Configuring Arch Linux

If you’re installed Arch Linux, the next step is configuring the system to work as desired. In this guide, I walk through my general configuration of a newly installed Arch Linux instance.

Configure Internet

Set up networkmanager and if wireless, connect to an internet source:

sudo systemctl enable NetworkManager.service
sudo systemctl start NetworkManager.service

connect to wireless

nmcli device wifi list
nmcli device wifi connect SSID password PASSWORD

Confirm access using ping.

Set up Desktop Environment

Set up xorg by install the following packages:

Test by starting startx.

Install the following packages to set up the window and display manager

Configure LightDM:

sudo systemctl enable lightdm.service
sudo systemctl start lightdm.service

You should now have a graphical display running.

Configure Desktop Environment

First, set up firefox and sign in to sync all current changes.

Set up Multi-Monitors

If using multiple monitors, set them up:

sudo nvidia-xconfig

Reboot computer, then run:

sudo nvidia-settings

Save settings to the X config file.

Set up Dropbox

To configure the graphical system, get Dropbox synced to be able to use saved entries. First, install yay:

sudo pacman -S base-devel
git clone https://aur.archlinux.org/yay.git
cd yay
makepkg -si

Then import public key:

gpg --recv-keys --keyserver hkp://pgp.mit.edu:80 FC918B335044912E

Install Dropbox:

yay -S dropbox

Finally, start and sign in to Dropbox.

Make symlinks for the following:

mkdir ~/.config/awesome
ln -s ~/Dropbox/config/rc.lua ~/.config/awesome/rc.lua
ln -s ~/Dropbox/config/Xresources-desktop ~/.Xresources

Reboot.

Setting up Laptop

Install the following packages:

To make backlight changes using keyboard shortcuts, edit the /etc/rc.local file.

chgrp -R backlighters /sys/class/backlight
chmod g+w /sys/class/backlight/*/*

Then add your user to the backlighters group:

sudo groupadd backlighters
sudo usermod -aG backlighters dfar

Restart and test the ability to inc/dec backlight with Fn+F11/F12

Installing and Configure Software

Essentials

Install nautilus, flameshot, evince, and calc.

Using yay, install systemd-numlockontty, and then enable numLockOnTty

sudo systemctl enable numLockOnTty

Web Browsing/Mail/Chat

Install qbittorrent, gnome-keyring, and libsecret.

Install mailspring via yay, then add accounts, set to dark, and set signature.

Install franz via yay and sign in to all accounts, then turn on dark more and turn off todos.

Sound/Video Management

Install vlc, pulseaudio, pasystray, and pavucontrol.

Software Development

Install the following packages:

Sync settings in VSCode.

Networking

For VPN, install openvpn, network-manager-applet, and networkmanager-openvpn. Connect to all OpenVPN instances (log in using web and download profiles).

For RDP, install remmina and freerdp, then connect to all RDP boxes.

Virtualization

Install gnome-boxes, then create a Win10 box with 8GB memory, 100GB HDD. Install the following software using chocolatey:

Scanner/Printer

Install sane and imagescan. Then run utsushi for scanning.

For printing, install cups, nss-mdns, avahi, python-gobject, pygtk, python-dbus, and then enable and start the services:

sudo systemctl enable org.cups.cupsd.service
sudo systemctl start org.cups.cupsd.service
sudo systemctl start avahi-daemon.service

Edit /etc/nsswitch.conf and change the hosts line to include before resolve and dns:

mdns_minimal [NOTFOUND=return]

Now find the printer’s IP address:

avahi-discover

And add the printer:

lpadmin -p OfficePrinter -E -v ipp://IP_ADDRESS/ipp/print -m everywhere