Can I use both systemd-networkd and NetworkManager, or is there an GUI/ncurses alternative to Network Manager?

I am getting used to netplan.io on my laptop after routinely uninstalling it for several years in favor of ifupdown.

This is probably far-fetched, but since it's running a desktop front-end (plasma), I'm wondering if it'd be possible to use it to use two different renderers simultaneously - one for ethernet, and one for wifi, as I have failed to find a GUI for systemd-networkd, but would still like to be able to configure the wifi with a GUI.

Example:

"network": { "version": 2, "renderer": "networkd", "ethernets": { "enp0s31f6": { "dhcp4": false, "addresses": [ "192.168.1.28/24" ], "routes": [ { "to": "default", "via": "192.168.1.1" } ], "nameservers": { "addresses": [ "192.168.1.2", "192.168.1.3" ], "search": [ "domain.com" ] }, "dhcp6": true } }, "wifis": { "wlan0": { "renderer": "NetworkManager" } }
}

(I've been writing my configs in JSON and converting them with yq, since I like how JSON is a bit more explicit)

If it is impossible to use two renderers at once, is there an alternative to NetworkManager but has a similar interface that uses ncurses or Qt, and will interact with wlan0 on systemd-networkd?

2 Answers

I came across Intel's connman package, which appears to work just fine, and there is a Qt interface package for it called cmst.

I didn't think it would work with systemd-networkd, but it let me join the local wifi network without any issues, and it is in fact controlling the configuration of systemd-networkd, as evidenced by its unit file:

$ sudo systemctl status systemd-networkd
● systemd-networkd.service - Network Configuration Loaded: loaded (/lib/systemd/system/systemd-networkd.service; enabled; vendor preset: enabled) Active: active (running) since Mon 2022-01-31 23:04:42 PST; 22h ago
TriggeredBy: ● systemd-networkd.socket Docs: man:systemd-networkd.service(8) Main PID: 4537 (systemd-network) Status: "Processing requests..." Tasks: 1 (limit: 23746) Memory: 2.0M CPU: 5.559s CGroup: / └─4537 /lib/systemd/systemd-networkd
Feb 01 20:49:59 treygouty systemd-networkd[4537]: br-int: Gained carrier
Feb 01 20:50:00 treygouty systemd-networkd[4537]: ovs-system: Gained IPv6LL
Feb 01 20:50:00 treygouty systemd-networkd[4537]: br-int: Gained IPv6LL
Feb 01 20:50:02 treygouty systemd-networkd[4537]: enp0s31f6: Gained carrier
Feb 01 20:50:03 treygouty systemd-networkd[4537]: enp0s31f6: Gained IPv6LL
Feb 01 20:50:04 treygouty systemd-networkd[4537]: enp0s31f6: DHCPv6 address redacted/128 (valid for 4h, preferred for 2h 30min)
Feb 01 20:52:33 treygouty systemd-networkd[4537]: wlan0: Link UP
Feb 01 20:53:57 treygouty systemd-networkd[4537]: wlan0: Connected WiFi access point: happyhut (86:2a:a8:88:b5:21)
Feb 01 20:53:57 treygouty systemd-networkd[4537]: wlan0: Gained carrier
Feb 01 20:53:58 treygouty systemd-networkd[4537]: wlan0: Gained IPv6LL

connman appears to be a decent connection manager in its own right, with a CLI helper named connctl - here's the identification of the technologies, and a sampling of its CLI monitor:

$ for i in state technologies monitor; do connmanctl $i; done State = online OfflineMode = False SessionMode = False
/net/connman/technology/p2p Name = P2P Type = p2p Powered = False Connected = False Tethering = False
/net/connman/technology/ethernet Name = Wired Type = ethernet Powered = True Connected = True Tethering = False
/net/connman/technology/wifi Name = WiFi Type = wifi Powered = True Connected = True Tethering = False TetheringIdentifier = redacted
/net/connman/technology/bluetooth Name = Bluetooth Type = bluetooth Powered = False Connected = False Tethering = False
Manager ServicesChanged = {
unchanged ethernet_c85b763c1a3d_cable
unchanged ethernet_4e09c1a325ae_cable
unchanged ethernet_7ab3c8ed895b_cable
unchanged wifi_e4b318e0de7c_6861707079687574_managed_psk
unchanged wifi_e4b318e0de7c_7866696e69747977696669_managed_none
unchanged wifi_e4b318e0de7c_4d4f544f37464441_managed_psk
unchanged wifi_e4b318e0de7c_4e4554474541523430_managed_psk
}, {
removed /net/connman/service/wifi_e4b318e0de7c_466c61707079_managed_psk
removed /net/connman/service/wifi_e4b318e0de7c_73616c6f6e333630_managed_psk
removed /net/connman/service/wifi_e4b318e0de7c_hidden_managed_ieee8021x
removed /net/connman/service/wifi_e4b318e0de7c_536861726a6f77696669_managed_psk
removed /net/connman/service/wifi_e4b318e0de7c_hidden_managed_psk
}
Manager ServicesChanged = {
unchanged ethernet_c85b763c1a3d_cable
unchanged ethernet_4e09c1a325ae_cable
unchanged ethernet_7ab3c8ed895b_cable
unchanged wifi_e4b318e0de7c_6861707079687574_managed_psk
}, {
removed /net/connman/service/wifi_e4b318e0de7c_4d4f544f37464441_managed_psk
removed /net/connman/service/wifi_e4b318e0de7c_7866696e69747977696669_managed_none
removed /net/connman/service/wifi_e4b318e0de7c_4e4554474541523430_managed_psk
}

But the GUI was what I was really after. Despite not looking all that slick, it actually appears to have access to quite a few more features than NetworkManager typically would:

So, there you have it. Nice to know there's an alternative!

Yes, it is possible to use NetworkManager for one set of interfaces and networkd for another. As documented at :

renderer (scalar) Use the given networking backend for this definition. Currently supported are networkd and NetworkManager. This property can be specified globally in network:, for a device type (in e. g. ethernets:) or for a particular device definition. Default is networkd.

While not explained there, if you have multiple interfaces of each type, it is possible to have a separate file for each renderer and declare the renderer: at the top level within the file so that you don't have to repeat it for each interface.