I’ve just installed openSuSE 13.2 and the panel at the bottom of the screen tells me “Network Manager not running”. How do I start it?
More likely your network is being managed by Wicked.
YAST -> Network Devices -> Network Settings -> Global Options -> switch Network Setup Method to NetworkManager Service -> OK.
Like in all of the versions before:
YaST->Network Devices->Network Settings->Global Options, you can switch between “Wicked Service” and “NetworkManager” there.
But if Wicked works fine, there’s no necessity to switch. If you are annoyed by the useless networkmanagement applet, you can set it to “hidden” or even remove it in the “System Tray Settings” (right-click on the small up-arrow in the system tray to reach them).
Wicked! that worked. Thanks.
What is Wicked? I’ve never heard of this before. What is the difference between “Wicked service” and “Network Manager”?
Wicked is the new “traditional” network management stack meant especially for servers and systems that don’t need WLAN. It replaces the old traditional IfUp.
From the PR manifesto:
The old ifup mechanism was replaced by Wicked. Wicked provides a new framework for network configuration and is a replacement for the
ifupfamily of scripts. The Wicked framework uses a client/server and layered approach to the problem of network configuration. This allows Wicked to define standardized facilities for things like address configuration that are well integrated with the overall framework, and are layered on top of device specific services. Interprocess communication between the Wicked client and backend services such as the main Wicked daemon process is carried out via dbus.
Thanks, but this doesn’t tell me that much. Isn’t Network manager layered as well?
What I really meant was what can I do with Wicked that I can’t do with Network Manager (or vice versa?
Not the point layering is not the difference. NetworkManager is primarily for Wifi connections wicked is more for fixed Internet connection. Both work for ether but Networkmanager is better at changing form one connection to another but wicked and ifup before it is better at fixed IP connections. All depends on what you use the machine for. Not all people have the exact same needs
Here’s the main difference:
NetworkManager is oriented toward a laptop, where individual users can enable/disable network connections and connect to particular WiFi networks.
Wicked is oriented toward the server, where only the system administrator should be able to modify network settings.
For most opensuse users, it probably doesn’t matter. Either should be able to do what you want.
Thanks. That was very helpful.
On Thu, 29 Jan 2015 16:36:01 GMT
gogalthorp <gogalthorp@no-mx.forums.opensuse.org> wrote:
>
> Not the point layering is not the difference. NetworkManager is
> primarily for Wifi connections wicked is more for fixed Internet
> connection. Both work for ether but Networkmanager is better at
> changing form one connection to another but wicked and ifup before it
> is better at fixed IP connections. All depends on what you use the
> machine for. Not all people have the exact same needs
>
>
One downside with Network Manager for me has been that it needed a
password entered for Kwallet each time I logged in so I disabled the
password for that. Not too secure, I guess, but since Wicked doesn’t
work for my wireless connections I seem to have no choice - apart from
having Ethernet cables dangling all over the place. Oh, how I miss
ifup! 
–
Graham Davis [Retired Fortran programmer - now a mere computer user]
openSUSE Tumbleweed (64-bit); KDE 4.14.4; Kernel: 3.18.3;
Processor: AMD Phenom II X2 550; Video: nVidia GeForce 210 (using
nouveau driver); Sound: ATI SBx00 Azalia (Intel HDA)
The password only keeps other user of the machine from using the Internet. And each user has their own kwallet so… Never saw too much point in kwallet in general. Sure there is some institutions reasons one would want it but little for a private machine.
Activate “Allow other users to use this connection” (or similar) for the wireless connection, and the password will not be stored in kwallet. You can even restrict this to specific users then.
Personally I set an empty password for KWallet (12 years ago) and am not at all worried about its security. And I use it for storing much more stuff than just the wireless key (which I don’t store in the wallet at all, because I set up my connections as “system” connections, i.e. allowed for all users, to be able to use it in text mode/without any user logged in/with any user I create/during boot already…).
Which password do you mean here?
The wireless password keeps all unauthorized users (also of other machines) from using the internet/connecting to your local LAN.
But if one user connects, other users can use it as well. Even if NetworkManager supports “user” connections, the kernel has no such concept, so an established connection can be used by any user.
The kwallet password will not only keep them from using the Internet, but from accessing anything stored in the wallet.
But then, other users cannot access your wallet file anyway (unless they gain root permissions).
Never saw too much point in kwallet in general. Sure there is some institutions reasons one would want it but little for a private machine.
Hm?
I use it for storing all my passwords, on my private machine of course.
Why would you as a private person not want it, and have to enter all passwords for your Mail accounts, Wireless, webpages, … all over again? 
(only applies if you are using KDE applications of course, like KMail, Plasma-NM, Konqueror, …)
I don’t have to reenter FF keeps most for me… I could use encryption on them but I start/stop ff too much and it is a pain to reenter the master… Might consider it different if I was on a notebook and maybe could lose the hardware But even then if some one has the machine they can pry about anything open. But for my desktop someone would have to break into the house and if they did then all bets are off if a nefarious person has physical possession. Lets see boot to a live Linux mount home erase kwallet file. Now have full access to anything kwallet locked. Only a full partition encryption could help and even then would not truly stop a person with time and resources.
If you use Konqueror to browse the web, it will store this stuff in KWallet.
Firefox has its own “KWallet” built in. But where’s the difference to KWallet in this case?
So you are in fact using something like KWallet, without a master password.
Do you still see no use for it?
Or did you mean you see no use for a password protected KWallet?
Might consider it different if I was on a notebook and maybe could lose the hardware But even then if some one has the machine they can pry about anything open.
But they can not open an encrypted wallet without knowing the master password.
But for my desktop someone would have to break into the house and if they did then all bets are off if a nefarious person has physical possession. Lets see boot to a live Linux mount home erase kwallet file. Now have full access to anything kwallet locked.
Hm? That’s nonsense.
If they erase the kwallet file, they cannot access anything that was stored in that file any more…
It seems you do not really understand what KWallet is…
Only a full partition encryption could help and even then would not truly stop a person with time and resources.
I guess a fully password encrypted partition should stop at least most persons from getting at the data.
Unless you choose a bad password of course.
Something like kwallet is not kwallet.
Don’t use Konqurer I use FF
Just don’t like it won’t use it. There the truth comes out LOL
Just as I have no need or want for the built in file indexers. Though I can see them useful if you have to manage a lot of files that you yourself do not generate. I myself have no need for them. Don’t need or want Kwallet. I always simply set it to a blank password the first time it raises it’s head. As long as it stays out of my way I’m happy.
No, but it has the same purpose as KWallet.
If you see no need for KWallet, why would you want to use something else that does the same?
Don’t use Konqurer I use FF
But I use Konqueror, therefore my passwords are stored in KWallet.
You use Firefox, that stores passwords in its own password manager.
But you do use Firefox’s password manager, so why do you say you see no use for it?
Just don’t like it won’t use it. There the truth comes out LOL
What now?
Konqueror or KWallet?
With KWallet you don’t really have a choice. If an application you run uses it, you are using it…
Just as you are using Firefox’s password manager.
Just as I have no need or want for the built in file indexers.
Though I can see them useful if you have to manage a lot of files that you yourself do not generate. I myself have no need for them. Don’t need or want Kwallet. I always simply set it to a blank password the first time it raises it’s head. As long as it stays out of my way I’m happy.
What do file indexers have to do with a password store?
And setting a blank password for KWallet doesn’t mean that you are not using it…
Cause kwallet touchs most things KDE as well as Konqurer FF only touches Web logins forums. I is a pain if not erquired by cercumstance to log int backup programs NeetworkManager sessions etc etc. If Kwallet ONLY did Web forum passwords I;d use it. But it is much more then that. As I say it certainly has it’s place but not in my tool box thank you.
I don’t care if it runs as long aas it stays out of my face I’m happy. BTW it can be uninstalled. I used to dothat but as long as it is only in the background and does not pester me I’m fine with it.
The one ring to rule them all thing just is not my cup of tea. Thanks but no thanks
KWallet doesn’t “touch” anything.
Applications (like Konqueror, Plasma-nm, and KMail/Akonadi) store things in KWallet.
It’s just a central KDE service preventing each application having to do its own thing.
I is a pain if not erquired by cercumstance to log int backup programs NeetworkManager sessions etc etc. If Kwallet ONLY did Web forum passwords I;d use it. But it is much more then that. As I say it certainly has it’s place but not in my tool box thank you.
But if I understand you correctly, you do use it (for NetworkManager at least), just without a password (like I do).
I don’t care if it runs as long aas it stays out of my face I’m happy.
If it runs, you are using it.
But you keep saying that you don’t want or need to use it.
What’s true now? What is it that you don’t like about KWallet?
That it asks for the master password? Well, if you don’t set one, you don’t have to enter one to open it. And it is even possible in recent versions to use your configured GPG key for encryption instead of a password.
BTW it can be uninstalled.
Yes, but if you uninstall it, you cannot store any passwords/credentials for applications that use it.
Like Plasma-NM.
I used to dothat but as long as it is only in the background and does not pester me I’m fine with it.
KWallet is not there to pester you, but to make your life easier by storing your passwords/credentials.
It is possible to secure the store with a master password, but it is not necessary (as you know anyway).
The one ring to rule them all thing just is not my cup of tea. Thanks but no thanks
Well, but one shared thing is better most of the time than each application doing its own stuff (think of shared libraries, or even KDE, the framework/platform, in general).
And if each application implements its own thing, it might decrease the security, as it increases the chance of bugs/weaknesses in one of them.
And it’s even less user-friendly if every application implements its own (maybe even password-protected) password store… Just imagine having to enter a password for every application instead of just once for the shared KWallet, gnome-keyring, or whatever. That’s why there’s even a plugin for Firefox to use KWallet instead of its own password manager.
Anyway, let’s stop here.
This thread is about NetworkManager, not KWallet.
Not really when it come to security diversity is king. With any scheme with a master key lose the master and all keys are lost. Note that efficiency and security are two mutually exclusive things. The more security you introduce the more inefficient you make the system. There is of course a balance but too often security real or perceived out ranks efficiency for a given scenario. What are you protecting and how much is it worth in inefficiency?
It is true that many KDE program use wallet if available. But Wallet pops up to allow access even though it is the program that calls it ergo gets in the way.
I don’t usually use Networkmanager since mine is a desktop not a mobile. I did in 12.3 because the initial problems with ifup which did not at first boot work and NM did so I just used it. But gave kwallet a blank PW
It may noi be the purpose to pester me but it certainly does.
Yes I sort of got carried away because I wanted to let people know you do not HAVE to have a master password for NetworkManager. The prompt on first entry to kwallet is miss leading and new people don’t realize that the password is optional or it does not have to be root’s or the user’s.