Re: Does anyone understand NetworkManager?

[David Abrahams <dave boost-consulting com>]

David Abrahams <dave boost-consulting com> writes:

> "Darren Albers" <dalbers gmail com> writes:
>
>> On 8/17/06, David Abrahams <dave boost-consulting com> wrote:
>>
>>> So what do I do about NetworkManager now?  Anyone?  Do I need to make
>>> up another alarming subject line? ;-)
>>>
>>
>> I guess the next step is to grab the version from CVS and see if it
>> resolves the issue, there have been a lot of changes since the version
>> that shipped with Ubuntu (0.6.2) and the current release (0.6.4) and
>> CVS.
>>
>> Misha just posted this link with a nice HOWTO.
>> http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=1375266#post1375266
>
> Easier posted than done ;-)  But after the workarounds I posted in a
> reply there, I got it installed and working.  Unfortunately, there's
> no perceptible difference :(
>
> I note that when I disconnect a network cable I see the following:
>
>   ** (nm-applet:6496): WARNING **: <WARNING>
>      nm_dbus_send_with_callback_replied (): Error: couldn't find
>      pending call 0x829ed88 in tracking table.
>
> Actually the hex number (address?) changes each time I
> connect/disconnect the cable.
>
> What's the next step?

Oh, here's some additional data:

Each time I have rebooted with an ethernet cable attached and then
disconnected the cable, it asked me for my keyring password almost
immediately and connects to the network in a few seconds.  I think raw
wpa_supplicant is faster, but it was close.

On the first reboot:

  I reconnected the cable and it connected back to the wired network

  I disconected the cable and it tried to connect to the wireless
  network, but failed.  I couldn't get it to connect wirelessly
  thereafter, even by explicitly choosing the network

On the second reboot:

  I reconnected the cable and it connected back to the wired network

  I disconected the cable (possibly slightly more quickly this time)
  and it apparently failed to notice.  The icon in the notification
  area still showed me connected to the wired network.  I couldn't get
  it to connect wirelessly thereafter, even by explicitly choosing the
  network, *AND* I couldn't get it to notice the wire being removed
  either.

On the third reboot, I started with no network cable connected, but
the experience was the same as with the first reboot, starting where I
disconnected the cable.

So this _is_ different from the old version of NetworkManager in that
it's more consistent.  The old version would often connect repeatedly
if you were willing to wait long enough.  In this version, the
timeouts seem to be shorter.  

Also, there's a new checkbox in the wireless network config, "fallback
on this network."  What does that mean?

Thanks,

-- 
Dave Abrahams
Boost Consulting
www.boost-consulting.com