I'm having a tough time connecting my Arch laptop to my WPA2 home Wi-Fi. I've been trying to run the command `nmcli dev wifi connect 'ssid' password 'pw'`, but I keep getting an error about a missing key management property, probably because I don't have a keyring set up, which I can't install without an internet connection. I've also tried setting up the connection via `nm-connection-editor`, but I just get a message saying that required secrets aren't provided, even after entering the password in the config. I had a go with some suggestions I found online, but they didn't help much. I'm not a complete newbie – I've been using Arch for about 5 months now – but NetworkManager is really causing me issues. I'd appreciate any guidance or solutions you might have!
4 Answers
I’ve had similar issues before, especially with older hardware. Sometimes, the drivers can be problematic. You might need to swap out the Wi-Fi driver, which means you could need to install a different one from the Arch repositories. It might help if you specify your laptop model, so advice can be more tailored. But generally, check your drivers first!
If you have iwd installed, I’d recommend switching to using iwctl instead of NetworkManager's CLI. Check the Arch Wiki for more info about iwd. If you're still struggling, you might need to disable package signing in pacman's config or boot from a live USB to troubleshoot more effectively. also, I’d advise against relying too much on chatbots for this; the Arch Wiki usually has the best solutions!
Great reminder about iwd, I totally forgot about it! The Arch Wiki is definitely my go-to, even though sometimes the info can be a bit overwhelming. I appreciate your advice! Will try to connect to another network tomorrow if I can.
Arch can be a bit of a steep learning curve, even more so than other distros. If you're really stuck, consider trying nmtui for a more user-friendly way to connect. You can download it on another device and transfer it over via USB if needed. Another option is using your phone's tethering to get online and install packages directly.
Thanks for the suggestion! I do enjoy the DIY aspect of Arch, even if it's frustrating sometimes. I’ll definitely give nmtui a try once I have internet again. Still, I'm curious about the error '802-11-wireless-security.key-mgmt: property missing' – any idea what that indicates?
Have you tried using `nmcli device wifi connect --ask`? That command works well for many.
Unfortunately, it ignores the '--ask' part and just gives me a 'secrets required but not provided' error. I'm not sure why it would overlook the flag.
So, what exactly does swapping the driver involve? Do I just find and install it through the Arch repos?