NetworkManager
A network manager lets you manipulate network connection settings in so called "profiles" – such as whether you want to be online or offline from the internet. There are 5 solutions to choose from, but all of them are mutually exclusive; you should not run two of these simultaneously. Note: The CLI tool "ip" is not part of any network manager. "NetworkManager" is just the name of one netw. manager, like grapefruit is a fruit.
| Network manager | GUI | Arch_ISO | CLI tools | PPP support e.g. Android modem | DHCP client | Systemd units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ConnMan | yes unofficial | no | connmanctl | yes, with ofono | internal | connman.service |
| netctl | yes unofficial | yes | netctl wifi-menu |
yes | dhcpcd or dhclient | netctl-ifplugd@interface.service netctl-auto@interface.service |
| NetworkManager | yes | no | nmcli, nmtui | yes | internal dhcpcd or dhclient |
NetworkManager.service |
| systemd_networkd | no | yes | networkctl | No https://github.com/systemd/systemd/issues/481 | internal | systemd-networkd.service, systemd-resolved.service |
| Wicd | yes | no | wicd-cli wicd-curses |
no | dhcpcd | wicd.service |
verdict[edit]
bummer! This shows a huge dilemma: networkD has no GUI, lacks ppp – but the NM-GUI sucks e.g. with advanced configs such as pppoE-VLAN and the QML nm-applet (disappeared in 2019?) sucks like hell. Only some phreaks use either of the 3 the other managers (conn-man, wicked, netCTL), probably because their distro's package-manager installed them erroneously and now their old manager is totally broken.
avoid NM if you can
