Arch Linux

magnet helper

Member

Registered: 2025-05-23

Posts: 19

[SOLVED] network configuration outside of live environment

my cousin helped me install arch on a netbook about five years ago; i loved it but the netbook died and i'm struggling to install arch on my new laptop without his help (lenovo thinkpad x1 gen 6)

the steps on the installation guide to connect to the internet are easy to follow; i'm able to connect to my wifi network with iwctl and run pacman no problem. i do see the notice:

Note: In the installation image, systemd-networkd, systemd-resolved, iwd and ModemManager are preconfigured and enabled by default. That will not be the case for the installed system.

and likewise on the Network configuration page,

Note: The installation image uses

• systemd-networkd, which is configured as a DHCP client for Ethernet, WLAN and WWAN network interfaces, and

• systemd-resolved configured for system-wide DNS, see systemd-resolved#DNS.

is there a way to somehow duplicate or carry over the systemd-networkd, systemd-resolved configurations etc. from the live environment/installation image to my base install? otherwise, i think i need a step-by-step walkthrough. i've gotten a base install to boot to the command line, and i can log in and start the iwd service and repeat the steps from the install guide to connect to the wifi, but that's where i'm getting stuck. i honestly have a very limited understanding of networking, which in turn makes much of the wiki hard to follow. in addition, a lot of the things covered in the wiki seem like options that won't be relevant to me. once the install is up and running, i plan to mostly use it for general web browsing and playing media, and occasionally recording audio.

thanks!

edit: i just saw this on the network configuration wiki page. i will resume studying it after sleeping; it's late here.

Note: The installation image uses

• systemd-networkd, which is configured as a DHCP client for Ethernet, WLAN and WWAN network interfaces, and

• systemd-resolved configured for system-wide DNS, see systemd-resolved#DNS.

i also see that archinstall can do exactly what i'm asking, that is, copy settings from iwd#iwctl - i will look into this, too

Last edited by magnet helper (2025-05-23 22:36:57)

jonno2002

Member

Registered: 2016-11-21

Posts: 853

Re: [SOLVED] network configuration outside of live environment

i honestly have a very limited understanding of networking

just install 'networkmanager' along with the rest of your initial packages:

pacstrap -K /mnt base linux linux-firmware networkmanager ....rest of your packages...

make sure you enable it at step 3.5:

(note the capitalised N and M)

systemctl enable NetworkManager

and when booting into your system just run 'nmtui' and connect to your network

EDIT: corrected nm-tui to nmtui... sorry

Last edited by jonno2002 (2025-05-23 20:51:30)

magnet helper

Member

Registered: 2025-05-23

Posts: 19

Re: [SOLVED] network configuration outside of live environment

thanks so much. that got me online!