Re: network manager always deconfigure the ethernet interface when network link is down

[Dan Williams <dcbw redhat com>]

On Fri, 2009-09-11 at 20:39 +0200, Luc Deschenaux wrote:
> Le vendredi 11 septembre 2009 à 11:58 -0400, John Mahoney a écrit :
> > 
> > 
> > On Fri, Sep 11, 2009 at 4:03 AM, Graham Lyon <graham lyon gmail com>
> > wrote:
> >         2009/9/11 Luc Deschenaux <luc deschenaux mta sunrise ch>
> >         
> >                 At least I never need that NM switch to "auto eth0"
> >                 when the link is up
> >                 again, I need to continue with the configuration I did
> >                 choose.
> >         
> >         I believe that I'm correct in saying that if you select the
> >         "connect automatically" checkbox on multiple wired network
> >         profiles then it will simply connect to the previously active
> >         profile instead of redefaulting to the "auto eth0" profile
> >         (which I assume is the only one you have with the "connect
> >         automatically" checkbox selected currently. This is the
> >         behaviour that I get using a crossover cable so whilst I may
> >         get annoying notifications about the interface continually
> >         going up and down, it is very quick to reapply a static config
> >         (complete with all its routes etc if you have them configured
> >         through network manager) and so the other device *shouldn't*
> >         notice. Try setting that checkbox for your static
> >         configuration and unplugging and replugging the cable to see
> >         which profile it then selects and report back with the results
> >         - I know I got it to behave in the way that I think you want,
> >         I just can't remember precisely how I did it ;)
> >         
> > 
> 
> When the "connect automatically" option is enabled for many
> configurations, the first config in the list having the option checked
> is re-activated instead of the previously used configuration for the
> interface.

That sounds wrong; NM should be re-activating the configuration that was
last used.  There's one caveat: if it's a system-connection that doesn't
happen because the system connection doesn't update the last-used
timestamps yet.  That wants a fix, but that fix isn't possible in some
plugins like the "ifupdown" plugin on debian/ubuntu, because
the /etc/network/interfaces file doesn't get modified.  Instead, the
'keyfile' plugin could be used for this.  I should just go fix that
myself... but if somebody came up with patch sooner rather than later ;)

Basically, the the applet has a 30 second timer or so that just updates
each connection's 'timestamp' property with the latest
seconds-since-epoch value adn saves it back to GConf.  The same can get
done for the system-settings service for each active system connection.
In 0.7, that means adding code to teh system-settings service to track
active connections.  In 0.8, that means putting that timer in the
NMManager object, updating the property, and then calling
nm_settings_connection_interface_update() to save that connection if
it's not read-only.

Dan

> If the previously used config for this interface was re-activated (when
> many configs have the "connect automatically" checked), instead of the
> first in the list having the option checked, it should yet solve some of
> the problems.
> 
> L:üc:
> 
> > The above is true on my system which is Ubuntu 9.04.  Though I
> > unchecked the "Connect Automatically" check box for the Auto eth0(I do
> > not know if this step is necessary, but I do not use dhcp anyways) and
> > checked the "Connect Automatically" box on all my static connections.
> > Worked like a charm for me and I connect and disconnect my Ethernet
> > about 20 times a day.  I still agree with the concept of an option
> > allowing the IP Address and routes to persist between carrier events,
> > except maybe the default route.  Yes, I realize there are often work
> > around for reasons this would be necessary, but it just seems like a
> > nice thing to have.
> >         
> >         -Graham
> >         
> >         
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> >         
> > 
> 
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