NetworkManager-WPA2-Enterprise-Setup

How to set up NetworkManager for use on school and other WPA2-Enterprise Networks using only systemctl, and the text editor of your choice.

Backstory

Ever since moving off of ubuntu, network setup has been a pain, so here's a how-to and skeleton for a config file for WPA2 Enterprise Networks. This method has been tested on two different university networks and worked for both.

How To

0. If you don't have NetworkManager installed, either get it from your package manager, or transfer the source from a computer that has network access and go here for instructions on how to install it.

1. Generate a UUID with uuidgen

2. Copy the base config from this repository into /etc/NetworkManager/system-connections/[CONNECTION-NAME] and edit in the connection id with your favorite text editor

3. Change the following fields:

   • uuid (generated by uuidgen)
   • ssid
   • identity (user id or username, usually given to you by the school)
   • password
   • If you know that your network has different authentication methods, change those here as well.

4. Write and save the file, then run

   chown root /etc/NetworkManager/system-connections/[CONNECTION-NAME] && \
   chmod 600 /etc/NetworkManager/system-connections/[CONNECTION-NAME]
   

5. Restart the NetworkManager service with sudo systemctl restart NetworkManager

With that you should have a functioning wifi connection on WPA2-Enterprise!