Re: Troubleshooting NM 1.4.0 (was 'How to activate...randomization?')

[Chris Laprise <tasket openmailbox org>]

On 10/14/2016 12:43 PM, Thomas Haller wrote:
> On Fri, 2016-10-14 at 11:00 -0400, Chris Laprise wrote:
> > On 08/31/2016 01:16 PM, Thomas Haller wrote:
> > > On Wed, 2016-08-31 at 12:07 -0400, Chris Laprise wrote:
> > > > I am trying out the new NM in Debian testing by installing the
> > > > network-manager 1.4.0-3 and network-manager-gnome 1.4.0-2
> > > > versions
> > > > from
> > > > unstable.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > NM 1.4 shows up in the systray, but won't display any access
> > > > points.
> > > > It
> > > > does seem to be trying to manage the wifi device, as its MAC
> > > > address
> > > > now
> > > > changes to a random number; I can see this with ifconfig.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > NM 1.2.4 had been working fine before the upgrade.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Any troubleshooting suggestions
> > > Hi,
> > >
> > >
> > > could be https://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=770456
> > > or https://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=770504
> > >
> > > please send the logfile with level=TRACE. Thanks
> > >
> > > Thomas
> > Hi Thomas,
> >
> > The patches appear to be working, as the new 1.4.2-1 release that
> > landed
> > in Debian testing is able to randomize both scanning and connections
> > now.
> >
> > However, it doesn't adhere to what is shown on the nm-settings man
> > page.
> > The assigned-mac-address setting is described as superceding the
> > deprecated cloned-mac-address. But NM will only randomize during
> > connections if cloned-mac-address is used.
> >
> > wifi.assigned-mac-address=random
> >
> > ...has no effect, but
> >
> > wifi.cloned-mac-address=random
> Hi Chris,
>
>
> Thanks for reporting back.
>
>
> There are three manual pages
>
>    (1) nm-settings
>    (2) nm-settings-keyfile
>    (3) nm-settings-ifcfg-rh
>
> Mostly they are similar, but
>    (1) describes the properties on the D-Bus API
>    (2) the properties in keyfile format
>    (3) the properties in ifcfg-rh format
>
> what does not exist, is
>
>    (4) nm-settings-nmcli (how are the properties call in nmcli)
>
> the property wifi.assigned-mac-address exists only on the D-Bus API
> (1). It was added there, because the existing wifi.cloned-mac-address
> property could not be extended to support the new options.
>
> On all other occasions, there exists only wifi.cloned-mac-address.
> That's what it's called in nmcli and NetworkManager.conf.
>
> Note that nmcli and `man NetworkManager.conf` does not mention
> wifi.assigned-mac-address.
>
> That is all expected.
>
> ciao,
> Thomas

One additional issue...

When I upgrade my network VM from NM 1.2 to 1.4, something about the old 
connection settings prevents the wifi.cloned-mac-address global setting 
from taking effect. It will work fine if I create a new VM after the 
upgrade, so NM 1.4 doesn't encounter the old connection info. I suppose 
it might also work if I deleted the connections manually (though I'm not 
sure).

Chris