Troubleshooting: Fixing NMTUI Not Working on CentOS 7

Updated On:
troubleshooting Fixing NMTUI Not Working on CentOS 7

If you’re using CentOS 7 and are having trouble getting NMTUI (NetworkManager Text User Interface) to work properly, you’re not alone. This issue can arise for various reasons, but often, it’s due to improper installation or configuration of the NetworkManager service. In this article, we’ll walk you through the steps to resolve issues where nmtui doesn’t work, using some basic commands to install and configure NetworkManager on CentOS 7.

What is NMTUI?

Before diving into the troubleshooting steps, let’s clarify what NMTUI is. NMTUI is a text-based user interface for managing network connections on Linux systems using NetworkManager. It’s useful for users who prefer not to use the command line directly but need a way to manage their network configurations in a terminal. It provides an easy-to-navigate interface for tasks like setting up IP addresses, DNS settings, Wi-Fi, Ethernet interfaces, and more.

The Problem: NMTUI Not Working

Sometimes, after installing or updating CentOS 7, you may find that running nmtui in the terminal doesn’t bring up the expected interface. This can happen for several reasons, such as NetworkManager not being installed or started properly.

Let’s go through some common steps to fix this issue.

Step 1: Install NetworkManager-tui

First, ensure that the NetworkManager TUI package is installed on your system. While NetworkManager is likely installed by default on CentOS 7, the text-based interface (nmtui) may not be. You can install it with the following command:

sudo yum install NetworkManager-tui

This command will install the required NetworkManager TUI package if it’s not already present on your system.

Step 2: Ensure the NetworkManager Service is Active

After installing NetworkManager-tui, the next step is to ensure that the NetworkManager service is running. You can check the status of the service with the following command:

sudo systemctl status NetworkManager

If the service is not running, start it with this command:

sudo systemctl start NetworkManager

This command starts the NetworkManager service. If you want it to start automatically at boot time, enable it with:

sudo systemctl enable NetworkManager

This ensures that NetworkManager will be automatically started whenever your system reboots.


Step 3: Restart the Network Service

Sometimes, even if NetworkManager is running, the network configurations may need to be refreshed. This can be done by restarting the network service. To restart the network service on CentOS 7, use the following command:

sudo systemctl restart network

This command will restart the network service and reload any changes made to network interfaces. If NMTUI was not working due to a network service issue, this should resolve it.


Step 4: Run NMTUI

After ensuring NetworkManager is installed, running, and enabled, and after restarting the network service, you can now attempt to run nmtui again. Simply type:

nmtui

This should open the NetworkManager text-based user interface, allowing you to configure your network settings.


Common Issues and Solutions

If you’re still facing issues after following the steps above, here are a few additional troubleshooting tips:

1. Check for Conflicting Network Services

CentOS 7 may also have the network.service (traditional network scripts) running alongside NetworkManager. This can cause conflicts and prevent nmtui from working properly.

To resolve this, ensure that NetworkManager is the primary service managing your network interfaces. You can disable the traditional network service with:

sudo systemctl stop network
sudo systemctl disable network

This ensures NetworkManager is in full control of network management on your system.

2. Check Permissions

Make sure you are running nmtui with sufficient privileges. While nmtui should work for normal users in most cases, certain actions (such as editing network configurations) might require root privileges. Use sudo if necessary:

sudo nmtui

3. Network Interface Issues

If nmtui opens but you’re unable to see any network interfaces, verify that your network interfaces are properly detected. Use the following command to list your network interfaces:

ip addr

If your network interfaces aren’t listed, there might be an issue with the driver or the hardware configuration.


Conclusion

In summary, if nmtui is not working on CentOS 7, the most likely causes are missing packages, inactive services, or conflicts with traditional network management tools. By ensuring that NetworkManager-tui is installed, NetworkManager is running, and the network service is restarted, you should be able to get nmtui working again.

Here’s a quick recap of the commands you’ll need to run:

sudo yum install NetworkManager-tui
sudo systemctl start NetworkManager
sudo systemctl enable NetworkManager
sudo systemctl restart network
nmtui

Once nmtui is up and running, you can easily configure your network settings in a simple, text-based interface.

If you continue to face issues, check for service conflicts or misconfigurations, and ensure you have the necessary permissions to manage network settings. With these steps, you should be able to troubleshoot and fix nmtui not working on CentOS 7.

Follow Us On

Leave a Comment