How managing networks differs on Windows 10 and Linux

Windows 10 is about to fade into the sunset, leaving many users uncertain about what to do. This is especially true for those with computers that don’t support Windows 11. If that’s you, there are options, one of which is Linux.

Linux is powerful, secure, stable, and user-friendly. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that most modern Linux distributions are as user-friendly as any Windows release.

Also: You can test all the best Linux distros right in your web browser with this site

Of course, there are tasks you’ll undertake on Linux that differ from the same tasks on Windows. The good news is that they aren’t really all that challenging. The caveat is that the Linux distribution and desktop you use means there are variations on that particular theme. That alone can bring a bit of confusion, so it’s important to understand at least the basic concepts of how managing networks on Linux works.

Before I continue, I want to mention that I’m only going to discuss this process through GUIs. Yes, you can manage networks on Linux from the command line, and for Linux power users, the command line offers far more power. However, the average Windows 10 user isn’t going to be diving into such complex commands — especially when taking their first steps with Linux.

With that said, how is this done? Let’s talk.

Connecting to a wireless network

First off, if your computer uses a wired connection, Linux is all plug-and-play. You plug in the network cable, Linux grabs a dynamic address, and off you go. Rarely have I experienced a wired connection on Linux that had issues (I’ll get into some things that can cause problems in a bit).

When dealing with a wireless network, things are slightly different. And remember, how this works will depend on the distribution and desktop you use. Fortunately, most desktops manage wireless networks in a similar fashion. I’m going to demonstrate this on both GNOME and KDE.

First up is GNOME.

Just like with Windows 10, you’ll find the network manager in the system tray, where it lives as a tiny Wi-Fi icon. Take, for instance, the Windows network pop-up. When you click the Wi-Fi icon in the system tray, a list of wireless networks appears. Click on one of those networks, and you’ll be prompted for that network’s password.

If you click on the GNOME Wi-Fi icon in the system menu, you’ll see the currently connected network. If you’ve not previously connected to a wireless network, you’ll see either no network listed or a wired connection. If you click the network “pill” button, it will expand to show you a list of all the available wireless networks. Select the network you want to connect to and, when prompted, type that network’s password.

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If KDE is your desktop of choice, the process is similar to that of Windows 10. Click the Wi-Fi icon in the system tray, and you’ll see all of the available wireless networks. Click the network you want to connect to and, when prompted, type the network password.

That it for connecting to a wireless network in Linux.

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DNS Servers

Let’s say you want to change the DNS servers used by your operating system. In Windows, changing the DNS servers is done within Network Connections, which can be accessed by typing “network connections” in the Start menu. From the resulting window, click Change adapter settings, right-click the network to be edited, click Properties, locate IPv4, click Properties, and then change the DNS settings.

In Linux, this is actually easier.

In KDE Plasma, the process requires you to click the Wi-Fi icon in the system tray, click the drop-down associated with the network in question, click Configure, click the IPv4 tab, fill out the Other DNS Servers entry, and click Apply.

IIn GNOME, the process is equally simple: Click the Wi-Fi icon in the system menu, click the Networking “pill,” and click All Networks. In the resulting window, click the gear icon associated with the network in question, click the IPv4 tab, type the DNS servers you want to use in the DNS entry, and click Apply.

Remember, you can use either standard DNS here or secure DNS (such as Cloudflare’s 1.1.1.1/1.0.0.1).

Also: Leaving Windows 10 for Linux? 5 security differences to consider first

And that’s how easy it is to manage network connections on Linux. The migration from Windows 10 to the open-source operating system shouldn’t be something to be overly concerned about because Linux has become such a user-friendly OS over the years. If you can connect to a network on Windows 10, you can do the same on Linux.