🌐 Network Backend Support
Ashell supports multiple network management backends. The backend is selected automatically at startup. NetworkManager is tried first, and if it is unavailable ashell falls back to IWD. No configuration is required.
NetworkManager
NetworkManager is the primary and most fully-featured backend. It provides complete networking support including wired connections, Wi-Fi, VPN, and more. This is the recommended backend for most users.
IWD
IWD (iNet Wireless Daemon) is a lightweight Wi-Fi-focused backend. It is used as a fallback when NetworkManager is not available. Since IWD only manages wireless connections, several features that depend on NetworkManager are unavailable.
Feature matrix
| Feature | NetworkManager | IWD |
|---|---|---|
| Wi-Fi scan & connect | ✅ | ✅ |
| Wi-Fi enable/disable | ✅ | ✅ |
| Signal strength | ✅ | ✅ |
| Ethernet detection | ✅ | ❌ |
| VPN management | ✅ | ❌ |
| Airplane mode | ✅ | ✅ |
| Connectivity state | ✅ | ✅ |
A ❌ means the backend does not support that feature; the corresponding UI element is hidden or unavailable when running under that backend.
Notes
- Ethernet detection - IWD is a wireless-only daemon and has no knowledge of wired connections.
- VPN management - VPN support (including WireGuard) requires NetworkManager. The VPN toggle and sub-menu are hidden when running under IWD.