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Troubleshooting

PATH: 'nw' not found

  • Check: command -v nw (Linux/macOS) or where nw (Windows)
  • If using pipx: ensure PATH is set, then reload shell 
    pipx ensurepath
exec $SHELL
  • Linux/macOS: add user bin to PATH if needed 
    echo 'export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.bashrc  # or ~/.zshrc
exec $SHELL
  • Windows (native, best-effort): prefer WSL2; if native, run pipx ensurepath and restart the terminal

Authentication and credentials

  • Ensure NW_USER_DEFAULT and NW_PASSWORD_DEFAULT are set, or use a .env file.
  • Device-specific overrides: NW_{DEVICE}_USER, NW_{DEVICE}_PASSWORD.
  • See: Environment variables, Interactive credentials.

SSH host key verification failures

Default behavior: BALANCED - Networka uses accept-new mode by default, which automatically accepts new host keys but verifies existing ones. This provides security against MITM attacks on known hosts while allowing easy onboarding of new devices.

If you see "Host key verification failed" errors (existing key changed):

Clear the old key and accept the new one:

ssh-keygen -R <hostname_or_ip>
# Then connect again - new key will be automatically accepted

Option 2: Completely disable verification per-command (INSECURE - lab only)

nw run router1 '/system/identity/print' --no-strict-host-key-checking
nw cli router1 --no-strict-host-key-checking

Option 3: Enable strict mode globally (maximum security)

# config/config.yml
general:
  ssh_strict_host_key_checking: true  # Fail on any unknown/changed key

Configuration precedence:

  • Default: accept-new mode (accept new keys, verify existing ones)
  • Config file: ssh_strict_host_key_checking: false = accept-new, true = strict
  • CLI override: --no-strict-host-key-checking = completely disable all verification
  • CLI flags take precedence over configuration file settings

Timeouts and connectivity

  • Verify device is reachable (ping/ssh).
  • Increase general.timeout in config.
  • Check device_type matches the platform.
  • See: Transport, Platform compatibility.

Windows notes

  • Prefer WSL2 (Ubuntu) for Scrapli-based transport.
  • Native Windows may work but is best-effort.
  • See: Platform compatibility.

Configuration loading

  • Check files are in the correct directories under config/.
  • For CSV, ensure headers match the documented schema.
  • See: Configuration (CSV).

Output formatting and results

  • Use --output-mode to adjust styling.
  • Use --store-results and --results-format to save outputs.
  • See: Output modes, Results.