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[solved]Replace wicd with network-manager

Linux Kernel, Network, and Services configuration.
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ticojohn
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[solved]Replace wicd with network-manager

#1 Post by ticojohn »

I am currently running Jessie (i386) and Stretch (amd64) on my desktop, both using the XFCE desktop and they have network-manager installed. On my Intel NUC I am running Stretch (amd64) with the LXDE desktop and it has wicd installed. I have found, in trying to change the DNS servers, that network-manager makes the task a lot easier (some simple changes using the GUI), So, I am trying to figure out how to properly change from wicd to network-manager on the NUC. I have tried the following which I found at https://www.linuxquestions.org/question ... ost5628669.

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apt-get install network-manager
apt-get install network-manager-gnome
systemctl enable network-manager
systemctl stop wicd
systemctl disable wicd
According to the post I should then be able to reboot and all should be well. But it's not. So does anybody have suggestions? Maybe I need to purge wicd. Not sure how to get network-manager to autostart. I know many of you don't bother with either wicd or network-manager but I am personally more comfortable with a GUI based app, so really looking for a good answer to my question. I HAVE searched for an answer on this site and do not find a definitive answer.

By the way, I am using a wired, not wireless, connection.
Last edited by ticojohn on 2018-05-31 19:04, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Replace wicd with network-manager

#2 Post by Head_on_a_Stick »

Can we please see the full output of

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systemctl list-unit-files --no-pager | grep enabled
This will show which .services are set to start automatically at boot.

It is important to only have a single program controlling the networking to avoid potential conflicts.
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Re: Replace wicd with network-manager

#3 Post by ticojohn »

Head_on_a_Stick wrote:Can we please see the full output of

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systemctl list-unit-files --no-pager | grep enabled
Yep. I have only wicd installed at this time.

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cups.path                                                              enabled  
anacron.service                                                        enabled  
autovt@.service                                                        enabled  
avahi-daemon.service                                                   enabled  
bluetooth.service                                                      enabled  
console-setup.service                                                  enabled  
cron.service                                                           enabled  
cups-browsed.service                                                   enabled  
cups.service                                                           enabled  
dbus-org.bluez.service                                                 enabled  
dbus-org.freedesktop.Avahi.service                                     enabled  
dbus-org.freedesktop.ModemManager1.service                             enabled  
display-manager.service                                                enabled  
getty@.service                                                         enabled  
irqbalance.service                                                     enabled  
keyboard-setup.service                                                 enabled  
kodi.service                                                           enabled  
lightdm.service                                                        enabled  
ModemManager.service                                                   enabled  
networking.service                                                     enabled  
pppd-dns.service                                                       enabled  
rsync.service                                                          enabled  
rsyslog.service                                                        enabled  
rtkit-daemon.service                                                   enabled  
syslog.service                                                         enabled  
systemd-timesyncd.service                                              enabled  
avahi-daemon.socket                                                    enabled  
cups.socket                                                            enabled  
remote-fs.target                                                       enabled  
anacron.timer                                                          enabled  
apt-daily-upgrade.timer                                                enabled  
apt-daily.timer                                                        enabled  
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Re: Replace wicd with network-manager

#4 Post by Head_on_a_Stick »

ticojohn wrote:I have only wicd installed at this time
I've never used wicd so I don't know how it's supposed to work but you don't seem to have any unit files enabled for either that or NetworkManager.

If you install NetworkManager does it enable the unit files itself?

Debian usually does that sort of thing and if it doesn't try it yourself — I think your commands in the OP should work, NM supplies these unit files:

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/lib/systemd/system/NetworkManager-dispatcher.service
/lib/systemd/system/NetworkManager-wait-online.service
/lib/systemd/system/NetworkManager.service
/lib/systemd/system/network-manager.service
Source: https://packages.debian.org/stretch/amd ... r/filelist
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Re: Replace wicd with network-manager

#5 Post by ticojohn »

Head_on_a_Stick wrote:
ticojohn wrote:I have only wicd installed at this time
I've never used wicd so I don't know how it's supposed to work but you don't seem to have any unit files enabled for either that or NetworkManager.

If you install NetworkManager does it enable the unit files itself?
Well, I tried to install as per the post and had to then uninstall wicd (some kind of conflict). But then I could not get network-manager to recognize my wired connection. HMMM! Anyway, I may go back through the process. Maybe I missed something the first time around. Going to not mess with it the rest of today. Want to watch American Football. Yes I like futbol as well. And Iḿ not going to offend you by saying who is my favorite team. Thanks for the inputs. Iĺl give it a go tomorrow and post results and the procedure I follow.
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Re: Replace wicd with network-manager

#6 Post by sunrat »

As Head_on_a_Stick said, those services need to be running. Did you try to enable it after purging wicd?
Also check the /etc/network/interfaces file. If your networks are configured in there, NM will not manage them. (I don't know how wicd works either having never used it).
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Re: Replace wicd with network-manager

#7 Post by Bulkley »

ticojohn, I wonder if you are asking for too much trouble. Desktops don't travel. I'm guessing that the Intel NUC won't travel. If so, they shouldn't need any sort of network manager. A few lines in /etc/network/interfaces should do it.

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auto wlan0
iface wlan0 inet dhcp
        wpa-ssid [my ssid]
        wpa-psk [my Internet password]
See here. Scroll down to wpa_supplicant.

After testing, if everything works do chmod 600 /etc/network/interfaces to keep the neighbourhood script kiddies out of it.

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Re: Replace wicd with network-manager

#8 Post by ticojohn »

Bulkley wrote:ticojohn, I wonder if you are asking for too much trouble. Desktops don't travel. I'm guessing that the Intel NUC won't travel.
You may be right. The biggest issue I have with wicd is that it can take up to 20 seconds to make a connection after I have logged in. Not that it is a real huge issue. Also read that it is no longer supported, although that may no longer be true. Also, I don't use wifi on the NUC. Just thought it would be nice having the same network manager on all my systems (Jessie 1386, Stretch i386, and Stretch amd64 on the desktop all using network-manager; Stretch amd64 on the NUC using wicd). Again, you may be correct and I might just be creating problems for myself. I might just step back and rethink the situation and invoke that old adage; if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
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Re: Replace wicd with network-manager

#9 Post by Head_on_a_Stick »

ticojohn wrote:The biggest issue I have with wicd is that it can take up to 20 seconds to make a connection
Check the journal for any clues ;)

My guess would be that networking.service is causing a delay in wicd.service so perhaps try disabling the former but be aware that networking.service is responsible for managing /etc/network/interfaces & ifupdown in stretch and so disabling that service will stop any configuration from those files.

I found a significant improvement in startup and connection time in Debian stretch by disabling Network(&Modem)Manager along with networking.service and switching to systemd-networkd instead.
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Re: Replace wicd with network-manager

#10 Post by ticojohn »

Head_on_a_Stick wrote:
ticojohn wrote:The biggest issue I have with wicd is that it can take up to 20 seconds to make a connection
Check the journal for any clues ;)

My guess would be that networking.service is causing a delay in wicd.service
The NUC has both wired and wireless capabilities. The wifi connection appears to be available almost immediately, it is the wired connection that takes a long time. I'll look at the journal, even though I'll probably still be clueless. LOL! Thanks.
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Re: Replace wicd with network-manager

#11 Post by dotlj »

wicd and network-manager can co-exist, but both will work better if they are the only network manager.

On most computers, I use /etc/network/interfaces to set up networking and not use wireless. On an old disk on another computer, I had KDE with network manager to try out wireless networking and that works ok. I also installed lxde and tried wicd but realised that for example turning off wireless in wicd left network manager confused thinking that wireless was working and connected to a network.
remove or purge wicd. Restart and check as others have said check /etc/network/interfaces and journal for clues.

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systemctl status networking
can also be helpful.
Any output that shows an unexpected result is helpful to others also.

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Re: Replace wicd with network-manager

#12 Post by None1975 »

dotlj wrote:wicd and network-manager can co-exist, but both will work better if they are the only network manager.
You must ensure that no other service that wants to configure the network is running; in fact, multiple networking services will conflict.
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Re: Replace wicd with network-manager

#13 Post by dotlj »

You must ensure that no other service that wants to configure the network is running; in fact, multiple networking services will conflict.
Yes, sorry I should have made that clearer.
Usually one package will exclude other packages that conflict and when installing gives an error.
Definitely don't have two network managers at the same time. One or none works.

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