Configure Automatic Profile Selection for NetworkManager

Question

I have a Debian system with multiple network interfaces. For the uplink interface (eno2), two different profiles are valid, depending whether the system is:

• on my desk
• in the lab

I would want NetworkManager to always automatically try to connect using the Lab connection (profile) for eno2, as I can manually select the other profile, if necessary. How can I control which connection NetworkManager applies?

Answer 1

According to this: https://wiki.debian.org/NetworkManager

NetworkManager by default does not manage any wired network connections, those defined in /etc/network/interfaces.

You can tell NetworkManager to manage these by setting managed=true in /etc/NetworkManager/NetworkManager.conf.

You should then be able to define the configuration of NetworkManager, including the network you wish it to always attempt to connect.

Answer 2

Ok, I think I have a working solution for this.

First of all, the options available in the GUI for NetworkManager (network-manager-applet?) is rather limited, so it's better to use the command line interface directly, which is nmcli.

Tecmint had a reasonably good article on using nmcli.

The solution works by configuring Connection options as follows:

• for each interface, I configure the default Connection so that it is bound to the interface with the interface-name option and only one such connection is bound per interface.
• for all other Connections, I set the option autoconnect=false so that the Connection will only be applied, if I request so.

I think this should work. Will have to test.