NetworkManager 1.52 has been officially released, marking an important update for managing network connections in Linux-based systems. This version introduces significant features, including support for the IPvlan interface, the ability to configure LTE authentication manually, and compatibility with ethtool’s Forward Error Correction (FEC) mode.
One of the standout inclusions is the automatic configuration of DNS server routes through the properties ipv4.routed-dns and ipv6.routed-dns. A new ipv4.link-local=fallback property allows users to set an IPv4 link-local address when no other IPv4 address is assigned. Additionally, the introduction of ipv4.shared-dhcp-range and ipv4.shared-dhcp-lease-time properties enables customization of DHCP ranges and lease times when using shared connections.
The update also allows users to specify DNS servers in a URI-like manner, supporting DNS over TLS (DoT) name servers, and adds compliance with the “IPv6-only preferred” DHCPv4 option as per RFC 8925. Other enhancements include integration with the Dnsconfd plugin for configuring a system-wide DNS caching resolver, storage of interactive history in a more accessible directory, and options for IPv6 configuration in the nmtui interface.
Furthermore, several bugs have been addressed in this release, considerably improving the activation of bond and bridge ports, the creation of MTPCP endpoints, and the addition of VPN routes to specified routing tables, addressing vulnerabilities that could lead to TunnelVision attacks.
Users interested in the NetworkManager 1.52 update can download it from its GitLab page or wait for its deployment in their respective distribution’s software repositories for a more stable upgrade process.