# Trouble setting up ethernet via NetworkManager

## Negated Void

Hey,

I've got a desktop running a e1000e network card. I'm running a non-systemd setup. It's connected via ethernet to a Google Wifi router .. pretty standard home stuff.

I can manually bring it up/down with DHCPCD and via /etc/init.d/net.eno1, but NetworkManager can't seem to do the same. I'm trying to switch it to NeworkManager as I intend to use NM to handle my VPN. It doesn't seem to want to start the VPN unless it has a running network connection, and it doesn't seem to see the other one.

 *Quote:*   

> 
> 
> tw-linux-murph ~ # /etc/init.d/net.eno1 restart
> 
>  * Bringing down interface eno1
> ...

 

 *Quote:*   

> 
> 
> # cat /etc/conf.d/net
> 
> config_eno0="dhcp"
> ...

 

However, I can't seem to bring this interface up via NetworkManager. In plasma's NetworkManager applet, I can create a wired ethernet conenction and set it to the eno1 interface, but there's no option to bring it up.

If i use nmtui to active it, I get "Could not activate connection: Connection 'Ethernet' is not available on device eno1 because device is strictly unmanaged"

My Ethernet connection looks pretty boring

 *Quote:*   

> 
> 
> # cat /etc/NetworkManager/system-connections/Ethernet.nmconnection 
> 
> [connection]
> ...

 

And I tried to mark it 'managed':

 *Quote:*   

> 
> 
> # cat /etc/NetworkManager/conf.d/10-manage-eno1.conf
> 
> [device]
> ...

 

Any ideas on what to try or what I'm doing wrong?

----------

## alamahant

Hi

please run 

```

rc-update delete net.<iface> boot

rc-update delete net.<iface> default

rc-service net.<iface> stop

rc-update add network-manager boot

rc-service network-manager start

nmcli con show ####AND then DELETE ALL PROFILES

nmcli con del <con1>

nmcli con del <cons2>  ###etc

```

Then create new fresh profiles 

```

####FOR STATIC IP

nmcli con add autoconnect yes con-name eth0 ifname <your-physical-device-name> ip4 <ip/cidr> gw4 <router-ip>

nmcli con mod eth0 ipv4.dns <your-preffered-dns> ipv4.method manual

####FOR DHCP

nmcli con add autoconnect yes type ethernet con-name eth0 ifname <device-name>

nmcli con mod eth0 ipv4.method auto

###BRING IT UP

nmcli con up eth0

```

 :Very Happy: 

----------

## Negated Void

Didn't work  :Sad: 

1) I deleted the profiles as shown

2) And added the services (though it's NetworkManager not network-manager)

3) And setup the new profile like this (substituting in eno1 for eth0):

 *Quote:*   

>     nmcli con add autoconnect yes type ethernet con-name eno1 ifname eno1
> 
>     nmcli con mod eno1 ipv4.method auto
> 
> # nmcli con show
> ...

 

But when i try to bring it up:

 *Quote:*   

> tw-linux-murph ~ # nmcli con up eno1
> 
> Error: Connection activation failed: No suitable device found for this connection (device lo not available because device is strictly unmanaged).

 

----------

## alamahant

Please try disabling dhcpcd.

And bringing up again the iface.

If that didnt work try assigning static ip to the iface and likewise bring it up.

Does it work when you use netifrc?

If not then maybe its a driver issue.

----------

## UberLord

 *Negated Void wrote:*   

> I'm trying to switch it to NeworkManager as I intend to use NM to handle my VPN

 

NM is just a shell around popular VPN's in the same way it's a shell around popular DHCP clients and wireless link configuration tools.

Have you considered managing your VPN from the command line instead?

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## Negated Void

@alamahant - Yeah, dhcpcd wasn't running. Static ip has the same "strictly unmanaged" issue. Everything works fine via netifrc (/etc/init.d/net.eno1 start).

@UberLord - Yeah, I've used (and contributed to) the command line tools. The problem is that it gets onerous switching between various networks and VPNs manually, and especially when they have multiple-step login processes with multi-factor-authentication stuff. I use NetworkManager on my laptop and really like the interface, especially for easily managing wifi and VPN connections. Using the GUI also integrates well with kwallet etc for passwords.

I would also be happy to use NetworkManager for everything but Ethernet, but it won't try to start a VPN connection since it doesn't seem to know about the netifrc/dhcpcd ethernet connection being up.

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## mirekm

Could you please show contents of the file:

/etc/NetworkManager/NetworkManager.conf

According to message:

 *Quote:*   

> Error: Connection activation failed: No suitable device found for this connection (device lo not available because device is strictly unmanaged).

 

your network device is set as unmanaged somewhere in configuration files.

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## silverqx

I have exactly the same problem, I'm using Kde plasma profile and I tried everything described in this thread, also tried to uninstall netifrc and also tried to re-emerge networkmanager networkmanager-qt plasma-nm, thank you for advice.

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## silverqx

omg, the answer was:   :Shocked:   :Shocked: 

```
nmcli networking on
```

Lost 4 hours, but I got it

----------

