Arch Linux Initial Setup

To effectively use Arch Linux as a server, it is essential to set a static IP address and create a dedicated user for administrative tasks (instead of using the root account). This post covers these fundamental configurations along with the installation of necessary management tools.

Configuring a Static IP Address

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A static IP address is required for a server environment. This configuration is managed using systemd-networkd.

Starting and Enabling Required Services

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Execute the following commands to start and enable systemd-networkd and systemd-resolved:

systemctl start systemd-networkd.service
systemctl start systemd-resolved.service
systemctl enable systemd-networkd.service
systemctl enable systemd-resolved.service

If dhcpcd is enabled, disable it with:

systemctl stop dhcpcd.service
systemctl disable dhcpcd.service

Configuring resolv.conf

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To maintain compatibility, rename the existing file and create a symbolic link:

mv /etc/resolv.conf /etc/resolv.conf.org
ln -s /run/systemd/resolve/resolv.conf /etc/resolv.conf

Checking the Network Interface Name

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Determine the NIC device name using:

networkctl list

Example output:

IDX LINK     TYPE       OPERATIONAL SETUP
1 lo       loopback   carrier     unmanaged
2 ens192   ether      routable    unmanaged

Creating the Network Configuration File

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Create /etc/systemd/network/static.network and configure it as follows:

[Match]
Name=ens192

[Address]
Address=192.168.10.10/24

[Network]
DNS=192.168.10.254

[Route]
Gateway=192.168.10.254

Adjust these parameters according to the network environment.

Restarting the Service

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Apply the settings with:

systemctl restart systemd-networkd.service

Verify the IP address:

ip a

Creating a User Account

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Creating a Standard User

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Create a new user by executing:

useradd -m -G wheel <username>

Setting a Password

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Set a password for the new user:

passwd <username>

Configuring sudo Access

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Install sudo if not already available:

pacman -S sudo

Edit the sudoers file:

EDITOR=vim visudo

Uncomment the following line:

%wheel ALL=(ALL:ALL) ALL

With this configuration, the user can execute administrative commands using sudo instead of logging in as root.

Installing Essential Packages

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Log in as the newly created user and install useful management tools:

sudo pacman -S git wget man-db man-pages