NetworkManager Configuration and Usage

# NetworkManager {#sec-networkmanager} To facilitate network configuration, some desktop environments use NetworkManager. You can enable NetworkManager by setting: ```nix { networking.networkmanager.enable = true; } ``` some desktop managers (e.g., GNOME) enable NetworkManager automatically for you. All users that should have permission to change network settings must belong to the `networkmanager` group: ```nix { users.users.alice.extraGroups = [ "networkmanager" ]; } ``` NetworkManager is controlled using either `nmcli` or `nmtui` (curses-based terminal user interface). See their manual pages for details on their usage. Some desktop environments (GNOME, KDE) have their own configuration tools for NetworkManager. On XFCE, there is no configuration tool for NetworkManager by default: by enabling [](#opt-programs.nm-applet.enable), the graphical applet will be installed and will launch automatically when the graphical session is started. ::: {.note} `networking.networkmanager` and `networking.wireless` (WPA Supplicant) can be used together if desired. To do this you need to instruct NetworkManager to ignore those interfaces like: ```nix { networking.networkmanager.unmanaged = [ "*" "except:type:wwan" "except:type:gsm" ]; } ``` Refer to the option description for the exact syntax and references to external documentation. :::

This section explains how to enable and configure NetworkManager, a tool used for network configuration, especially in desktop environments. Users can enable it by setting `networking.networkmanager.enable = true;` (though some desktop managers like GNOME do this automatically). To allow users to change network settings, they must be added to the `networkmanager` group. NetworkManager can be controlled via command-line tools like `nmcli` or `nmtui`, or through graphical tools provided by desktop environments like GNOME and KDE. For XFCE, the `programs.nm-applet.enable` option installs a graphical applet. It's also noted that NetworkManager can be used concurrently with `networking.wireless` (WPA Supplicant) by configuring NetworkManager to ignore specific interfaces using `networking.networkmanager.unmanaged`.