Chapter 14. Configuring NetworkManager to ignore certain devices

Procedure

1. Optional: Display the list of devices to identify the device or MAC address you want to set as unmanaged:

   # ip link show
   ...
   2: enp1s0: <BROADCAST,MULTICAST,UP,LOWER_UP> mtu 1500 qdisc fq_codel state UP mode DEFAULT group default qlen 1000
       link/ether 52:54:00:74:79:56 brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff
   ...

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2. Create a *.conf file in the /etc/NetworkManager/conf.d/ directory, for example, /etc/NetworkManager/conf.d/99-unmanaged-devices.conf.

3. For each device you want to configure as unmanaged, add a section with a unique name to the file.

   Important

   The section name must begin with device-.

   • To configure a specific interface as unmanaged, add:

     [device-enp1s0-unmanaged]
     match-device=interface-name:enp1s0
     managed=0

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   • To configure a device with a specific MAC address as unmanaged, add:

     [device-mac525400747956-unmanaged]
     match-device=mac:52:54:00:74:79:56
     managed=0

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   • To configure all devices of a specific type as unmanaged, add:

     [device-ethernet-unmanaged]
     match-device=type:ethernet
     managed=0

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   • To set multiple devices as unmanaged, separate the entries in the unmanaged-devices parameter with a semicolon, for example:

     [device-multiple-devices-unmanaged]
     match-device=interface-name:enp1s0;interface-name:enp7s0
     managed=0

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     Alternatively, you can add separate sections for each device in this file or create additional *.conf files in the /etc/NetworkManager/conf.d/ directory.

4. Restart the host system:

   # reboot

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   The reboot clears the state in the /run/NetworkManager/devices/ directory. This prevents that NetworkManager uses an existing connection from this directory for the device you set as unmanaged.

Procedure

1. Optional: Display the list of devices to identify the device you want to set as unmanaged:

   # nmcli device status
   DEVICE  TYPE      STATE         CONNECTION
   enp1s0  ethernet  disconnected  --
   ...

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2. Set the enp1s0 device to the unmanaged state:

   # nmcli device set enp1s0 managed no

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