Goal: improve the user-experience for network roaming Requires: NetworkManager 0.7

This document reviews applications supposed to honor network manager online/offline state and state changes.

GNOME

Identified bugs summary:

• firefox-3.0 323109

• empathy Bug 261541 - does not always reconnect

• liferea 321473

• ekiga 321509

• update-manager LP 323108

• gnome-applets 323113

• gvfs GNOME bug #563793

• network-manager - infrastructure 323115

Firefox

• web pages: show offline page when NetworkManager signals offline; and get webpage from internet when NetworkManager identifies the system as being online

  • Test: disable networking (right click on networkmanager applet) and check that loading a url displays the offline page or a cached page without waiting for a timeout
• downloads 1: firefox should resume connections previously halted due to a disconnect
  • test: start a long running download; disconnect (right click on applet); check that download is paused; reconnect (right click on applet); check that download is auto resumed.
• downloads 2: firefox should auto halt and resume if network-manager changes primary route.
  • Test: 1. unplug wire and ensure that you are connected to wireless; 2. start a long running download; 3. plug the wire and ensure that network-manager auto connected to that device; check that primary route is going over wired interface (check default route priority); 4. ensure that firefox is continuing the download

Status

• https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/323109

  • Reconnect / General: general online/offline state is working as expected; still disabled by default in ffox 3.1 and afterwards.
  • Reconnect / Resume Download: code exists that would allow auto resume on offline/online transition; however its not working:
  • Primary Route Change: Downloads properly need to be re-resumed; current behaviour doesn't recognize this: same bug.

Pidgin

• auto disconnect/connect when network is downed/upped
  • Test: 1. connect to internet and ensure pidgin is connected; 2. disable networking and check that pidgin instantly disconnects (e.g. not through network timeout); 3. enable networking and check that pidgin instantly tries to connect
• seemless connection when primary route changes

  • Test: 1. unplug wired; 2. connect to wifi; 3. ensure that pidgin is connected; 4. plug in wired cable; 5. ensure that NetworkManager upped the wired interface and default route is now going through it (check route priority/metric using the route command); 6. ensure that pidgin has properly reconnected and/or network service are still functional (e.g. try to chat with yourself)

Comments:

• Fixed in HEAD, will release as part of next release (probably 2.5.3, might be 2.6.0).
• Issues have been reported with NM 0.7 when one of multiple connections disconnects.

Status

• works as expected

Empathy

• Similar to pidgin/firefox: ensure it does the right thing for reconnect case as well as changed primary route case.

Status

• Reconnect: Bug 261541 - does not always reconnect

• Primary Route Changing: REPORT - does not reconnect when primary route changes

Evolution

• Similar to pidgin/firefox: ensure it does the right thing for reconnect case as well as changed primary route case.

Status

• works as expected
• Primary Route Change: not tested yet.

Liferea

• Similar to pidgin/firefox: ensure it does the right thing for reconnect case as well as changed primary route case.

Status

• liferea doesn't go offline when NM changes to a non-connected state: 321473

Ekiga

• Similar to pidgin/firefox: ensure it does the right thing for reconnect case as well as changed primary route case.

Status

• doesn't react on NM state changes 321509

update-manager

Jaunty:

• auto update only when connected. If update didn't happen for at least X (e.g. once a day, a week etc.); run an update as soon as network-manager signals a change to networking state and the new state is "online".
• update indexes only when connected. If update didnt happen for at least X (e.g. once a day, a week etc.); run an update as soon as network-manager signals a change to networking state and the new state is "online"

Future:

• need to consider the network connection in use, you don't want to update your packages list over an expensive 3g internet access for example
• perhaps not download the indexes if you are connected to 3g

Status

• LP 323108

gnome-panel

• (weather applet)
  • already connected
• stock ticker

  • seb to log bug upstream (LP: 323113)

• Clock:
• ntpdate
  • Runs ntpdate-debian once on each interface up to update the clock.

GVFS

• automatically unmount network shares when network is lost
• mostly an upstream
• Awalton to write patches and send them upstream (1-2 days)

  • GNOME bug #563793

  • C. Kellner to review the patch

Open Questions

* what should happen when one of multiple connections go down?