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Bug 609794 - option to bring down wireless if wired is connected
option to bring down wireless if wired is connected
Status: RESOLVED WONTFIX
Product: NetworkManager
Classification: Platform
Component: general
0.7.x
Other Linux
: Normal enhancement
: ---
Assigned To: Dan Williams
Dan Williams
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
 
Reported: 2010-02-12 21:42 UTC by Michael Kopp
Modified: 2010-08-05 20:44 UTC
See Also:
GNOME target: ---
GNOME version: ---



Description Michael Kopp 2010-02-12 21:42:12 UTC
I actually thought that this is what it is when I first read about network manager.

I would like to have an option that tells network manager to deactivate my wireless connection as soon as the wired one is fully up.

Obviously the other way around should also be true, bring up wireless if the wired connection is gone.

This is in the sense of switching to the faster network automatically.
Comment 1 Michael Kopp 2010-02-12 21:57:32 UTC
For clarification, currently NM just connects both all the time if available
Comment 2 Dan Williams 2010-02-16 02:29:59 UTC
Any particular reason why?  Having the wifi up doesn't really use more power or anything, and if you really don't want the wifi up, there's always the rfkill button.  (admittedly, that doesn't automatically turn wifi back on when undocking or unplugging the cable)

But in any case, is having the wifi on while wired is connected causing problems in any way?
Comment 3 Michael Kopp 2010-02-16 06:35:40 UTC
1. I want to ensure that I use the faster connection, which if both are running cannot be guaranteed as far as I know.

2. The wifi connection in my case is not the same network as the wired. the wifi needs VPN where as the wired does not.

3. I have a second wifi option via my cell phone (plays an AP). This is obviously rather expensive to use when I'm abroad and thus I would want to make sure I don't use it as soon as I plug in a wired connection

4. The same as point 3 can be said for any mobile/GMS connection.


So I don't have problems, rather I would like NM to go for 'faster', 'direct' and  'cheaper' connection automatically.
Comment 4 Dan Williams 2010-02-16 22:47:04 UTC
The default route, and thus the route that almost all connections will use, is assigned to the "best" device.  Currently, that's:

1. wired
2. wifi
3. mobile broadband

(You can force certain connections to never get the default route in the connection editor)

NetworkManager also manipulates the "metric" on the default route  using the same priority above, so even if your wired device gives you a 10.x.x.x subnet and your wifi device also gives you a 10.x.x.x subnet, the wired device will have the higher metric and your traffic will, by default, go out the wired device.

So you should almost always get the behavior you're expecting in Comment #3.
Comment 5 Michael Kopp 2010-02-17 06:57:17 UTC
hmm, I understand. I still think it would be good to be able to turn it off (mainly because I still can't prevent the traffic going of wireles) but I agree that in most cases it should not be necessary.
Comment 6 Tobias Mueller 2010-08-05 20:44:01 UTC
Hm. If I read the comments right, this is a WONTFIX. Feel free to reopen if you think otherwise.

FWIW: Michael, I think your usecase is quite unique and if you really care, you can delete the route for your wireless interface, i.e. smth like
ip route del `ip route | grep wlan0`