Classroom_Desktop/docs/networking.md

Classroom networking

Ethernet remains the normal classroom connection. The package also installs and enables NetworkManager so an administrator can add Wi-Fi when a room needs it; there is no classroom Wi-Fi screen and no network name or password in the package.

Add Wi-Fi

From a terminal or SSH session, run:

sudo nmtui

Choose Activate a connection, select the church Wi-Fi network, enter its password, and activate it. NetworkManager saves the connection as a system connection and reconnects it automatically after reboot.

Useful checks:

nmcli device status
nmcli connection show
systemctl status NetworkManager

There is nothing to configure on a computer without Wi-Fi hardware. NetworkManager starts normally, sees no Wi-Fi device, and Ethernet continues to work.

Existing Ethernet configuration

Do not remove or rewrite /etc/network/interfaces as part of this procedure. Debian Trixie's NetworkManager configuration uses the ifupdown plugin with managed=false, so any Ethernet interface declared there remains under ifupdown's control. NetworkManager manages other interfaces, including Wi-Fi. This preserves an existing static or ifupdown Ethernet setup.

The package disables NetworkManager-wait-online.service; no classroom feature is allowed to hold boot waiting for Wi-Fi or Internet access. Saved connections still reconnect automatically.