RPi Wi-Fi Setup via NetworkManager

Contents

1. Changing the password or SSID (network name)
2. Switching the adapter to client mode
3. Switching the adapter to access point mode
4. How RPi networking works with NetworkManager

You can configure networking on Raspberry Pi through NetworkManager and its text interface nmtui.

NetworkManager is a system service that manages network interfaces and stores connection profiles. In this case, the service is responsible for Wi-Fi settings on Raspberry Pi, while nmtui provides a convenient text interface for changing these settings without manually editing several configuration files.

With NetworkManager, you can switch the Raspberry Pi Wi-Fi adapter between two main operating modes:

1. Client mode (Mode = Client) - Raspberry Pi connects to an existing Wi-Fi network.
2. Access point mode (Mode = Access Point) - Raspberry Pi creates a Wi-Fi network that you can connect to.

Connect to Raspberry Pi locally or over SSH, then start the configuration interface:

sudo nmtui

Changing the password or SSID (network name)

1. Run sudo nmtui.
2. Select Edit a connection.

Figure 1 - Main nmtui menu with the Edit a connection item

1. Select the clover access point profile and press Edit (see Figure 2). If there is no such profile, create it through Add -> Wi-Fi.

Figure 2 - Selecting a connection profile before editing

1. In the profile edit window, change the SSID and Password fields, as shown in Figure 3:
   • SSID - to change the Wi-Fi network name;
   • Password - to change the password.

Figure 3 - Changing SSID and password in the access point profile

The Wi-Fi password must be at least 8 characters long. If you changed the SSID field, after reactivation you will need to reconnect using the new network name.

1. Press OK, then Back.
2. To apply the changes, run the command below and wait for NetworkManager to restart:

sudo systemctl restart NetworkManager

Switching the adapter to client mode

In client mode, Raspberry Pi connects to an existing Wi-Fi network.

1. Run sudo nmtui.
2. Select Edit a connection.

Figure 4 - Main nmtui menu for opening the connection list

1. Create a new profile by selecting Add (see Figure 5).

Figure 5 - Adding a new connection profile

1. In the New Connection window, select Wi-Fi (see Figure 6).

Figure 6 - Choosing Wi-Fi as the connection type

1. In the Edit Connection window, select Security and change the security protocol to WPA & WPA2 Personal or another protocol that matches your router settings, as shown in Figure 7.

Figure 7 - Configuring security settings for the client mode profile

1. Enter SSID and Password, then press OK (see Figure 8).

Figure 8 - Entering the network name and password for client mode

1. Exit nmtui by pressing Back, then Quit. Run the following command and wait for reboot:

sudo reboot

1. Run sudo nmtui.
2. Open Activate a connection, select the profile you created (if you did not rename the network, it is usually Wi-Fi connection 1), and press Activate.

Figure 9 - Activating the created client mode profile

Wait for the reboot to finish. After that, Raspberry Pi will connect to your Wi-Fi network.

Switching the adapter to access point mode

In access point mode, Raspberry Pi creates a Wi-Fi network that you can connect to.

1. Run sudo nmtui.
2. Select Activate a connection.

Figure 10 - Opening the list of active connections

1. Select the created client profile and press Deactivate, as shown in Figure 11.

Figure 11 - Deactivating the active client profile to return to access point mode

Wait for the reboot. The standard clover-XXXX network will appear again.

How RPi networking works with NetworkManager

NetworkManager stores connection profiles and applies them to the required interface. For Wi-Fi, this is convenient because all main settings can be changed from the single nmtui interface instead of editing several configuration files by hand.

For client mode, a profile with Mode = Client and IPv4 CONFIGURATION = Automatic is usually enough. In this case, Raspberry Pi connects to an existing network and receives an address over DHCP.

For access point mode, you need a profile with Mode = Access Point and IPv4 CONFIGURATION = Shared. In this mode, Raspberry Pi creates its own Wi-Fi network and assigns addresses to connected devices.

NetworkManager profile files are usually stored in /etc/NetworkManager/system-connections/. In most cases, you do not need to edit them manually - it is more convenient to use the nmtui text interface.

When using NetworkManager, it is better to keep Wi-Fi and routing settings in one place. If the wlan0 network interface is configured at the same time through NetworkManager and manually through dhcpcd.conf, wpa_supplicant.conf, or a separate dnsmasq configuration file, configuration conflicts, unstable operation, or loss of connectivity may occur.