Recent posts
#51
Newbie questions / Re: Intermittent internet afte...
Last post by kanliot - December 01, 2025, 09:23:07 AM> dhclient
I can't really research it right now. but reading this https://superuser.com/questions/1860300/with-network-manager-nmcli-how-do-i-drop-and-renew-a-dhcp-lease-from-the-comm
it indicates that dhclient may be the old way of doing things.
it's a specific problem on linux installs, that there are two ways of doing things, and the old ways exist with the new ways, and sometimes the new ways are just buggy wrappers around the old ways.
You should look for nm-applet running in your system tray.
or you can do... pgrep nm-applet in a terminal
or you can do... sudo systemctl status NetworkManager.service in a terminal.
you should be able to replace dhclient with the ip command or nmcli ... but i am no expert, mainly i just use fping (after installing it) to test what was wrong or not.
being no expert... I don't like the GUI applet for "Network manager" service.. but removing it means i have no software for autoconnection and stuff. I don't have the means to replace it, so I never try and do things at a low level and instead let it be.
newer computers should work with old routers. I've had problems connecting to new wifi routers with old computers... like "c" version wifi 802.11
Thanks for asking. Any other problems?
I can't really research it right now. but reading this https://superuser.com/questions/1860300/with-network-manager-nmcli-how-do-i-drop-and-renew-a-dhcp-lease-from-the-comm
it indicates that dhclient may be the old way of doing things.
it's a specific problem on linux installs, that there are two ways of doing things, and the old ways exist with the new ways, and sometimes the new ways are just buggy wrappers around the old ways.
You should look for nm-applet running in your system tray.
or you can do... pgrep nm-applet in a terminal
or you can do... sudo systemctl status NetworkManager.service in a terminal.
you should be able to replace dhclient with the ip command or nmcli ... but i am no expert, mainly i just use fping (after installing it) to test what was wrong or not.
being no expert... I don't like the GUI applet for "Network manager" service.. but removing it means i have no software for autoconnection and stuff. I don't have the means to replace it, so I never try and do things at a low level and instead let it be.
newer computers should work with old routers. I've had problems connecting to new wifi routers with old computers... like "c" version wifi 802.11
Thanks for asking. Any other problems?
#52
Newbie questions / Re: Intermittent internet afte...
Last post by Jinseta - November 30, 2025, 08:00:56 PMI didn't have to install dhclient. I believe its a common utility. All it does is force the release of the local ip-
I've found it helps with poorly configured dhcp such as those bad routers you mentioned.
As for 'network manager', I'm not familiar with it. There is 'Advanced Network Configuration' that came with the install (Xfce). I'm still learning this GUI, but there doesn't seem to be a lot of options aside from manually setting DHCP and DNS. Its currently all set to automatic (default). I've used 'systemd-resolved' to reset wlan0 and clear caches, but that's it.
Bash reports Command Not Found on fping, but I've tried everything else. I pinged a couple devices on the network and also averaged 30% packet loss. Should I try installing it?
I must confess that I've missed some things. I realized my router has two eth ports after reading the manual. They were hidden by a near-seamless cap. I've since found eth0 works perfectly. The other issue is that this device is 17 years old, though it might have seen 5 years of use. The wlan device could be the issue.
Code Select
dhclient -r [Interface Name]Then request a new ip from dhcp with-Code Select
dhclient [Interface Name]I've found it helps with poorly configured dhcp such as those bad routers you mentioned.
As for 'network manager', I'm not familiar with it. There is 'Advanced Network Configuration' that came with the install (Xfce). I'm still learning this GUI, but there doesn't seem to be a lot of options aside from manually setting DHCP and DNS. Its currently all set to automatic (default). I've used 'systemd-resolved' to reset wlan0 and clear caches, but that's it.
Bash reports Command Not Found on fping, but I've tried everything else. I pinged a couple devices on the network and also averaged 30% packet loss. Should I try installing it?
I must confess that I've missed some things. I realized my router has two eth ports after reading the manual. They were hidden by a near-seamless cap. I've since found eth0 works perfectly. The other issue is that this device is 17 years old, though it might have seen 5 years of use. The wlan device could be the issue.
#53
Deutsch / Re: Fehlermeldung bei apt-upda...
Last post by AxL - November 30, 2025, 07:49:34 PMQuote from: pavroo on November 30, 2025, 12:13:54 PMMoving all sparky services to the new vps completed.
I also organized some free space to set a new repo mirror located in UK:
https://wiki.sparkylinux.org/doku.php/mirrors
Thank you very much for all the info, the quick solution of the problem and the new mirror available.
Cheers !!
#54
Deutsch / Re: Fehlermeldung bei apt-upda...
Last post by pavroo - November 30, 2025, 12:13:54 PMMoving all sparky services to the new vps completed.
I also organized some free space to set a new repo mirror located in UK:
https://wiki.sparkylinux.org/doku.php/mirrors
I also organized some free space to set a new repo mirror located in UK:
https://wiki.sparkylinux.org/doku.php/mirrors
#55
Newbie questions / Re: A few mp3 files titles are...
Last post by kanliot - November 30, 2025, 05:24:44 AMalso I am the author of this renaming script that works like `detox` https://github.com/kanliot/foulnames
It's very useful, especially if your filename contains newlines and stuff.
It's very useful, especially if your filename contains newlines and stuff.
#56
Newbie questions / Re: A few mp3 files titles are...
Last post by kanliot - November 30, 2025, 05:21:31 AMno that's unicode. copy + paste the filename into firefox or google to see the missing characters.
Or you could do like I do, and use https://www.fourmilab.ch/webtools/unum/
also relevant: https://www.reddit.com/r/linuxmasterrace/comments/10pxwv0/how_to_fix_these_weird_squares_or_missing_unicode/
Or you could do like I do, and use https://www.fourmilab.ch/webtools/unum/
also relevant: https://www.reddit.com/r/linuxmasterrace/comments/10pxwv0/how_to_fix_these_weird_squares_or_missing_unicode/
#57
Suggestions / Re: Openbox in 2026 for Sparky...
Last post by kanliot - November 30, 2025, 03:49:11 AMI'll also repeat a point I just heard in the youtube I linked.... Wayland moves much of it's functionality into compositor plugins, which means that all of the old X.org standards are replaced by a new set of plugins which may not be on any new distro.
#58
Suggestions / Re: Openbox in 2026 for Sparky...
Last post by kanliot - November 30, 2025, 03:42:18 AMX.org is actually faster, and Wayland is actually prettier.
I was watching "THE FIRST LINUX END OF LIFE IN THE HISTORY" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzYGg5hhiWo (read comments) and I've noticed that this guy is actually pretty gloomy. I really don't care about old hardware, I just want snappy X.org that never lags.
After reading the comments on that video, I noticed that Linux Mint has a different problem. Their problem is that Cinnamon isn't supporting Wayland. So they have to slowly port Cinnamon to Wayland or whatever.
FYI, they have managed to get Xlibre running on Mint without much problems: see https://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?p=2711784
And porting Cinnamon to Wayland seems to be a pain in the ass. https://forums.linuxmint.com/viewforum.php?f=266
Which answers a question I was wondering about... why are GNOME/KDE making such a big departure over X.org? The answer is that it's not a small thing to go from X.org -> Wayland.
I was watching "THE FIRST LINUX END OF LIFE IN THE HISTORY" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzYGg5hhiWo (read comments) and I've noticed that this guy is actually pretty gloomy. I really don't care about old hardware, I just want snappy X.org that never lags.
After reading the comments on that video, I noticed that Linux Mint has a different problem. Their problem is that Cinnamon isn't supporting Wayland. So they have to slowly port Cinnamon to Wayland or whatever.
FYI, they have managed to get Xlibre running on Mint without much problems: see https://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?p=2711784
And porting Cinnamon to Wayland seems to be a pain in the ass. https://forums.linuxmint.com/viewforum.php?f=266
Which answers a question I was wondering about... why are GNOME/KDE making such a big departure over X.org? The answer is that it's not a small thing to go from X.org -> Wayland.
#59
Newbie questions / Re: Intermittent internet afte...
Last post by kanliot - November 30, 2025, 03:17:11 AMwelp 30% packet loss is quite serious.
I'm also unfamiliar with dhclient, is that standard on sparkylinux? I use 'network manager' which is administrated by network work manager applet.
It sounds like DNS is going down for a few minutes for whatever reason. This is usually the problem when you can successfully ping the internet, but not load any website where the name is not cached.
I recently returned my router a week ago, it was expensive... and old. I should have done it earlier, spectrum internet here in the USA is quite overpriced.
Please write down your ip address on the working devices, then after reconnecting with your pc, you can check if you are actually connected to the router by opening a new shell and running
you can also check your current ip address and check that you are on the same network as the other devices.
I'm also unfamiliar with dhclient, is that standard on sparkylinux? I use 'network manager' which is administrated by network work manager applet.
It sounds like DNS is going down for a few minutes for whatever reason. This is usually the problem when you can successfully ping the internet, but not load any website where the name is not cached.
I recently returned my router a week ago, it was expensive... and old. I should have done it earlier, spectrum internet here in the USA is quite overpriced.
Please write down your ip address on the working devices, then after reconnecting with your pc, you can check if you are actually connected to the router by opening a new shell and running
Code Select
fping -r0 [your router ip address] you can also check your current ip address and check that you are on the same network as the other devices.
#60
Sparky applications / sparky-backlight's icon is mis...
Last post by oliveit - November 30, 2025, 01:21:05 AMThe package sparky-backlight uses an icon called `preferences-desktop-display-color` for the tray. It isn't on my system in any installed icon packs which are Adwaita, GNOME, HighConstrast and Tango. With the exception of Tango they do all have `preferences-desktop-display`.
IMO the icon without `-color` is better anyway:
. Vs `-color` variant: 
. This little tool doesn't modify the color of the screen so that's not the right icon.
Not sure best way to resolve. Include a fallback icon to use if theme doesn't have one?
I am not sure if there is any generic/default icon set that can be relied upon.
Gnome Adwaita has this one that might be a good candidate: `video-display.svg`:
https://wiki.sparkylinux.org/doku.php/sparky_backlight
https://github.com/sparkylinux/sparky-backlight/blob/master/bin/sparky-backlight
IMO the icon without `-color` is better anyway:
. Vs `-color` variant: . This little tool doesn't modify the color of the screen so that's not the right icon.Not sure best way to resolve. Include a fallback icon to use if theme doesn't have one?
I am not sure if there is any generic/default icon set that can be relied upon.
Gnome Adwaita has this one that might be a good candidate: `video-display.svg`:
https://wiki.sparkylinux.org/doku.php/sparky_backlight
https://github.com/sparkylinux/sparky-backlight/blob/master/bin/sparky-backlight