Re: PATCH: Support for Bluetooth NAP devices

[Marcel Holtmann <marcel holtmann org>]

Hi Nathaniel,

> >> Bluetooth NAP devices are pretty simple really.   You connect and (at
> >> least in Linux) they emulate an ethernet device.
> >>
> >> However, NetworkManager doesn't work with these devices because HAL
> >> gives them the capability and category of "net.bluetooth".  Attached
> >> are a patch and a HAL fdi file.  To connect to a Bluetooth NAP device
> >> on Linux, do:
> >> pand -n -c $BSSID -d NAP
> >
> > the pand program is deprecated btw. You should look into the Bluetooth
> > network service.
> 
> Doesn't the bluetooth network service use the bnep kernel module?
> Is the bnep kernel module deprecated?

yes. Network service and pand use the same kernel layer.

> >> With the attached patch/fdi file, NetworkManager will automatically
> >> pick up the device and use it when connected.
> >
> > What is the FDI file for? I don't see its need, because HAL already
> > perfectly classifies the bnepX interfaces.
> 
> from src/nm-hal-manager.c:
> 
> static char *
> nm_get_device_driver_name (LibHalContext *ctx, const char *udi)
> {
>         char *origdev_udi;
>         char *driver_name = NULL;
> 
>         origdev_udi = libhal_device_get_property_string (ctx, udi,
> "net.originating_device", NULL);
>         if (!origdev_udi) {
>                 /* Older HAL uses 'physical_device' */
>                 origdev_udi = libhal_device_get_property_string (ctx,
> udi, "net.physical_device", NULL);
>         }
> 
>         if (origdev_udi && libhal_device_property_exists (ctx,
> origdev_udi, "info.linux.driver", NULL)) {
>                 char *drv = libhal_device_get_property_string (ctx,
> origdev_udi, "info.linux.driver", NULL);
>                 driver_name = g_strdup (drv);
>                 libhal_free_string (drv);
>         }
>         libhal_free_string (origdev_udi);
> 
>         return driver_name;
> }
> 
> ...
> 
> # device fails to create if driver doesn't exist
> driver = nm_get_device_driver_name (priv->hal_ctx, udi);
> device = (GObject *) nm_device_802_3_ethernet_new (udi, iface, driver, managed);

This is a bug within Network Manager. The driver name has no useful
input for it. At least not anymore. If we have no driver name, it should
fallback to sensible defaults.

Regards

Marcel