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shawny

Member

Registered: 2016-07-01

Posts: 6

[Solved]Switching from Netctl to NetworkManager

I've been trying to switch from netctl to NetworkManager and, using the wiki, I've understood that you need to disable one network control before enabling another.

I tried to disable netctl by issuing the command

sudo systemctl disable netctl

and then enabled NetworkManager but upon reboot, NetworkManager did not work. I ran

systemctl --type=service

and the output was

[shawny@archbox ~]$ systemctl --type=service
  UNIT                        LOAD   ACTIVE SUB     DESCRIPTION
  dbus.service                loaded active running D-Bus System Message 
Bus
  kmod-static-nodes.service   loaded active exited  Create list of 
required stat
  lightdm.service             loaded active running Light Display 
Manager
● netctl@wlp8s0\x2dTALKTALK52A99F.service loaded failed failed  
Automatically ge
  NetworkManager.service      loaded active running Network Manager
  polkit.service              loaded active running Authorization 
Manager
  systemd-backlight@backlight:acpi_video0.service loaded active exited  
Load/Sav
  
systemd-fsck@dev-disk-by\x2duuid-e6965e30\x2d28b5\x2d409c\x2dbf7c\x2ddad3b8cbd
  systemd-journal-flush.service loaded active exited  Flush Journal to 
Persisten
  systemd-journald.service    loaded active running Journal Service
  systemd-logind.service      loaded active running Login Service
  systemd-random-seed.service loaded active exited  Load/Save Random 
Seed
  systemd-remount-fs.service  loaded active exited  Remount Root and 
Kernel File
  systemd-sysctl.service      loaded active exited  Apply Kernel 
Variables
  systemd-tmpfiles-setup-dev.service loaded active exited  Create Static 
Device 
  systemd-tmpfiles-setup.service loaded active exited  Create Volatile 
Files and
  systemd-udev-trigger.service loaded active exited  udev Coldplug all 
Devices
  systemd-udevd.service       loaded active running udev Kernel Device 
Manager
  systemd-update-utmp.service loaded active exited  Update UTMP about 
System Boo
  systemd-user-sessions.service loaded active exited  Permit User 
Sessions
  systemd-vconsole-setup.service loaded active exited  Setup Virtual 
Console
  tlp.service                 loaded active exited  TLP system 
startup/shutdown
lines 1-23

I thought I had disabled netctl and I can't see what I should disable to allow Network Manager to work properly. Can anyone help?

Last edited by shawny (2016-07-14 13:02:34)

dockland

Member

From: Sweden

Registered: 2015-06-06

Posts: 861

Re: [Solved]Switching from Netctl to NetworkManager

I've been trying to switch from netctl to NetworkManager and, using the wiki, I've understood that you need to disable one network control before enabling another.

I tried to disable netctl by issuing the command

sudo systemctl disable netctl

and then enabled NetworkManager but upon reboot, NetworkManager did not work. I ran

systemctl --type=service

and the output was

[shawny@archbox ~]$ systemctl --type=service
  UNIT                        LOAD   ACTIVE SUB     DESCRIPTION
  dbus.service                loaded active running D-Bus System Message 
Bus
  kmod-static-nodes.service   loaded active exited  Create list of 
required stat
  lightdm.service             loaded active running Light Display 
Manager
● netctl@wlp8s0\x2dTALKTALK52A99F.service loaded failed failed  
Automatically ge
  NetworkManager.service      loaded active running Network Manager
  polkit.service              loaded active running Authorization 
Manager
  systemd-backlight@backlight:acpi_video0.service loaded active exited  
Load/Sav
  
systemd-fsck@dev-disk-by\x2duuid-e6965e30\x2d28b5\x2d409c\x2dbf7c\x2ddad3b8cbd
  systemd-journal-flush.service loaded active exited  Flush Journal to 
Persisten
  systemd-journald.service    loaded active running Journal Service
  systemd-logind.service      loaded active running Login Service
  systemd-random-seed.service loaded active exited  Load/Save Random 
Seed
  systemd-remount-fs.service  loaded active exited  Remount Root and 
Kernel File
  systemd-sysctl.service      loaded active exited  Apply Kernel 
Variables
  systemd-tmpfiles-setup-dev.service loaded active exited  Create Static 
Device 
  systemd-tmpfiles-setup.service loaded active exited  Create Volatile 
Files and
  systemd-udev-trigger.service loaded active exited  udev Coldplug all 
Devices
  systemd-udevd.service       loaded active running udev Kernel Device 
Manager
  systemd-update-utmp.service loaded active exited  Update UTMP about 
System Boo
  systemd-user-sessions.service loaded active exited  Permit User 
Sessions
  systemd-vconsole-setup.service loaded active exited  Setup Virtual 
Console
  tlp.service                 loaded active exited  TLP system 
startup/shutdown
lines 1-23

I thought I had disabled netctl and I can't see what I should disable to allow Network Manager to work properly. Can anyone help?

Isn't it

sudo systemctl disable netctl@eth0.service

where you replace eth0 with your current interface name?

---

I possess a device, in my pocket, that is capable of accessing the entirety of information known to man.
I use it to look at funny pictures of cats and to argue with strangers.

shawny

Member

Registered: 2016-07-01

Posts: 6

Re: [Solved]Switching from Netctl to NetworkManager

I tried

sudo systemctl disable netctl@wlp8s0\x2dTALKTALK52A52A99F.service

I also tried

sudo systemctl disable netctl@wlp8s0.service

So it seems it isn't...

but it gave the same output as I posted above and NetworkManager still failed to connect.

loqs

Member

Registered: 2014-03-06

Posts: 17,325

Re: [Solved]Switching from Netctl to NetworkManager

● netctl@wlp8s0\x2dTALKTALK52A99F.service loaded failed failed

So is the service not

netctl@wlp8s0\x2dTALKTALK52A99F.service

It should also be a symlink in one of the directories under /etc/systemd/system/ (the one for the target that wants it ) back to the service file itself in /etc/systemd/system

Head_on_a_Stick

Member

From: London

Registered: 2014-02-20

Posts: 7,732

Website

Re: [Solved]Switching from Netctl to NetworkManager

sudo systemctl disable netctl

netctl abstracts the systemd interface so you should use that directly rather than invoking `systemctl`

# netctl disable foo

See netctl(1)

---

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shawny

Member

Registered: 2016-07-01

Posts: 6

Re: [Solved]Switching from Netctl to NetworkManager

Thanks Head_on_a_Stick, I had already worked out that the correct command was

# netctl disable foo

unfortunately network manager still did not work - kept failing to connect to the network.

ewaller

Administrator

From: Pasadena, CA

Registered: 2009-07-13

Posts: 19,774

Re: [Solved]Switching from Netctl to NetworkManager

Okay.  Time for two sanity checks

First, please post the output of find /etc/systemd
Second, what user space tool are you using to control NetworkManager?

---

Nothing is too wonderful to be true, if it be consistent with the laws of nature -- Michael Faraday
Sometimes it is the people no one can imagine anything of who do the things no one can imagine. -- Alan Turing
---
How to Ask Questions the Smart Way

shawny

Member

Registered: 2016-07-01

Posts: 6

Re: [Solved]Switching from Netctl to NetworkManager

Output of find/etc/systemd

 /etc/systemd
/etc/systemd/journal-upload.conf
/etc/systemd/timesyncd.conf
/etc/systemd/network
/etc/systemd/logind.conf
/etc/systemd/user
/etc/systemd/user/sockets.target.wants
/etc/systemd/user/sockets.target.wants/pulseaudio.socket
/etc/systemd/user/default.target.wants
/etc/systemd/user/default.target.wants/xdg-user-dirs-update.service
/etc/systemd/system.conf
/etc/systemd/coredump.conf
/etc/systemd/journal-remote.conf
/etc/systemd/system
/etc/systemd/system/multi-user.target.wants
/etc/systemd/system/multi-user.target.wants/tlp.service
/etc/systemd/system/multi-user.target.wants/NetworkManager.service
/etc/systemd/system/multi-user.target.wants/netctl.service
/etc/systemd/system/multi-user.target.wants/remote-fs.target
/etc/systemd/system/display-manager.service
/etc/systemd/system/dbus-org.freedesktop.NetworkManager.service
/etc/systemd/system/getty.target.wants
/etc/systemd/system/getty.target.wants/getty@tty1.service
/etc/systemd/system/dbus-org.freedesktop.nm-dispatcher.service
/etc/systemd/system/sleep.target.wants
/etc/systemd/system/sleep.target.wants/tlp-sleep.service
/etc/systemd/journald.conf
/etc/systemd/resolved.conf
/etc/systemd/user.conf 

I'm afraid I don't know what you mean by 'user space tool', all I did was issue the command

sudo systemctl enable NetworkManager

madpierre

Member

Registered: 2016-05-27

Posts: 188

Re: [Solved]Switching from Netctl to NetworkManager

shawny writes:

all I did was issue the command

sudo systemctl enable NetworkManager

Should be: "$ sudo systemctl enable NetworkManager.service". Reboot or add "$ sudo systemctl start NetworkManager.service".

Last edited by madpierre (2016-07-13 10:23:07)

loqs

Member

Registered: 2014-03-06

Posts: 17,325

Re: [Solved]Switching from Netctl to NetworkManager

Should be: "$ sudo systemctl enable NetworkManager.service". Reboot or add "$ sudo systemctl start NetworkManager.service".

From post #1

NetworkManager.service      loaded active running Network Manager

From post #8

/etc/systemd/system/multi-user.target.wants/NetworkManager.service

Awebb

Member

Registered: 2010-05-06

Posts: 6,286

Re: [Solved]Switching from Netctl to NetworkManager

Get rid of this:

/etc/systemd/system/multi-user.target.wants/netctl.service

ewaller

Administrator

From: Pasadena, CA

Registered: 2009-07-13

Posts: 19,774

Re: [Solved]Switching from Netctl to NetworkManager

Get rid of this:

/etc/systemd/system/multi-user.target.wants/netctl.service

... As in delete it from the command line using rm.  It is an artifact that was not removed by systemctl and is responsible for netctl starting (and interfering with NetworkManager)

Edit:  NetworkManager sits in the background and makes connections to known networks.  You need a tool to twist its knobs.  You need to be able to see the results of a site survey.  You need to be able to provide credentials. You need to be able to disconnect an access point, or force connection to another.   There are command line tools (nmcli, nmtui).  There are GUI front ends (nm-applet, Gnome network-manager-applet, KDE plasma-nm.  There are front ends for dmenu (nmcli-dmenu)

There are tools that are*NOT* for controlling NEtworkManager -- Notably, wifi-menu

What are you using form user space to control and monitor NetworkManager?

Last edited by ewaller (2016-07-13 14:26:37)

---

Nothing is too wonderful to be true, if it be consistent with the laws of nature -- Michael Faraday
Sometimes it is the people no one can imagine anything of who do the things no one can imagine. -- Alan Turing
---
How to Ask Questions the Smart Way

madpierre

Member

Registered: 2016-05-27

Posts: 188

Re: [Solved]Switching from Netctl to NetworkManager

My apologies loqs. Just read the post and was reinforcing, that's all.

shawny

Member

Registered: 2016-07-01

Posts: 6

Re: [Solved]Switching from Netctl to NetworkManager

Thanks so much to everyone - I have learned a lot from posting this topic.