GNOME Bugzilla – Bug 748476
Airplane mode is confusing and does not work properly
Last modified: 2021-06-09 16:13:41 UTC
Fedora 22 rawhide Gnome 3.16.1 For reasons of travel I quite had to use airplane mode, and I'va realized how confusing it is to use in Gnome. First, there is no quick way to enable/disable airplane mode from de system menu and strangely there is only one switch in the network panel (bluetooth why not?) and when it is off, turn on the wifi and bluetooth independent of its previous state. This is very confusing for the next situations: -If you have a wifi/bluetooth off and airplane mode on,the selection menu (system menu) will ask airplane mode off/wifi on. By doing this, it will turn on wifi and bluetooth. -If you have wifi and bluetooth off and turning off the airplane mode of the system menu/network panel, you activate bluetooth and wifi stay off. -If airplane mode is activated, and only the wifi is turned on, the airplane mode turns off and bluetooth stays off. -If you have wifi off and bluetooth on, turning off bluetooth from the system menu/bluetooth panel. Airplane mode is not activated. The function of the airplane mode is off all wireless networks for the safety or prevent interference to sites that require it (therefore airplane mode is a mode of security and not a quick turn off the wifi). When airplane mode is activated, it should not be able to activate the wifi or bluetooth unless the airplane mode is turned off (as it is a security mode) to avoid accidentally turning on devices. For example, on Android, I consider it a mistake to turn on wifi or bluetooth while holding airplane mode enabled. In Gnome, airplane mode should work in a more transparent manner, maintaining the previous state (on / off) of wireless devices in the system (being off) and independent of the user settings (currently turning off wifi is turned on airplane mode automatically, triggering another layer (more clicks) to activate wifi). Thanks
One thing that it should be noted: on modern planes from several airlines WiFi is allowed and even offered on board, so the reasoning that you should not be able to enable wifi/bluetooth for safety when airplane mode is on does not really hold.
(In reply to Giovanni Campagna from comment #1) > One thing that it should be noted: on modern planes from several airlines > WiFi is allowed and even offered on board, so the reasoning that you should > not be able to enable wifi/bluetooth for safety when airplane mode is on > does not really hold. That I have in mind, I heard the news. but it is far from being a standard or otherwise that most airlines offer this service, hence the "airplane mode" is still relevant. On the other hand, is not only used on board an airplane (it was his first reference) is also applied in hospitals, gas stations, etc. The use of reference is for safety, and thus extrapolated to other circumstances.
(In reply to Bastián Díaz from comment #0) > Fedora 22 rawhide > Gnome 3.16.1 > > For reasons of travel I quite had to use airplane mode, and I'va realized > how confusing it is to use in Gnome. > > First, there is no quick way to enable/disable airplane mode from de system > menu That's something to file against gnome-shell. > and strangely there is only one switch in the network panel (bluetooth > why not?) Because the Bluetooth panel only offers to control Bluetooth adapters. > and when it is off, turn on the wifi and bluetooth independent of > its previous state. This is very confusing for the next situations: > > -If you have a wifi/bluetooth off and airplane mode on,the selection menu > (system menu) will ask airplane mode off/wifi on. By doing this, it will > turn on wifi and bluetooth. That's done in engine_set_airplane_mode() in gnome-settings-daemon, as we have no way to know whether there's an overriding platform killswitch, so we just "unblock" all the killswitches. > -If you have wifi and bluetooth off and turning off the airplane mode of the > system menu/network panel, you activate bluetooth and wifi stay off. > > -If airplane mode is activated, and only the wifi is turned on, the airplane > mode turns off and bluetooth stays off. > > -If you have wifi off and bluetooth on, turning off bluetooth from the > system menu/bluetooth panel. Airplane mode is not activated. It should, unless you have a platform killswitch, or a modem. See the output of "rfkill list" to check, and file a separate bug against gnome-settings-daemon if you don't. > The function of the airplane mode is off all wireless networks for the > safety or prevent interference to sites that require it (therefore airplane > mode is a mode of security and not a quick turn off the wifi). > > When airplane mode is activated, it should not be able to activate the wifi > or bluetooth unless the airplane mode is turned off (as it is a security > mode) to avoid accidentally turning on devices. For example, on Android, I > consider it a mistake to turn on wifi or bluetooth while holding airplane > mode enabled. > > In Gnome, airplane mode should work in a more transparent manner, > maintaining the previous state (on / off) of wireless devices in the system > (being off) and independent of the user settings (currently turning off wifi > is turned on airplane mode automatically, triggering another layer (more > clicks) to activate wifi). That's a nice idea, but it's impossible to implement in the current state of things. Attach the output of "rfkill list" here to see whether we can fix it. I doubt we can.
(In reply to Bastien Nocera from comment #3) > > That's something to file against gnome-shell. > OK > > Because the Bluetooth panel only offers to control Bluetooth adapters. > I understand. But Bluetooth is a wireless network, and "airplane mode" regulates wireless networks (I forgot to mention before GSM, 3G, 4G, etc.) Currently suits me to access a bluetooth panel, but should not be another network in network panel? > > It should, unless you have a platform killswitch, or a modem. See the output > of "rfkill list" to check, and file a separate bug against > gnome-settings-daemon if you don't. > I do not understand well. The output "rfkill list" is: 0: acer-wireless: Wireless LAN Soft blocked: no Hard blocked: no 1: acer-bluetooth: Bluetooth Soft blocked: yes Hard blocked: no 2: phy0: Wireless LAN Soft blocked: no Hard blocked: no Particularly in this laptop, I do not have hardware buttons on / off wireless networking. So what I should do a bug report for WiFi and Bluetooth separately? > > That's a nice idea, but it's impossible to implement in the current state of > things. Attach the output of "rfkill list" here to see whether we can fix > it. I doubt we can. I understand. From a technical perspective I do not understand much, but I made the report from the usability that I have as a user of the desktop environment. Thanks
Hey Bastián, thanks for the report. (In reply to Bastián Díaz from comment #0) ... > First, there is no quick way to enable/disable airplane mode from de system > menu This is because airplane mode isn't used frequently by many users - it helps to keep the menu focused and ensures that everything in there is relevant. > and strangely there is only one switch in the network panel (bluetooth > why not?) I agree that the placement of the airplane mode option is a little odd. It is a system mode, and would more logically belong on its own, at a higher level (this would be worth considering in a future control center redesign). Currently it is only in the network section because people tend to associate it with network (primarily Wi-Fi and 3G), so that's where they tend to look for it. ... > When airplane mode is activated, it should not be able to activate the wifi > or bluetooth unless the airplane mode is turned off ... > maintaining the previous state (on / off) of wireless devices in the system > (being off) and independent of the user settings (currently turning off wifi > is turned on airplane mode automatically I agree with this description of the desired behaviour. Conceptually, airplane mode is an override. This means: * It shouldn't be possible to turn on affected services while it is on. * When airplane mode is turned off, the previous state should be restored. * Affected services being turned off doesn't equate to airplane mode being on.
(In reply to Allan Day from comment #5) > Hey Bastián, thanks for the report. ;) > (In reply to Bastián Díaz from comment #0) > ... > > First, there is no quick way to enable/disable airplane mode from de system > > menu > > This is because airplane mode isn't used frequently by many users - it helps > to keep the menu focused and ensures that everything in there is relevant. > I understand the point, however, in the current version a switch on/off the gyroscope is available (which is very useful), but my laptop I think the trend of manufacturers bring the laptops market is not dependent on physical buttons for controlling specific hardware. In smartphones, tables or hybrids so, and most mobile operating systems come with software based control switches (gyroscope, bluetooth, wi-fi, gps, airplane mode, etc.). For me, it would be ideal in the new notification menu or system menu, a bar that allows on/off switches for various components displayed that are available Thanks
GNOME is going to shut down bugzilla.gnome.org in favor of gitlab.gnome.org. As part of that, we are mass-closing older open tickets in bugzilla.gnome.org which have not seen updates for a longer time (resources are unfortunately quite limited so not every ticket can get handled). If you can still reproduce the situation described in this ticket in a recent and supported software version, then please follow https://wiki.gnome.org/GettingInTouch/BugReportingGuidelines and create a new bug report at https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gnome-control-center/-/issues/ Thank you for your understanding and your help.