I have a laptop which I mostly use by remote ssh.  Although, when I need to, obviously I can log into a desktop session.

As such, I have my wired ethernet connection configured as a "system" connection so that it's started when the machine boots, regardless of desktop login use.

If the DHCP server that I normally get an address from is unavailable at renewal time, network manager fails to get a lease and then that's that for that machine.  I have to go to it and log into a desktop session just to renew the lease when the DHCP server comes back.  That sucks.  Alternatively I can restart the network manager daemon, but that sucks just about as much.

So two things... why does NM give up so easily?  Why is it not continually trying to renew that lease so that when the server does come back, it gets a lease promptly?

Secondarily, why does a no-link->link NIC status not initiate a "port up" sequence on system connections?  i.e. so that simply unplugging then plugging the network cable initiate an "interface up" transition in NM?

A distant third, why is there no way other than using a graphical desktop tool to manipulate interfaces?