14 DAY TRIAL // NetworkManager, the open-source program for providing detection and configuration of networks for Linux-based operating systems has reached a new important milestone, version 1.16.
NetworkManager 1.16 has been released two days after the launch of the GNOME 3.32 desktop environment and promises lots of exciting new features and improvements, starting with support for the new WireGuard protocol implemented in the Linux kernel for creating secure IPv4 and IPv6 VPNs (Virtual Private Networks).
"Unlike other VPN solutions NetworkManager supports, WireGuard tunneling will be entirely handled by the Linux kernel. This has an advantages in terms of performance, and also removes the needs of a VPN plugin," explained developer Lubomir Rintel in a recent blog article.
NetworkManager 1.16 also adds support for the latest WPA3-Personal standard for better security of password-protected home networks thanks to the implementation of the SAE (Simultaneous Authentication of Equals) authentication, as well as support for establishing Wi-Fi Direct (Wi-Fi P2P) connections.
Improved DHCP router options, AP and Ad-Hoc support
There are numerous other new features and enhancements introduced in the NetworkManager 1.16 release, among which we can mention improved IWD backend for AP and Ad-Hoc support to create Wi-Fi hotspots, support for checking connectivities per address family, and a new PolicyKit permission for controlling Wi-Fi scanning.
Furthermore, NetworkManager 1.16 supports "main.systemd-resolved" for direct configuration of DNS settings in systemd-resolved without making it the main DNS plugin, better handling of DHCP router options via the built-in DHCP plugin, and support for marking docker bridges as unmanaged via a udev rule.
NetworkManager is now also able to write "/var/run/NetworkManager/no-stub-resolv.conf" with original nameservers for caching DNS plugins like "dnsmasq" or "systemd-resolved" where "/var/run/NetworkManager/resolv.conf" refers to the localhost, and warns about invalid settings in the "NetworkManager.conf" file.
Also worth mentioning is the fact that NetworkManager is no longer installed as a D-Bus activatable service and it can now announce the "ANDROID_METERED" DHCP option for shared mode. You can download the NetworkManager 1.16 sources right now, and it will soon be available for installation from the stable software repositories of your favorite GNU/Linux distribution.