How to Fix: Wi-Fi Not Working After Arch Linux Installation (2025 Guide)

One of the most common issues after installing Arch Linux — especially on laptops — is that Wi-Fi doesn’t work after your first boot. Don’t worry — this is easy to fix once you understand what’s missing.

This guide covers everything you need to get your Wi-Fi working again, including:

• Enabling NetworkManager
• Installing wireless drivers and firmware
• Diagnosing adapter issues
• Setting up Wi-Fi manually

Let’s get started.

Step 1: Check if NetworkManager Is Installed

Arch doesn’t install everything automatically — you must ensure NetworkManager is present.

Run:

sudo pacman -Syu networkmanager

If it says “up to date,” good. Otherwise, it will install it.

Now enable it to start at boot:

sudo systemctl enable NetworkManager
sudo systemctl start NetworkManager

Check its status:

systemctl status NetworkManager

If you see active (running) — your service is fine.

Step 2: Detect Your Wireless Adapter

Let’s confirm your system can detect your Wi-Fi card.

Run:

lspci | grep -i network

or, for USB adapters:

lsusb

You’ll see something like:

Network controller: Intel Corporation Wireless 8265 / 8275

If you see no output, your system isn’t detecting your adapter → skip to Step 5 (drivers).

Step 3: Check Wi-Fi Interface Availability

Now, verify your wireless interface:

ip link

You should see something like wlan0 or wlp2s0.

If you see it but Wi-Fi still doesn’t show up in the menu: Your driver is loaded, but NetworkManager may need a restart:

sudo systemctl restart NetworkManager

If the interface doesn’t appear, go to Step 5.

Step 4: Connect to Wi-Fi via Terminal (Temporary Fix)

If you have no GUI yet, use nmcli (command-line tool for NetworkManager):

List available Wi-Fi networks:

nmcli dev wifi list

Connect:

nmcli dev wifi connect "Your_WiFi_Name" password "YourPassword"

If successful, you’ll see:

Device 'wlan0' successfully activated with UUID ...

To test connectivity:

ping -c 4 archlinux.org

If you get responses — you’re online ✅

Step 5: Install Missing Wi-Fi Drivers

Most laptops need proprietary drivers or firmware.

Run this to install the most common packages:

sudo pacman -S linux-firmware

Then reboot:

sudo reboot

Still not working? Identify your card and install the proper driver.

Intel Wi-Fi:

sudo pacman -S iwd
sudo systemctl enable iwd
sudo systemctl start iwd

Broadcom (common on Dell/HP):

sudo pacman -S broadcom-wl-dkms
sudo modprobe wl

Realtek (USB adapters, budget laptops):

sudo pacman -S rtl88xxau-dkms

(You may need the base-devel package to build DKMS drivers)

AUR Alternative:

If you have no Ethernet, connect your phone via USB tethering, then:

git clone https://aur.archlinux.org/yay.git
cd yay
makepkg -si
yay -S rtl8821ce-dkms

Step 6: Verify Kernel Module Is Loaded

After installing drivers, check:

sudo lshw -C network

or

sudo dmesg | grep wlan

If you see your adapter initialized, it means the driver is loaded successfully.

Step 7: Enable Wi-Fi Auto-Connection

To make sure Wi-Fi reconnects automatically on boot:

nmcli connection modify "Your_WiFi_Name" connection.autoconnect yes

Step 8: Install a GUI Network Tool (Optional)

If you’re using a desktop environment like KDE, GNOME, or XFCE, make sure you have the network applet installed:

KDE Plasma:

sudo pacman -S plasma-nm

XFCE:

sudo pacman -S network-manager-applet

GNOME:

Already included with gnome-control-center.

Reboot and check your Wi-Fi icon — it should show available networks.

Step 9: Common Issues & Fixes

Step 10: Advanced Debugging

If still broken, run:

dmesg | grep wifi

and check errors like:

firmware: failed to load iwlwifi-7265D-29.ucode

Then manually install the missing firmware via:

sudo pacman -S linux-firmware

or download it from https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/firmware/linux-firmware.git

Quick Summary

• ✅ Ensure NetworkManager is installed and enabled
• ✅ Install linux-firmware and the right Wi-Fi driver
• ✅ Use nmcli or GUI to connect
• ✅ Reboot — your Wi-Fi should now work permanently

Bonus Tip

Once connected, update your system to ensure you always have the latest driver patches:

sudo pacman -Syu

Conclusion

Fixing Wi-Fi on Arch Linux may seem intimidating, but once you understand the system services, it becomes simple.

Arch gives you full control — meaning you manage everything, including drivers. Once set up, your Wi-Fi will work smoothly across reboots.

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