[SOLVED] Network Manager & Arch Way

skmarch · 2011-06-22 22:17:42

Hi All
I am a noob Arch user. I installed Arch with Gnome 3 recently. I used to manually connect to WiFi for the first few days (just for fun) and then I decided to go with the netfcg+newlan way. I found it to be really slow. I then decided to take the information on Arch Wiki (that says network manager is faster) and installed network manager + nm-applet. I had no issues with WiFi configuration. Everything works for me. But I don't know what network manager is doing. I can know that if I want to. But why use a tool that hides things from me. Philosophically speaking, isn't network manager against the true Arch way? What do experienced Arch users think of this?

V

Last edited by skmarch (2011-06-23 04:54:47)

markbabc · 2011-06-22 22:24:18

Well you installed it didnt you? i use wicd to do my network connecting.... and thats because i dont want to manually do WPA2 connecting....

skmarch · 2011-06-22 22:43:11

I did install it and it has been "bothering" me that I don't know whats behind this GUI. I simply clicked a few buttons and the network connected. Thats awesome. But I left ubuntu for the same reason: I don't know whats going on. I don't want to be dumbed down. On the other hand, I really did not like the netcfg way. It is slow. And since this is my laptop which I sometimes take to school, I want the ability to connect to different networks (with different security types, especially WPA). So netcfg with net-profiles seems like a good option (or network manager). There was no comment on the wiki about the speed of Wicd: https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Wi … nt_methods

According to https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=117754 Wicd is better. But once again no comment on the speed. I want internet as soon as the laptop boots. Network manager does that. But to me, as a purist, its not in the Arch way. I want something with more control and more configurability.

So once again: Is Wicd faster than network manager?

Last edited by skmarch (2011-06-22 22:44:01)

mhertz · 2011-06-22 23:36:59

Just wanted to say that I myself preffer netcfg with net-profiles, since it's the lightest, works great and made by arch devs

steve___ · 2011-06-22 23:39:39

I agree with mhertz. Also, the fastest way to bring up your network is to use a static IP.

ConnorBehan · 2011-06-23 00:10:03

I stopped using networkmanager for the same reason. I never knew it was faster since I always background that daemon (it loads while my system is starting up no matter what). Is it mainly faster when connecting to mesh networks? Or is it still faster to connect to a network with a single access point?

skmarch · 2011-06-23 01:01:08

According to Arch Wiki, it seems like network manager is "faster". I don't know in what cases it is faster. I could also see that its faster in starting up and connecting to my home network. I used networkmanager in the daemons list in rc.conf.

V

Misfit138 · 2011-06-23 01:09:04

I don't use networkmanager because wicd does everything I need. You might like it, especially if you want a more K.I.S.S. approach. You don't need a GUI for it, as it provides a CLI and an ncurses interface.
Of course, if you want a GUI, you can also install wicd-gtk. :)

skmarch · 2011-06-23 04:53:58

Well, I did the following:
1. Uninstalled Network manager and network manager applet.
2. Installed Wicd. I did see its ncurses interface. Its still like a GUI where you select options. So I uninstalled Wicd.
3. I installed netcfg again. This time, instead of using newlan, I configured my network using examples in /etc/network.d
4. And, instead of using net-profiles, I used net-auto-wireless daemon in /etc/rc.conf and backgrounded it.

This did result in a pretty fast connection. I am happy that I got a fast connection that I configured myself. I am marking this topic as solved. Thanks to everyone who answered.

julian516 · 2011-06-23 22:13:36

Another vote for wicd. I use it anywhere I can use it. That includes Debian Stable with Gnome 2.30 and Arch with both Xfce and Gnome3. I also have used it with Mepis 11-KDE. Speed always impresses me as quite good and it works without the GUI. Very nice.

I install by using Ethernet and first removing whatever network manager has been running. Then I install wicd. Works very well.

Arch Linux

#1 2011-06-22 22:17:42

[SOLVED] Network Manager & Arch Way

#2 2011-06-22 22:24:18

Re: [SOLVED] Network Manager & Arch Way

#3 2011-06-22 22:43:11

Re: [SOLVED] Network Manager & Arch Way

#4 2011-06-22 23:36:59

Re: [SOLVED] Network Manager & Arch Way

#5 2011-06-22 23:39:39

Re: [SOLVED] Network Manager & Arch Way

#6 2011-06-23 00:10:03

Re: [SOLVED] Network Manager & Arch Way

#7 2011-06-23 01:01:08

Re: [SOLVED] Network Manager & Arch Way

#8 2011-06-23 01:09:04

Re: [SOLVED] Network Manager & Arch Way

#9 2011-06-23 04:53:58

Re: [SOLVED] Network Manager & Arch Way

#10 2011-06-23 22:13:36

Re: [SOLVED] Network Manager & Arch Way

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