Re: debug tips

[Aaron Konstam <akonstam sbcglobal net>]

On Mon, 2009-06-01 at 08:53 -0700, Daniel Fetchinson wrote:
> >> >> I'm trying to debug a 100% reproducable issue but don't really know
> >> >> where to look for clues.
> >> >>
> >> >> I have a Sony VAIO VGN-FZ240E, running 64bit Fedora 8.
> >> >>
> >> >> It happens with many wifi networks that when I boot everything goes
> >> >> fine, I can connect to the wifi network with nm-applet but as soon as
> >> >> I lose the connection I will never be able reconnect. The networks in
> >> >> question use pre-shared keys. If I reboot, everything will be fine
> >> >> again, I can connect using the password, but as soon as I lose
> >> >> connection the only way I can reconnect is by reboot.
> >> >>
> >> >> Instead of rebooting I tried manually restarting all network related
> >> >> services but that doesn't help. These are the services I restart in
> >> >> this order from /etc/rc3.d that I guess are relevant:
> >> >>
> >> >> service ip6tables restart
> >> >> service iptables restart
> >> >> service network restart
> >> > NetworkManager and network are two different competitive systems to
> >> > support networking. I don't say it would work but you should restart
> >> > NetworkManager not network.
> >>
> >> Sure. But in /etc/rc3.d the order of the network related services is this:
> >>
> >> ip6tables
> >> iptables
> >> network
> >> NetworkManager
> >> NetworkManagerDispatcher
> > Not on my machine.  NetworkManager and network are not designed to run
> > at the same time. It is not clear what NM would do in run level 3
> > without X. You certainly don't have a nm-applet running at rl 3 in any
> > meaningful fashion.
> 
> I do boot in runlevel 3 and then start X manually with startx. After X
> is running nm-applet gets started as well. There is absolutely no
> problem here.
> 
> >> So I've tried stopping all 5 services and starting them in the above
> >> order, because they get started in the above order while booting. But
> >> already the third service, 'network', fails and wlan doesn't come up.
> >> If I nevertheless restart NetworkManager and NetworkManagerDispatcher
> >> I can see the wireless network in question in nm-applet but can not
> >> connect. I enter the pre-shared key password but it wouldn't connect,
> >> it just gives back the password window.
> > Look you talk about rc3.d but if you are using nm-applet you can't be at
> > run level 3 so what is in rc3.d is irrelevant.
> 
> As I've said, but let me repeat it again, I do boot into run level 3.
> After logging in I start X manually via startx.
> 
> > We are having a giant miscommunication going on . What rl are you actually running at?
> 
> No, there is no miscommunication, simply you just have to believe that
> it is possible to boot in runlevel 3 and then it is possible to start
> X manually via startx :)
I believe it, if you will accept that running startx puts you in to rl5
not rl3. Also that network and NM should not be run at the same time.
> 
> >> If I reboot though the above 5 services are started in the above order
> >> and everything works, wlan comes up and nm-applet can connect using
> >> the same pre-shared key password.
> >>
> >> So it seems to me that I need to do some additional steps manually to
> >> completely reproduce what is happening at boot time. It just seems
> >> impossible to me that I can not reproduce everything what is happening
> >> at boot time, without actually rebooting but doing the same things
> >> manually as root.
> >>
> >> Any ideas where should I be looking for clues?
> 
> 
> 
--
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The idea is to die young as late as possible. -- Ashley Montague
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Aaron Konstam telephone: (210) 656-0355 e-mail: akonstam sbcglobal net