Things to Do After Fedora 26 Installation

After installing Fedora 26, the first things you should do are update the system, enable RPM Fusion repositories, install media codecs, and set up GNOME Tweaks for a smoother desktop experience. This guide walks through the essential post-installation steps that most users perform, from enabling faster DNF downloads to configuring firewall and SELinux basics.

Why Fedora 26 Still Matters

Fedora 26 was released in July 2017 and reached end-of-life (EOL) in May 2018. While it is no longer supported with security updates, many users still run it on older hardware or for legacy software compatibility. Understanding what to do after installing it is useful for anyone resurrecting an old machine, testing vintage software, or following historical Linux workflows. The steps below focus on making the system usable, secure (as much as possible on an EOL release), and pleasant for daily tasks.

Update the System and Enable Fastest Mirror

The very first command after booting into Fedora 26 should be a full system update. Even if the installation media was recent, there are usually package updates waiting. Open a terminal and run:

sudo dnf upgrade --refresh

This updates all packages to the latest versions available in the repositories. To speed up future updates, install the dnf-plugin-fastestmirror plugin, which automatically selects the fastest mirror based on latency:

sudo dnf install dnf-plugin-fastestmirror

You can also enable parallel downloads by editing /etc/dnf/dnf.conf and adding max_parallel_downloads=10 (though this option was introduced in DNF 4, so on Fedora 26 it may not be available; the fastestmirror plugin is the main speed boost).

Enable RPM Fusion and Install Media Codecs

Fedora does not include proprietary or patent-encumbered software by default. To play MP3, MP4, and other common media formats, you need the RPM Fusion repository. For Fedora 26, the correct URLs are:

sudo dnf install https://download1.rpmfusion.org/free/fedora/rpmfusion-free-release-26.noarch.rpm
sudo dnf install https://download1.rpmfusion.org/nonfree/fedora/rpmfusion-nonfree-release-26.noarch.rpm

After enabling RPM Fusion, install the multimedia codecs:

sudo dnf install gstreamer1-plugins-base gstreamer1-plugins-good gstreamer1-plugins-bad gstreamer1-plugins-ugly gstreamer1-libav

Also install ffmpeg-libs from RPM Fusion nonfree for broader codec support. This allows videos to play in GNOME Videos, Firefox, and other applications.

Install GNOME Tweaks and Essential Extensions

Fedora 26 ships with GNOME 3.24. The default desktop is clean but limited. Install GNOME Tweaks to adjust fonts, themes, and window controls:

sudo dnf install gnome-tweak-tool

Then install a few essential extensions from the GNOME Shell Extensions website or via the gnome-shell-extension-* packages. Popular choices include:

• Dash to Dock – transforms the dash into a usable dock
• TopIcons Plus – moves legacy tray icons to the top bar
• User Themes – allows custom shell themes
• Places Status Indicator – quick access to folders

Install them with:

sudo dnf install gnome-shell-extension-dash-to-dock gnome-shell-extension-top-icons-plus gnome-shell-extension-user-theme gnome-shell-extension-places-status-indicator

After installation, log out and back in, then enable extensions using GNOME Tweaks or the GNOME Extensions app.

Set Up Firewall and SELinux Basics

Fedora comes with firewalld enabled and SELinux enforcing by default. For most desktop users, the defaults are fine. However, if you plan to run services like SSH or a web server, you need to open ports:

sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-service=ssh
sudo firewall-cmd --reload

For SSH, also install and enable the service:

sudo dnf install openssh-server
sudo systemctl enable sshd
sudo systemctl start sshd

SELinux can cause permission issues with custom file locations. To check if SELinux is blocking something, run ausearch -m avc -ts recent. If you are confident a denial is a false positive, you can adjust the policy, but do not disable SELinux entirely – it is a core security feature. For development work, you might want to set the SELinux boolean for httpd to allow network connections:

sudo setsebool -P httpd_can_network_connect 1

Install Development Tools and Codecs

If you plan to compile software, install the essential build tools:

sudo dnf groupinstall "Development Tools"
sudo dnf install kernel-devel kernel-headers

This includes GCC, make, and related utilities. For Python development, install pip and virtualenv:

sudo dnf install python3-pip python3-virtualenv

For Java, Node.js, or other runtimes, use sudo dnf install java-1.8.0-openjdk-devel or sudo dnf install nodejs. These are useful for anyone following modern tutorials that assume a current system.

Optimize DNF and Clean Up

DNF stores cache files that can grow large. Regularly run:

sudo dnf autoremove
sudo dnf clean all

The autoremove command removes orphaned packages that were installed as dependencies but are no longer needed. Also consider enabling the fastestmirror plugin as mentioned earlier. Another useful tweak is to set keepcache=1 in /etc/dnf/dnf.conf to keep downloaded RPMs for offline reinstalls, but this uses more disk space.

Common Problems and Fixes

Because Fedora 26 is EOL, users often encounter two issues: missing repositories and outdated package signatures. If you get a GPG key error when updating, you may need to import the Fedora 26 key manually:

sudo rpm --import /etc/pki/rpm-gpg/RPM-GPG-KEY-fedora-26-x86_64

Another common problem is that RPM Fusion repositories for Fedora 26 are no longer hosted on the main mirror. The URLs above still work as of this writing, but if they fail, check the RPM Fusion archive. For security, remember that no security updates are available; avoid using this system on an untrusted network or for sensitive tasks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Fedora 26 still safe to use?

No, Fedora 26 reached end-of-life in May 2018 and no longer receives security updates. Using it on an internet-connected machine exposes you to known vulnerabilities. It is best used offline, in a virtual machine, or on an isolated network for testing.

Can I upgrade from Fedora 26 to a newer version?

You cannot upgrade directly from Fedora 26 to a modern release (e.g., Fedora 40) because the upgrade path only supports one or two versions ahead. To move to a supported release, you would need to reinstall or perform a series of upgrades (26 → 27 → 28 → …), which is impractical. A fresh install of a current Fedora is recommended.

Why won’t MP3 files play after installing codecs?

Make sure you installed both the gstreamer1-plugins-ugly package and ffmpeg-libs from RPM Fusion nonfree. Also, restart your audio/video application. If the issue persists, check that the RPM Fusion repository is enabled with dnf repolist.

How do I enable the fastest mirror in DNF?

Install the plugin with sudo dnf install dnf-plugin-fastestmirror. After installation, DNF will automatically select the fastest mirror on each update. You can also manually set a preferred mirror in /etc/dnf/dnf.conf using the baseurl option, but the plugin is simpler.

Should I disable SELinux for development?

No, keep SELinux enabled. Instead, learn to work with it: use ausearch to find denials and chcon or semanage to adjust contexts. Disabling SELinux reduces security and is rarely necessary for development. If you run into issues, search for the specific denial message – most have a documented fix.

Can I install software from .rpm files?

Yes, use sudo dnf install ./package.rpm to install a local RPM file. DNF will resolve dependencies from enabled repositories. If the package requires a newer library not available in Fedora 26, you may need to find an older version or build from source.

Alternatives to Fedora 26

If you are setting up a new system today, consider a supported Fedora release (currently Fedora 40 or newer) or a long-term-support distribution like Debian or Ubuntu LTS. These receive security updates and have more current software. For older hardware, lightweight distributions like Linux Mint Xfce or Lubuntu may perform better. If you specifically need a legacy environment, running Fedora 26 in a virtual machine (e.g., with VirtualBox or QEMU) is safer than on bare metal.

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