[SOLVED] In XFCE 3.1, "networking disabled" for guest

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claude
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[SOLVED] In XFCE 3.1, "networking disabled" for guest

Post#1 by claude » 13 Jun 2015, 05:12

Network Manager works perfectly fine for root, but when getting in xwindows from the guest account, the network connection button does not appear at all. Restarting network manager causes the network connection button to appear, but networking is blocked ("networking disabled. No network devices available").
It's definitely a matter of permissions. I've tried on three different laptops and I get the same behavior. Wireless works perfectly fine for root, but it's blocked as described for guest. I checked /etc/group and it seems alright, guest is granted access to netdev there.
Could someone give me a quick pointer on how to fix this, if feasible? Thanks..
Last edited by claude on 15 Jun 2015, 23:13, edited 3 times in total.

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Re: In XFCE 3.1, "networking disabled" for guest

Post#2 by claude » 13 Jun 2015, 16:21

Could it be that there was an update to fix this and it was not provided at the archive along with the original ISO?
I downloaded from http://dl.porteus.org/i486/current/
Unfortunately, I cannot utilize the update function, so I need to do this manually.
It would be great if someone in the know would chime in and explain how to do this, also great for learning purposes.
Using linux and Porteus can be a great learning experience for those interested to learn and I very much, I'm sure as many others do, like a hands-on approach when it comes to the systems I use. That's why I chose linux. And Porteus is great just for the same reason. I hope someone will chime in.

Also, how would one be able to use the update function if one cannot connect to the web because networking is down?
Another reason why it would be wise to provide update files along with the original ISO's in the archive.

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Re: FAA In XFCE 3.1, "networking disabled" for guest

Post#3 by francois » 13 Jun 2015, 16:30

I do not know if the correction to your problem is available in the porteus updates. To get the updates:
Panel menu > system settings > porteus updates (of something of the sort). 8)

A developper should come have a closer look to your network manager guest issue. :)
Prendre son temps, profiter de celui qui passe.

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Re: FAA In XFCE 3.1, "networking disabled" for guest

Post#4 by claude » 13 Jun 2015, 16:37

francois wrote:I do not know if the correction to your problem is available in the porteus updates. To get the updates:
Panel menu > system settings > porteus updates (of something of the sort). 8)
As I said, I cannot use the update function (by intent). I boot porteus from cdrom with no magic folders (no changes stored other than memory), so I need to do this manually. As I said, it can be a great learning experience for those interested to learn.

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Re: FAA In XFCE 3.1, "networking disabled" for guest

Post#5 by sunnysideofthesun » 13 Jun 2015, 16:53

To do it manually, for your platform you'd had to download from here http://dl.porteus.org/i486/testing/updates/ all modules which are related to your system (core, xorg and xfce) and then insert them into your porteus iso to directory where all other .xzm modules reside (/porteus/base). The tools and platform for iso manipulation (will you do that in windows or mac os or in linux, wherever) are your choice. Can't tell you if any of fixes are related to network.

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Re: FAA In XFCE 3.1, "networking disabled" for guest

Post#6 by claude » 13 Jun 2015, 17:12

sunnysideofthesun wrote:To do it manually, for your platform you'd had to download from here http://dl.porteus.org/i486/testing/updates/ all modules which are related to your system (core, xorg and xfce) and then insert them into your porteus iso to directory where all other .xzm modules reside (/porteus/base). The tools and platform for iso manipulation (will you do that in windows or mac os or in linux, wherever) are your choice. Can't tell you if any of fixes are related to network.
Thanks!

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Re: FAA In XFCE 3.1, "networking disabled" for guest

Post#7 by claude » 13 Jun 2015, 17:22

I experimented a bit and discovered a couple of things:

1) I tried out with MATE and KDE, and I experienced exactly the same problem, so it is not XFCE-related.

2) The problem disappears when I boot directly into level 4 (graphical interface). My preference has always been to boot into level 3 (cheatcode 3) and then start XWindows with startx. Now, when I do the latter, I experience the problem I have described. I'm inclined to think that's how Porteus v. 3.1 operates, but I would still consider it a bug, because you should be able to boot into level 3 and then start xwindows normally. This has never occurred with the previous versions of Porteus, it has all started with version 3.1. For instance, I'm now writing this from Porteus v. 3.0, booting first into level 3 and then starting xwindows...no problems with networking.

Now, if someone knowledgeable could answer the following questions, it would be much appreciated:

1) What enables user 'guest' to access and use networking when booting directly into graphical interface, and why the same privileges are not given when first booting into level 3 and then starting xwindows? That would be very interesting to know.

2) What can I change in order for 'guest' to be able to use networking while booting first into level 3 and then starting xwindows?

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Re: FAA In XFCE 3.1, "networking disabled" for guest

Post#8 by fanthom » 13 Jun 2015, 19:56

text mode operates in runlevel 3 while gui in runlevel 4. different scripts (and cheatcodes) operates in each runlevel.
if you really need to boot into text mode first then instead of 'startx' run 'init 4' command.
Please add [Solved] to your thread title if the solution was found.

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Re: FAA In XFCE 3.1, "networking disabled" for guest

Post#9 by claude » 14 Jun 2015, 00:56

fanthom wrote:text mode operates in runlevel 3 while gui in runlevel 4. different scripts (and cheatcodes) operates in each runlevel.
if you really need to boot into text mode first then instead of 'startx' run 'init 4' command.
Hi, I get the following when running 'init 4' from user guest:

guest@porteus:~$ init 4
-bash: init: command not found

You see user guest in text mode doesn't even have permission to run 'init 4' (which works just fine when done by the superuser in text mode).

If you don't mind my asking, why did 'startx' within the user guest account in text mode work as far as activating networking in xwindows in all previous version of Porteus, but stopped working in version 3.1? Is this done on purpose and for what reason? I'd like to know.
Also, if I boot into runlevel 3 with superuser root and then start xwindows from there with 'startx', networking works just fine, even though it was started with 'startx' in runlevel 3...everything works perfectly for superuser even though running the scripts and cheatcodes from runlevel 3. So, it's a matter of a change in restrictions to user guest in text mode...for what purpose?

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Re: FAA In XFCE 3.1, "networking disabled" for guest

Post#10 by fanthom » 14 Jun 2015, 09:49

i'm not 100% sure but i think its dbus/polkit related. when startx is used then guest session does not start necessary services and guest cant have privileges to manage networking.
use two methods and compare services which are started (ps aux).
Please add [Solved] to your thread title if the solution was found.

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Re: FAA In XFCE 3.1, "networking disabled" for guest

Post#11 by claude » 15 Jun 2015, 01:25

fanthom wrote:i'm not 100% sure but i think its dbus/polkit related. when startx is used then guest session does not start necessary services and guest cant have privileges to manage networking.
use two methods and compare services which are started (ps aux).
http://pastebin.com/PGZXCU0v

I don't have enough knowledge of dbus and polkit to make much of it, unfortunately.
One thing I noticed, though, when guest runs 'startx' from runlevel 3, the command 'nm-applet' is missing from the output of 'ps aux'. So I tried running 'nm-applet' as guest, but I get a warning that NMClient could not be initialized; and that "nm-applet failed to register as an agent: no session found for uid 1000."

I don't want to take more of your time with this, unless you find it interesting and care to dig deeper for your own purposes.
If not, I'll resign myself to booting into the graphical interface whenever I need networking, though, for sure, I'll miss the way things worked before.

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Re: [SOLVED] FAA In XFCE 3.1, "networking disabled" for gues

Post#12 by francois » 15 Jun 2015, 05:38

@Claude :
Maybe you should not write solved. Usually fanthom pursues until full resolution of the problem when possible. But that is your choice.
Prendre son temps, profiter de celui qui passe.

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Re: [SOLVED] FAA In XFCE 3.1, "networking disabled" for gues

Post#13 by sunnysideofthesun » 15 Jun 2015, 19:47

Humble 2 cents from someone who does only googling and reading posts from 2012 without understanding what it's all about, i.e. me.
While you're waiting for a fix, you may load graphical interface from init 3 level with logged guest with

Code: Select all

startxfce4 --with-ck-launch
command instead of startx. This way Network Manager works.

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Re: [SOLVED] FAA In XFCE 3.1, "networking disabled" for gues

Post#14 by claude » 15 Jun 2015, 22:31

sunnysideofthesun wrote:Humble 2 cents from someone who does only googling and reading posts from 2012 without understanding what it's all about, i.e. me.
While you're waiting for a fix, you may load graphical interface from init 3 level with logged guest with

Code: Select all

startxfce4 --with-ck-launch
command instead of startx. This way Network Manager works.
Hi, I just tried doing what you suggest but I'm getting the very same behavior I got with 'startx'. Network Manager still does not work.
Have you actually tried doing this with Porteus ver. 3.1 (current)? Because this worked ('startx' included) until ver. 3.0, then stopped working.

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Re: [SOLVED] FAA In XFCE 3.1, "networking disabled" for gues

Post#15 by claude » 15 Jun 2015, 22:33

francois wrote:@Claude :
Maybe you should not write solved. Usually fanthom pursues until full resolution of the problem when possible. But that is your choice.
OK, you're right. I'll remove it as to give fanthom the chance to read the later posts and decide if he wants to pursue this further. Thanks!

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