[pkg-wpa-devel] Bug#622821: wpasupplicant: reassociates after disconnect

[Kel Modderman]

Hi Andrew.

On Fri, 15 Apr 2011 07:36:00 AM Andrew Pimlott wrote:
> Package: wpasupplicant
> Version: 0.7.3-2
> Severity: normal
> 
> In the changelog:
> 
>   * After a disconnected event, attempt to reassociate to a network
>     when using wpa-roam.
> 
> If I'm understanding this correctly, I don't see the sense in this.  It
> definitely changes the user experience.  Before, in wpa_gui, if I click
> "Disconnect", I go off the wireless network and stay off.  Now, I come
> right back on, which seems unintuitive.  If I really want to stay off, I
> can't do it in wpa_gui, I have to ifdown.  You might argue this is a
> better to do it, but I think people might be used to doing a disconnect
> (in wpa_gui and other front-ends) to get off the wireless network.

I tend to agree with you, and what's more I cannot recall what information or
events led to the decision to introduce this behaviour. Would have to dig deep
through the history...

Would you be able to propose in patch form, the changes you would like?

> 
> Also, this change breaks /etc/wpa_supplicant/action_wpa.sh.  The
> comments in that script indicate an expectation that disconnect implies
> disable.  The ifplugd uses this script when it detects an ethernet cable
> plugged in.  As a result of this change, both the ethernet and wireless
> interfaces stay up and may step on each other.  (Which one gets the
> default route?  Also, I am seeing weird DHCP behavior that seems to be
> related.)  I'm not saying ifplugd is necessarily doing the right thing,
> but it was working before.

hmm, ok.

> 
> Let me know if I'm misunderstanding something.  Here is my wireless
> interface configuration in /etc/network/interfaces:
> 
>     iface eth1 inet manual
>         wpa-roam /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf
>         wpa-roam-default-iface default-wireless
> 
>     iface default-wireless inet dhcp

Looks pretty standard.

Thanks, Kel.