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Does anybody knows why Ubuntu's NM does'n use native implementations for networking ?

For example if I set up a pppoe connection in the network manager (using nm-applet) it has it's own way of storing connections and doesn't use native debian networking sheme, for PPPoE use pppd and store settings in /etc/ppp/pears. I once configured a wired connection that didn's show up in /etc/network/interfaces but was visible in NM ... This is BAD for me because if I don't start X, from CLI I cannot connect to my network connections configured in NM ( or not as easy I would expect), for example in CLI I could do pon "dsl-provider" or poff to turn on or off pppoe connection, but my NM's pppoe connections are not visible to pppd and if I configure a pppoe connection using pppd is not visible in NM.

Maybe I am missing something and don't know how to use it ...

Thank you.

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3 Answers 3

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You may find that there are issues with NM handling PPPoE connections, especially if through Wi-Fi.

However, to fix exactly what you're describing, you may want to try setting NetworkManager in "managed" mode by editing /etc/NetworkManager/nm-system-settings.conf and changing managed=true to false.

This tells NM to use the configuration in /etc/network/interfaces if possible (and if it understands the syntax in there, but the logic is getting better and better) and to create a connection that can be turned on or off. It's definitely worth a try ;)

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You should be able to use nmcli from the commandline to up/down a PPPoE connection registered in NM.

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  • Thanks I didn't know that, but I realy don't understand why there are 2 independent networking systems. Why is NM better then native Debian network ? Something must be better beacause Canonical doesn't do a GUI for native Debian networking doesn't it ?
    – Radu Maris
    Nov 17, 2010 at 9:18
  • To be honest I have no idea why it's like this, but remember that it's also still possible to configure ethernet/wifi networking "the old Debian way".
    – JanC
    Nov 18, 2010 at 9:42
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    NM allows better flexibility because it adapts to changes, such as in Wi-Fi network, to state only the obvious. Configuration is also much easier for new people since they don't have to edit text files.
    – Mathieu Trudel-Lapierre
    Dec 6, 2010 at 13:00
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I think I would have to agree with the basic point here, having just spent a couple of days tracking down why I suddenly lost networking...

(This page really helped that, so thanks to all who contributed to it.)

The point being that when a 'new' way is introduced, or there are multiple configuration systems it is good to be able to connect the new way and old way and make it

a) obvious which system is in use (to users of the old and new systems),

b) make it discoverable (including the commands and apps that are recommended e.g. the nmcli reference above), and

c) that the chosen method should be able to be managed from both the GUI and the command line.

Thanks.

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