NetworkManager & VPN

Networking 2026-08-28

NetworkManager is pre-installed and active by default on Shani OS. It manages all network connections — wired, Wi-Fi, mobile broadband, and VPN — and integrates with Tailscale, openresolv, and KDE/GNOME settings panels.

Use nmcli for scripting and automation, nmtui for an interactive terminal UI, or Settings → Network for the full GUI.

Connection Management

# Show all interfaces and their state
nmcli device status

# List all saved connections
nmcli connection show

# Show only active connections
nmcli connection show --active

# Activate a saved connection
nmcli connection up "MyWifi"

# Deactivate a connection
nmcli connection down "MyWifi"

# Delete a saved connection profile
nmcli connection delete "OldNetwork"

# Reload all connection files from disk (after manual edits)
nmcli connection reload

Wi-Fi

# Scan for available networks
nmcli device wifi list

# Rescan (force a fresh scan)
nmcli device wifi rescan && nmcli device wifi list

# Connect to a new Wi-Fi network (saves the connection profile automatically)
nmcli device wifi connect "SSID" password "yourpassword"

# Connect using a specific interface
nmcli device wifi connect "SSID" password "yourpassword" ifname wlan0

# Create a Wi-Fi hotspot (AP mode)
nmcli device wifi hotspot ifname wlan0 ssid "MyHotspot" password "hotspotpass"

# Show saved password of a Wi-Fi connection (requires sudo)
sudo nmcli -s connection show "MyWifi" | grep psk

Static IP

# Set a static IP on a wired connection
nmcli connection modify "Wired connection 1" \
  ipv4.method manual \
  ipv4.addresses 192.168.1.50/24 \
  ipv4.gateway 192.168.1.1 \
  ipv4.dns "1.1.1.1,8.8.8.8"

# Apply
nmcli connection up "Wired connection 1"

# Revert to DHCP
nmcli connection modify "Wired connection 1" ipv4.method auto
nmcli connection up "Wired connection 1"

Terminal UI

nmtui

nmtui provides an interactive, keyboard-driven interface for editing connections, activating/deactivating them, and setting the hostname. Useful over SSH when you don't want to memorise nmcli syntax.

VPN — All Protocols Pre-installed

Shani OS ships all major VPN protocol plugins for NetworkManager. No additional package installation is needed. Connect via Settings → Network → VPN → + and choose your protocol, or use nmcli below.

OpenVPN

# Import a .ovpn client config file
nmcli connection import type openvpn file /path/to/client.ovpn

# Connect
nmcli connection up "client"

# Or import via GUI: Settings → Network → VPN → + → Import from file → select .ovpn

WireGuard

# Import a wg0.conf file
nmcli connection import type wireguard file /etc/wireguard/wg0.conf

nmcli connection up "wg0"

WireGuard connections can also be created manually in the GUI with no config file. See the WireGuard page for raw peer-to-peer setup without NetworkManager.

IKEv2 / IPsec (strongSwan)

# Configure via the GUI: Settings → Network → VPN → + → IPsec/IKEv2
# Or interactively via nmtui

Cisco AnyConnect / OpenConnect

# Connect interactively (prompts for username, password, and 2FA token)
openconnect --protocol=anyconnect vpn.example.com

# Or use the NetworkManager GUI plugin:
# Settings → Network → VPN → + → Cisco AnyConnect Compatible VPN (openconnect)

Fortinet SSL VPN

openfortivpn vpn.example.com:443 --username=youruser
# Prompts for password

PPTP / L2TP

Available via GUI: Settings → Network → VPN → + → Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP) or Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol (L2TP). These are legacy protocols — prefer WireGuard or OpenVPN where possible.

All Supported VPN Protocols

Protocol	Plugin / Tool	Notes
OpenVPN	`NetworkManager-openvpn`	Most common; import `.ovpn`
WireGuard	`NetworkManager-wireguard`	Fast, modern; import `.conf`
IKEv2 / IPsec	`NetworkManager-strongswan`	Common in enterprise
L2TP/IPsec	`NetworkManager-l2tp`	Legacy enterprise
PPTP	`NetworkManager-pptp`	Legacy; avoid if possible
Cisco AnyConnect	`openconnect`	`--protocol=anyconnect`
GlobalProtect (Palo Alto)	`openconnect`	`--protocol=gp`
Pulse/Ivanti Secure	`openconnect`	`--protocol=pulse`
Fortinet SSL VPN	`openfortivpn`	Standalone client
Cisco VPNC	`vpnc`	Older Cisco IPsec
SSTP (Microsoft)	`NetworkManager-sstp`	Via GUI plugin

DNS & Split DNS with VPNs

Shani OS uses openresolv to broker DNS across multiple simultaneous connections. When a VPN connects, its DNS servers are automatically registered — split DNS (sending only .corp queries to the VPN) works without any manual /etc/resolv.conf editing. See the openresolv page for details.

Troubleshooting

Issue	Solution
`nmcli device wifi list` shows nothing	Check `nmcli radio wifi` — if off, run `nmcli radio wifi on`; also check `rfkill list` for hardware blocks
Wi-Fi connects but no internet	Check DNS: `cat /etc/resolv.conf`; try `ping 1.1.1.1` vs `ping example.com` to distinguish routing vs DNS issues
VPN connects but traffic doesn't route	Check active routes: `ip route show`; the VPN connection may need `ipv4.never-default false`
OpenVPN import fails	Ensure the `.ovpn` file doesn't reference external certificate files — all certs must be inline
WireGuard connection times out	Confirm endpoint IP and port are correct; check that your ISP doesn't block UDP on that port
GUI not showing all VPN protocols	Some protocols only appear in `nmtui` or `nmcli` — all are installed regardless