Develop and Solve Getting Kali Linux Network Manager Up and Running
Booting up your Kali Linux machine only to be greeted by the error "Network manager needs to be running" can be frustrating. But don't worry, with a few simple steps you can get your network connection working again.
Understanding the Network Manager
The Network Manager is an essential component in Kali Linux and many other Linux distributions. It handles the connections to wired, wireless, and VPN networks through a unified interface. When a Network Manager encounters issues, it often prevents networking altogether.
The good news is that in most cases, getting the Network Manager running again is straightforward. Let's walk through the potential causes and solutions if you see the "Network Manager needs to be running" error.
Troubleshooting Steps
Here are some troubleshooting steps to try:
Check Network Manager Status
First, verify that the Network Manager service has stopped running with:
systemctl status NetworkManager
If it shows as inactive or failed, that confirms why you don't have any network connectivity.
Restart Network Manager
The easiest solution is often to restart the Network Manager service with:
systemctl restart NetworkManager
This will attempt to start it again if there were any errors causing it to stop.
Reinstall the Network Manager Package
If restarting does not work, reinstalling the Network Manager package can clear out any corrupted files:
apt-get update
apt-get install --reinstall network-manager
Be patient as this updates repositories and redownloads packages.
Check for Hardware Issues
There are instances where a hardware issue prevents Network Manager from interacting with your network adapters correctly.
Check that cables are fully plugged in or try a different Ethernet cable if applicable. For wireless networks, ensure the WiFi card does not become disconnected internally.
Review Log Files
Checking log files such as /var/log/syslog can provide hints if there are conflicts with Network Manager modules not loading properly.
Look for error messages around the time the Network Manager failed to start. Search forums online for those specific module issues if they arise.
Getting Connected
Once you resolve the causes and Network Manager runs again, your wired and wireless networks should reconnect automatically in most cases.
If connections don't re-establish, open the Network Manager menu and select your network again manually.
For WiFi, make sure the correct password is saved if prompted again.
Now you can breathe a sigh of relief as your Kali Linux instance regains its vital network connectivity through the restored Network Manager!
Looking Forward to Network Manager
While frustrating when it fails, the Network Manager utility enables Kali Linux to adapt to various networks flexibly. The developers continue improving it all the time.
Security Enhancements
New security features in Network Manager help protect against sophisticated man-in-the-middle attacks. As Kali Linux focuses on security, robust network handling ties directly into its goals.
Increased Reliability
The maintainers continually work on maximizing Network Manager stability for minimal downtime. Its reliability continues progressing forward.
Support for New Standards
The Network Manager architecture allows fast support for new protocols and standards as they emerge, like the growing 5G and WiFi 6 ecosystems.
Kali Linux networking depends intrinsically on an optimized Network Manager. By understanding these factors when issues arise, getting Kali reconnected is much less intimidating. A few basic checks and restarting often kick Network Manager back into gear.
Stay patient, don't hesitate to research log details, and retry the troubleshooting cycle. Before long you'll be back operating on today's expanding networks through Kali's continually-improved Network Manager.
Also read -
Troubleshooting When Kali Linux Network Manager is Not Running