Bug 27795

Summary:	net_applet does not show connection status properly
Product:	Mageia	Reporter:	Thomas Andrews <andrewsfarm>
Component:	RPM Packages	Assignee:	Mageia tools maintainers <mageiatools>
Status:	NEW ---	QA Contact:
Severity:	normal
Priority:	High	CC:	fri, jrueda
Version:	9	Keywords:	IN_ERRATA8, IN_ERRATA9
Target Milestone:	---
Hardware:	All
OS:	Linux
Whiteboard:
Source RPM:	drakx-net-2.57-2	CVE:
Status comment:

Description Thomas Andrews 2020-12-10 01:53:05 CET

Description of problem:
First noticed while testing the M8 Beta2 Live iso candidates. On a wifi-only machine, Xfce boots up indicating no Internet connection. After using the net_applet to bring up Network Center, configure wifi, and make the connection, the panel icon continues to indicate no connection. If the user moves the cursor over the icon, a tool tip pops up that says "Connecting..." even though there is already a working wifi connection.

Similar behavior exists after installation. The icon indicates the proper connection state at boot. If the user disconnects the wifi, the icon changes as it should, but the cursor tool tip says "Connecting..." If the user then reconnects to the wifi, the panel icon doesn't change, even though the wifi connection is functioning.

Oddly enough, the Plasma version doesn't show this behavior.

Here is what I believe is happening: Live mode and installs are pre-configured to start the wired connection at boot. If for whatever reason a wifi connection fails or is disconnected, the applet/Network Center attempts to automatically connect using the wired connection, even if there is no wired connection to connect to, or if the wifi connection is connected first.

It's as if there is no way for the Network Center to detect that there is no wired Internet connection to make, so it just keeps trying to make one no matter what. To test that theory, I reconfigured the wired connection to not start at boot, and the net_applet icon reacted to changes as expected.

It's easy enough to work around this on installed systems, by simply changing the default configuration of the wired connection. But Live mode isn't so easy. While it doesn't seem to affect overall function very much, still it would be confusing to new Mageai users the way it is.

Thomas Andrews 2020-12-10 01:54:01 CET

Whiteboard: (none) => MGA7TOO
Keywords: (none) => 8beta2

Comment 1 Morgan Leijström 2020-12-10 10:45:12 CET

I confirm seeing this now, and also on earlier versions but did not report...

CC: (none) => fri

Comment 2 Lewis Smith 2020-12-10 20:08:25 CET

Thank you for the report, TJ; and Morgan's confirmation.
Having to rather guess the relevant source RPM, but it looks like what is shown for M7 (pkgs libdrakx-net, drakx-net-text). Doubtless similar for M8.

Assigning to the Mageia Tools people.

Assignee: bugsquad => mageiatools
Source RPM: (none) => drakx-net-2.42-1.mga7.src.rpm

Morgan Leijström 2021-01-21 00:42:48 CET

Priority: Normal => High
Keywords: 8beta2 => 8rc1

Morgan Leijström 2021-02-05 15:27:41 CET

Keywords: (none) => IN_ERRATA8

Comment 3 Josu 2022-01-22 00:27:25 CET

This comment refers to latest source, drakx-net-2.55-2.mga9.src.rpm and proposes a tested patch to bin/net_applet perl script to call icon update subroutine each time network status surveillance script is run (sub checkNetwork). A single line calling 'network::net_applet::update_tray_icon();' as the last one inside 'checkNetwork' does the job. Line after 440 is the one added, therefore 441.  

The following link contains the aforementioned patch for bin/net_applet inside drakx-net-2.55-2.mga9.src.rpm . Earlier versions may benefit from a similar patch, but the only one tested is that one.   

https://ufile.io/i5ghqz41

Josu 2022-01-22 00:30:09 CET

CC: (none) => jrueda

Comment 4 Morgan Leijström 2023-07-07 19:14:50 CEST

@josé: thank you for the suggestion.

@tools people: any plan how to solve this?


I just tested Mageia 9 on my Thinkpad T510 laptop, in both Plasma and Xfce.
net_applet fail identically.

i.e at login wireless is connected and net_applet tray icon say so.
I close it and launch it from terminal to see output.
Icon say I am connected.
I choose to disconnect: 
 In terminal i see it disconnect OK.
 Icon still show connected symbol, hoovering ovet it, it sau Connecting - both are wrong. 
I tell it to connect:
 A popup tells i am connected
 In terminal i see it connect OK
 net_applet Symbol shows it is connected (as it always do...)

https://wiki.mageia.org/en/Mageia_9_Errata#Networking

Keywords: 8rc1 => IN_ERRATA9
Summary: In Xfce, net_applet does not react to changes in connection status properly => net_applet does not show connection status properly
Source RPM: drakx-net-2.42-1.mga7.src.rpm => drakx-net-2.57-2
Whiteboard: MGA7TOO => MGA8TOO

Comment 5 Thomas Andrews 2024-03-04 00:13:54 CET

Changing from Cauldron to Mageia 9, because I have not tried in Mageia 10 Cauldron yet. It may be valid in Cauldron - I just don't know.

Removing the MGA8TOO, as Mageia 8 is now EOL.

Version: Cauldron => 9
Whiteboard: MGA8TOO => (none)