NETCTL.PROFILE(5) ================= NAME ---- netctl.profile - Profile options SYNOPSIS -------- netctl.profile DESCRIPTION ----------- Profiles for netctl live under '/etc/netctl/' and are plain text files. The files consist of variable definitions following the bash shell syntax and are not expected to execute any code. It is good to omit as much quoting as possible. For a few WPA-related variables, special quoting rules (see below) apply. The name of the profile is the name of the file. Profile names must not contain newlines and should not end in '.service' or '.conf'. Whenever a profile is read, all executable scripts in '/etc/netctl/hooks/' and any executable script in '/etc/netctl/interfaces/' with the name of the interface for the profile are sourced. For each connection type, there are example profile files in '/etc/netctl/examples/'. AVAILABLE CONNECTION TYPES -------------------------- +ethernet+:: For wired connections. +wireless+:: For wireless connections. This connection type requires *wpa_supplicant* to be available. +bond+:: Network bonding. This connection type requires *ifenslave* to be available. +bridge+:: Network bridging. This connection type requires *brctl* to be available. +pppoe+:: For PPPoE connections. +tunnel+:: For tunnel interfaces. +tuntap+:: For TUN/TAP interfaces. +vlan+:: For VLANs on ethernet-like connections. GENERAL OPTIONS --------------- 'Description=':: A description of the profile. 'Connection=' [mandatory for all profiles]:: The connection type used by the profile. 'Interface=' [mandatory for all profiles]:: The name of the associated network interface. The interface name should not be quoted. 'BindsToInterfaces=()':: An array of physical network interfaces that this profile needs before it can be started. For `enabled' profiles, *systemd* will wait for the presence of the specified interfaces before starting a profile. If this variable is not specified, it defaults to the value of 'Interface'. 'After=()':: An array of profile names that should be started before this profile is started. This is only an ordering dependency and is not intended to be a list of profiles that this profile requires. The meaning is the same as 'After' in *systemd.unit*(5). 'ExecUpPost=':: A command that is executed after a connection is established. If the specified command returns anything other than 0 (success), *netctl* will abort and stop the profile. If the command should be allowed to fail, add ``|| true`' to the end of it. 'ExecDownPre=':: A command that is executed before a connection is brought down. Similar precautions should be taken as with 'ExecUpPost'. IP OPTIONS ---------- These options apply to all connections that set up an IP-enabled network. In particular, these connection types are +ethernet+, +wireless+, +bond+, +bridge+, +tunnel+, +tuntap+, and +vlan+. 'IP=' [mandatory for IPv4]:: One of `static', `dhcp', or `no', depending on the desired way of obtaining an address. 'IP6=' [mandatory for IPv6]:: One of `static', `stateless', `dhcp-noaddr', `dhcp', `no' or left out (empty) altogether. The difference between not specifying and setting to `no' is in the handling of __router advertisement__ packages, which is blocked by `no'. 'Address=()' [requires 'IP=static']:: An array of IP addresses suffixed with `++/++'. Leaving out brackets for arrays consisting of a single element is accepted in the Bash syntax. 'Gateway=' [requires 'IP=static']:: An IP routing gateway address. 'Routes=':: An array of custom routes of the form + `**
** via ****'. 'Address6=()' [requires 'IP6=static']:: An array of IPv6 addresses. Prefix length may be specified via `1234:bcd::11/64' syntax. It is possible to specify modifiers, in particular, `1234:bcd::11/64 nodad' disables Duplicate Address Detection for the address. 'Gateway6=' [requires 'IP6=static']:: An IPv6 routing gateway address. 'Routes6=':: An array of custom routes of the form + `**
** via ****'. 'DHCPClient=' [requires a DHCP setting]:: The name of the preferred DHCP client. Supported options are `dhcpcd' and `dhclient'. Defaults to `dhcpcd'. 'DhcpcdOptions=', 'DhclientOptions=', 'DhclientOptions6=':: Additional options to be passed to the DHCP client. Do not use this unless you know what you are doing. 'IPCustom=()':: An array of argument lines to pass to `ip`. This can be used to achieve complicated configurations within the framework of *netctl*. 'Hostname=':: A system hostname. 'DNS=()':: An array of DNS nameservers. Simply specify the IP addresses of each of the DNS nameservers. 'DNSDomain=':: A `++domain++' line for '/etc/resolv.conf'. 'DNSSearch=':: A `++search++' line for '/etc/resolv.conf'. 'DNSOptions=()':: An array of `++options++' lines for '/etc/resolv.conf'. 'TimeoutDHCP=':: Maximum time, in seconds, to wait for DHCP to be successful. Defaults to `++10++'. 'TimeoutDAD=':: Maximum time, in seconds, to wait for IPv6's Duplicate Address Detection to succeed. Defaults to `++3++'. OPTIONS FOR `ethernet' CONNECTIONS ---------------------------------- Next to the *ip options*, the following are understood for connections of the `ethernet' type: 'SkipNoCarrier=':: Whether or not the absence of a carrier (plugged-in cable) is acceptable. Defaults to `++no++'. 'Auth8021X=':: Set to `++yes++' to use 802.11x authentication. 'WPAConfigFile=':: Path to a *wpa_supplicant* configuration file. Defaults to '/etc/wpa_supplicant.conf'. 'WPADriver=':: The *wpa_supplicant* driver to use for 802.11x authentication. Defaults to `++wired++'. 'TimeoutCarrier=':: Maximum time, in seconds, to wait for a carrier. Defaults to `++5++'. 'TimeoutWPA=':: Maximum time, in seconds, to wait for 802.11x authentication to succeed. Defaults to `++15++'. OPTIONS FOR `wireless' CONNECTIONS ---------------------------------- Next to the *ip options*, the following are understood for connections of the `wireless' type: 'Security=':: One of `none', `wep', `wpa', `wpa-configsection', or `wpa-config'. Defaults to `++none++'. 'ESSID=' [mandatory]:: The name of the network to connect to. Special quoting rules (see below) apply. 'AP=':: The BSSID (MAC address) of the access point to connect to. 'Key=':: The secret key to a WEP, or WPA encrypted network. Special quoting rules (see below) apply. 'Hidden=':: Whether or not the specified network is a hidden network. Defaults to `++no++'. 'AdHoc=':: Whether or not to use ad-hoc mode. Defaults to `++no++'. 'Priority=':: Priority group for the network. In case of automatic profile selection, the matched network with the highest priority will be selected. Defaults to `++0++'. 'WPAConfigSection=()' [mandatory for 'Security=wpa-configsection']:: Array of lines that form a network block for *wpa_supplicant*. All of the above options will be ignored. 'WPAConfigFile=':: Path to a *wpa_supplicant* configuration file. Used only for 'Security=wpa-config'. All options except 'WPADriver', 'TimeoutWPA', and 'RFKill' will be ignored. The profile is excluded from automatic profile selection. Defaults to '/etc/wpa_supplicant.conf'. 'Country=':: The country for which frequency regulations will be enforced. 'WPAGroup=':: Group that has the authority to configure *wpa_supplicant* via its control interface. Defaults to `++wheel++'. 'WPADriver=':: The *wpa_supplicant* driver to use. Defaults to `++nl80211,wext++'. 'TimeoutWPA=':: Maximum time, in seconds, to wait for steps in the association and authentication to succeed. Defaults to `++15++'. 'RFKill=':: The name of an *rfkill* device. When specified, the device is used to block/unblock the interface when appropriate. Names can be found in '/sys/class/rfkill/rfkillX/name'. It is also possible to set this variable to `++auto++'. In that case an *rfkill* device that is associated with the network interface is used. 'ExcludeAuto=':: Whether or not to exclude this profile from automatic profile selection. Defaults to `++no++'. OPTIONS FOR `bond' CONNECTIONS ------------------------------ The interfaces of 'BindsToInterfaces' are bound together in the interface named by 'Interface'. All *ip options* are understood for connections of the `bond' type. OPTIONS FOR `bridge' CONNECTIONS -------------------------------- The interfaces of 'BindsToInterfaces' take part in the bridge named by 'Interface'. Next to the *ip options*, the following are understood for connections of the `bridge' type: 'FwdDelay=':: Forward delay of the bridge. See *brctl*(8) for details. 'MaxAge=':: Maximum age parameter. See *brctl*(8) for details. OPTIONS FOR `tunnel' CONNECTIONS ---------------------------------- The name of the tunnel interface is specified in 'Interface'. Next to the *ip options*, the following are understood for connections of the `tunnel' type: 'Mode=':: The tunnel type (e.g. `sit'). See *ip*(8) for available modes. 'Local=':: The address of the local end of the tunnel. 'Remote=':: The address of the remote end of the tunnel. OPTIONS FOR `tuntap' CONNECTIONS ---------------------------------- The name of the tuntap interface is specified in 'Interface'. Next to the *ip options*, the following are understood for connections of the `tuntap' type: 'Mode=':: Either `tun', or `tap'. 'User=':: The owning user of the tun/tap interface. 'Group=':: The owning group of the tun/tap interface. OPTIONS FOR `vlan' CONNECTIONS ------------------------------ The name of the vlan interface is specified in 'Interface'. The underlying physical interface is specified in 'BindsToInterfaces'. Hence, for vlan profiles, 'BindsToInterfaces' contains the name of a single network interface. All options for connections of the `ethernet' type are understood for connections of the `vlan' type. Additionally, connections of the `vlan' type can set a vlan identifier using 'VLANID='. See *ip*(8) for details. SPECIAL QUOTING RULES --------------------- Configuration files for *wpa_supplicant* use non-standard quoting. Therefore, non-standard quoting rules exist for some variables for connections of the `wireless' type. In particular, these variables are 'ESSID', and 'Key'. A variable is considered *quoted* by *wpa_supplicant* if it is enclosed in double quotes ("). A variable is considered *non-quoted* by *wpa_supplicant* if it does not start with a double quote. Hexadecimal values are specified *non-quoted* in configuration files of *wpa_supplicant*. In *netctl*, variables are written to *wpa_supplicant* configuration files *quoted* by default. When special quoting rules apply, it is possible to specify an unquoted (hexadecimal) value using a special syntax. The special quoting rules of *netctl* are as follows. A string that starts with a literal double quote is considered *non-quoted*. Any other string is considered *quoted*. It is possible to specify quoted strings that start with a double quote by quoting manually. An extreme example is the specification of a *quoted* double quote: '`X='""""'`'. On the other end of the spectrum there is the *non-quoted* backslash: '`X=\"\\`'. Further examples of *quoted* strings (all equivalent): ------------- X=string X="string" X='""string"' ------------- Further examples of *non-quoted* strings (all equivalent): ------------ X=\"string X="\"string" X='"string' ------------ A mnemonic is to think of the prefix ``\"`' as saying `non'-`quote'. SEE ALSO -------- *netctl*(1)