_fast state UP mode DEFAULT qlen 1000
    link/ether bc:ae:c5:04:ac:1a brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff

So is it "sudo systemctl stop netctl-auto@enp11s0" / "sudo systemctl disable netctl-auto@enp11s0"? Or is it "disable netctl@enp11s0\x2dethernet.service" or "disable netctl@enp11s0\x2dethernet"? I just get a new line from these commands.
Under /etc/systemd/system/ is a file named netctl@enp11s0\x2dethernet.service (and under the sub folder multi-user.target.wants a link to this file). Even when I delete the file and make a reboot, I still have a network connection.
So, in this folder is also a dbus-org.freedesktop.NetworkManager.service (since I followed the wiki guide ahead). But with deleted netctl@enp11s0\x2dethernet.service and "sudo systemctl start NetworkManager" (just a new line) the KNetworkManager plasmoid says that NetworkManager is not running – but I still have a network connection.
Strange: A minute later when I try "sudo systemctl stop NetworkManager" I am offline. But when I then try "sudo systemctl start NetworkManager" I can wait forever and get no new network connection.
I have no idea if NetworkManager is working or not. The KNetworkManager plasmoid says that it is not. And I have no idea what this strange netctl@enp11s0\x2dethernet.service is and how I'm supposed to disable it the right way without deleting the service file under /etc/systemd/system/. Can you please help me? Thanks!

Last edited by frumble (2013-09-08 14:41:13)

lonaowna · 2013-06-22 14:41:58

First, to find out what network services you have running, use

$ netctl list

or

$ systemctl | grep netctl

. The services should be in the form of netctl-auto@enp11s0.service. Then stop and disable all those. You should be offline now.

I believe NetworkManager won't start if the interface is still up, so then run

# ip link set enp11s0 down

. Now start NetworkManager and hope for the best.

frumble · 2013-06-23 00:52:25

Thank you for you answer!

$ netctl list
* enp11s0-ethernet

$ systemctl | grep netctl
netctl@e...ethernet.service loaded active exited    /etc/netctl/enp11s0-ethernet generated by archboot setup

"netctl@e...ethernet.service"?

$ sudo systemctl stop netctl@e...ethernet.service
$

?? – But I have still network connection!

$ sudo systemctl stop enp11s0-ethernet
Failed to issue method call: Unit enp11s0-ethernet.service not loaded.

$ sudo systemctl stop netctl-auto@enp11s0.service
$

?? – But I have still network connection!

$ netctl list
* enp11s0-ethernet

Hm. Very strange.

WonderWoofy · 2013-06-23 00:59:16

If youused the netctl command to enable/start the service/profile, shoulnd't you use the netctl command to stop/disable the netctl profile? So

# netctl stop <profile>

and

# netctl disable <profile>

If all else fails, you can find the necessary symlink in /etc/systemd/system/multi-user.target.wants and delete it manually. Then reboot.

lonaowna · 2013-06-23 07:01:02

Hehe, systemctl is adding the dots because the service is too long to display. It is actually called netctl@enp11s0-ethernet.service.
But like WonderWoofy said: you should be able to disable it using netctl with the commands given by WonderWoofy, replacing <profile> with enp11s0-ethernet.

Good luck!

frumble · 2013-06-23 11:38:19

Thank you!

sudo systemctl stop netctl-auto@enp11s0.service
$

??

sudo netctl stop enp11s0-ethernet
$

— Network connection dead.

Under /etc/systemd/system/multi-user.target.wants/ is a netctl@enp11s0\x2dethernet.service

sudo netctl disable enp11s0-ethernet   
rm '/etc/systemd/system/multi-user.target.wants/netctl@enp11s0\x2dethernet.service'

$ sudo systemctl stop netctl@enp11s0\x2dethernet.service
$

Restarted. The netctl service file under /etc/systemd/system/multi-user.target.wants/ is still away and there is a NetworkManager.service. I HAVE network connection. BUT: The Plasmoid still tells me that NetworkManager is not running.

$ systemctl status NetworkManager.service
NetworkManager.service - Network Manager
   Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/NetworkManager.service; enabled)
   Active: active (running) since So 2013-06-23 15:12:25 CEST
 Main PID: 513 (NetworkManager)
   CGroup: name=systemd:/system/NetworkManager.service
           ├─513 /usr/bin/NetworkManager --no-daemon
           └─586 /sbin/dhcpcd -B -K -L -G -c /usr/lib/networkmanager/nm-dhcp-client.action enp11s0

sudo systemctl stop NetworkManager
$ 

$ systemctl status NetworkManager.service
NetworkManager.service - Network Manager                                                                                                            
   Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/NetworkManager.service; enabled)                                                                         
   Active: inactive (dead) since So 2013-06-23 13:25:37 CEST; 2s ago                                                                                
  Process: 1868 ExecStart=/usr/bin/NetworkManager --no-daemon (code=exited, status=0/SUCCESS)                                                       
   CGroup: name=systemd:/system/NetworkManager.service                                                                                              
           └─586 /sbin/dhcpcd -B -K -L -G -c /usr/lib/networkmanager/nm-dhcp-client.action enp11s0

– I STILL HAVE NETWORK CONNECTION!!

No netctl running:

systemctl | grep netctl
$

... I have restarted the NetworkManager service and tried this 2 times. OK, now the network connection is dead. I have restarted NetworkManager, systemctl says it's active. But my connection is still dead. WTF?!

Service files: NetworkManager.service, catalyst-hook.service, cups.path, nmbd.service, ntpd.service, remote-fs.target, smbd.service
Restarted. Networking online. But with which service?!

I don't have any idea! O.o

EDIT: I haven't updated my system since a month because I wanted to wait for the release of the Catalyst 13.6 driver to finally support x-server 1.14 – my system is still behind the recent /usr/bin change but the networkmanager packages are from this week. Maybe this causes the problem?

Last edited by frumble (2013-06-23 11:47:23)

Strike0 · 2013-06-23 14:40:32

I propose you try the following:
1. systemctl disable NetworkManager
2. reboot
3. Check if you have a network connection upon reboot.
4a. If yes, check "journalctl -b /usr/bin/dhcpcd", "journalctl -b /usr/bin/dhclient" (please adjust both paths yourself according to where they are before the /usr/bin move) and let us know the results. Depending on when you installed the system there was other wiki guidance for network enablement which you followed sometime maybe.
4b. If no, your problems are more likely from the partial update

I am using networkmanager too and the gnome applet has indeed started to play up again sometimes (showing dots when it is connected). But your main problem appears to be not knowing what enables the network when.

WonderWoofy · 2013-06-23 15:17:31

If you want to see a list of all units that are active on your system, you can run "systemctl" without any arguments. This output can be a bit much though as it includes all systemd.device units and systemd.mount units and whatnot.

So since we know that everything in question within this thread is a systemd.service, you can do "systemctl --type=service" to see what services are running. Do that and look for things that could potentially be trying to configure your network. It sounds like you have just not disabled everything, and have some things running that you are not aware of. The network doesn't just magically connect, or function without something managing it.

frumble · 2013-09-08 14:40:04

Sorry for not further answering you all. I just had a stressful time with my studies and other things to do. My problem is solved with the latest Arch udates. Just

sudo netctl disable enp11s0-ethernet
sudo systemctl stop netctl@enp11s0\x2dethernet.service
sudo systemctl enable NetworkManager

did the trick *now*. NetworkManager is in control of the network connection and the KDE Plasmoid works how it is intended to work. And I really don't know what was wrong. I'm glad it works now. Thank you all for your help!

Last edited by frumble (2013-09-08 20:43:23)

WonderWoofy · 2013-09-08 18:56:00

When in doubt, it is perfectly acceptable to manually delete the symlinks that systemctl has created. For example, you could have simple deleted /etc/systemd/system/multi-user.target.wants/netctl@enp11s0\x2dethernet.service. Systemctl is able to handle this just fine, and fully understand that the service would now be disabled.

Arch Linux

#1 2013-06-21 14:18:10

[SOLVED]Want to use NetworkManager - I can't disable netctl in systemd

#2 2013-06-22 14:41:58

Re: [SOLVED]Want to use NetworkManager - I can't disable netctl in systemd

#3 2013-06-23 00:52:25

Re: [SOLVED]Want to use NetworkManager - I can't disable netctl in systemd

#4 2013-06-23 00:59:16

Re: [SOLVED]Want to use NetworkManager - I can't disable netctl in systemd

#5 2013-06-23 07:01:02

Re: [SOLVED]Want to use NetworkManager - I can't disable netctl in systemd

#6 2013-06-23 11:38:19

Re: [SOLVED]Want to use NetworkManager - I can't disable netctl in systemd

#7 2013-06-23 14:40:32

Re: [SOLVED]Want to use NetworkManager - I can't disable netctl in systemd

#8 2013-06-23 15:17:31

Re: [SOLVED]Want to use NetworkManager - I can't disable netctl in systemd

#9 2013-09-08 14:40:04

Re: [SOLVED]Want to use NetworkManager - I can't disable netctl in systemd

#10 2013-09-08 18:56:00

Re: [SOLVED]Want to use NetworkManager - I can't disable netctl in systemd

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