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NetworkManager inactive

Hi Fam, i'm new here, i was using arch linux for a couple years but i quit using linux like 2 years ago. Now im back, but i decided to change to artix so i can use openrc, pretty standard story i guess. but given the time i wasn't using linux, im kinda a new user again lol

i have a fresh install (still without a gui) but i've been having some problems with the wifi connection, first i couldnt set the interface up because it was softblocked with rfkill, and i had to unlock it manually when i boot without exception, then i had to set the interface up and connect manually with wpa_supplicant. then i installed NetworkManager (and networkmanager-openrc of course) and i set up the wifi with it. However, everytime i booted, a message saying that network manager is inactive was shown, if i stop and start it again (or if i restart the service) it will still show the message that is inactive. i first thought it was because the interface was blocked with rfkill so i wrote a little script to unlock it and set wlan0 up when i boot, and it apparently worked because i had internet connection automatically. but network manager still appeared as inactive, so i think the service have never worked and i have internet connection because wpa_supplicant its doing the work by itself, i could leave it like that but i know that network manager is the tool used in most DEs or WMs so i would like to solve it to avoid further issues. hope anyone can help me, and thanks in advance
Depressed mexican fairy rockstar

Re: NetworkManager inactive

Reply #1 –
Too little information (logs, command output, config files, your manual script) but you say you "had to set the interface up and connect manually with wpa_supplicant. then i installed NetworkManager"

You may have the NetworkManager problem precisely because you are already bringing up a connection manually.
Have you tried disabling your script then rebooting ?
Unless your device is mobile (laptop etc) you don't really need NetworkManager. Manual is fine especially when it works.

Re: NetworkManager inactive

Reply #2 –
hey thanks for your response.
unfortunately im on a laptop so i need network manager, i know i will need it once i set up my desktop environment.
the script is pretty simple is just

Code: [Select]
#!/bin/sh
rfkill unblock 2
ip link set wlan0 up
nmcli radio wifi on

i worte it because when i booted, rfkill was blocking the interface. now when i boot, it looks like wpa_supplicant connects to wifi automatically, and as you said, that might be what is keeping NetworkManager inactive.
i just disabled the script and i could connect to the internet automatically, but apparently its still via wpa_supplicant as NetworkManager keeps saying its inactive.

when i boot, the log says
*WARNING: NetworkManager has started, but is inactive.
the same happens if i do "rc-service NetworkManager restart"

but when i do "nmcli device status", it shows its connected to the device wlan0, so i dont know who is setting up the wifi connection anymore lol, im pretty sure this is more simple than i think

edit: i disabled wpa_supplicant temporarily and when i rebooted, i didnt had any internet connection and networkmanager is still inactive.
Depressed mexican fairy rockstar

Re: NetworkManager inactive

Reply #3 –
Honestly I don't know ?
AFAIK that script is not going to get you internet on it's own. There must be something else at play ?
Did you play around with netifrc previously ? Or use other nmcli commands ?
Your script is not running wpa_supplicant. So something else must be.
Again you said " then i had to set the interface up and connect manually with wpa_supplicant"
How did you do this ?
Assuming NetworkManager has logs what is in them.

Your bash history should have a record of the commands you used.

Even with just nmcli you can switch access points at will.
If your intention is to install a GUI DE my advice would be to just crack on with it and come back to this issue once you have a Desktop.

Re: NetworkManager inactive

Reply #4 –
i didnt play with netifrc before.
when i said that i had to set the interface up and connect manually

right after the fresh install i did
rfkill unblock all, then ip link set wlan0 up, then i used the command wpa_passphrase "SSID" "PASSWORD" > wifi.conf
then i used wpa_supplicant -B -i wlan0 -c wifi.conf and then i did dhcpcd wlan0, thats the only way i could set the internet so i could install anything. but now that i installed networkmanager, it seems something is causing problems after starting the service. i know dhcpcd can cause problems with networkmanager so i already stopped the service. but it still appears inactive after boot or when i restart the service
Depressed mexican fairy rockstar

Re: NetworkManager inactive

Reply #5 –
I can only stick with "I don't know".

If I had this issue I'd want to know what is running wpa_supplicant without a doubt.

Or like I said just crack on for now?

Re: NetworkManager inactive

Reply #6 –
Im gonna crack on for now just as you say, after deleting my script and checking some packages, i have internet after booting, the warning that says that NetworkManager is inactive still appears everytime i boot but after checking it with rc-service NetworkManager status, it appears as “started” and everything looks fine. So that warning might be harmless. So lets say that this problem is solved, i might comeback if something new kicks in but i doubt it. Thank you for your responses bro :)
Depressed mexican fairy rockstar