I've got a Dell M1210 laptop with intel 3945 wireless and b44 wired connections. I've noticed recently with nm (currently NetworkManager-0.7.0-0.9.3.svn3623.fc9.x86_64) that when I plug in the wired ethernet, the wireless does not get shut down. There is an ifcfg-eth0 file for the wired adapter (standard dhcp) but none for the wireless. The DHCP server is set up so that when connecting with either adapter to appropriate networks, the laptop gets the same ip address. nm-tool shows both states as connected and routing points to both devices. Some obfuscation applied: continuity> nm-tool NetworkManager Tool State: connected - Device: eth0 ---------------------------------------------------------------- Type: Wired Driver: b44 State: connected HW Address: <removed> Capabilities: Supported: yes Carrier Detect: yes Speed: 100 Mb/s Wired Settings IP Settings: IP Address: 132.177.241.<ip> Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0 Broadcast: 132.177.241.255 Gateway: 132.177.241.<gw> DNS: 132.177.241.<one> DNS: 132.177.241.<two> DNS: 132.177.241.<three> - Device: wlan0 ---------------------------------------------------------------- Type: 802.11 Wireless Driver: iwl3945 State: connected HW Address: <removed> Capabilities: Supported: yes Wireless Settings WEP Encryption: yes WPA Encryption: yes WPA2 Encryption: yes Wireless Access Points(* = Current AP) *RCC: Infra, <removed>, Freq 2437 MHz, Rate 0 Mb/s, Strength 92 IP Settings: IP Address: 132.177.241.<ip> Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0 Broadcast: 132.177.241.255 Gateway: 132.177.241.<gw> DNS: 132.177.241.<one> DNS: 132.177.241.<two> DNS: 132.177.241.<three> continuity> netstat -rn Kernel IP routing table Destination Gateway Genmask Flags MSS Window irtt Iface 132.177.241.0 0.0.0.0 255.255.255.0 U 0 0 0 eth0 132.177.241.0 0.0.0.0 255.255.255.0 U 0 0 0 wlan0 0.0.0.0 132.177.241.<gw>0.0.0.0 UG 0 0 0 eth0 continuity> This is from a standard preview install with all rawhide updates applied. The ifcfg-eth0 was created by anaconda. I tried explicitly making it nm-controlled but it didn't make a difference. I just started my laptop from suspend with the wired etherned plugged in. Network was disabled as sometimes happens when resuming. After I enabled networking, nm first enabled the wired device and then the wireless one.
I've seen the same thing on an IBM ThinkPad
This is expected; NetworkManager will bring up any device it find that has a connection with autoconnect=TRUE. If you do not want to autoconnect a device, turn off the "Connect automatically" option for the connection by using the Connection Editor (/usr/bin/nm-connection-editor, or right-click on the applet and choose "Edit Connections..."). Wired devices without an ifcfg file are also brought up automatically with DHCP, if you don't want that to happen then create a system-config-network configuration for the device and chekc "Controlled by NetworkManager". Please reopen if you have further questions or this doesn't work. Thanks!
My wired device has an ifcfg file and is set to be controlled by nm. What am I missing? It used to be that if/when wired was plugged in, it was used and wireless was turned off.
Changing version to '9' as part of upcoming Fedora 9 GA. More information and reason for this action is here: http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/BugZappers/HouseKeeping
Thomas: latest updates to NM have enabled the multiple device support functionality. This has always been present in F9 and was recently backported to F8. You shouldn't notice any real difference in the operation of your computer, simply that when you disconnect the cable you'll still be connected to wireless. If you'd like to turn wireless off, you can uncheck the Enable Wireless checkbox in the right-click menu of the applet.
I now understand that this is a feature but in my case, it causes problems. Both up adapters end up with the same IP address (my DHCP is configured that way on purpose). I'm not positive but I also believe this causes the wireless adapter to be used for the local subnet since it's listed first in the routing table (see comment #1). In most cases, I'm trying to get the added benefit of speed when I plug in the wired adapter and at work and home, the main systems I talk with are on the same subnet. Since wlan0 is up, my packets take the slow route. Shutting off wireless works for me but it might be nice to have a simple option of "Use one network device at a time" or something like that. I can see reasons for allowing more than one but there's also my reason of only wanting one. Thanks.
I want to add a "me too" to the comment #6. Surely it is possible to have wireless disabled by default and enable it only manually, but it is not nice from the usability point of view. There should be an option for "when the wired ethernet is plugged in, shut down all wireless interfaces, and when it is unplugged, try to enable the wireless ones" (as it worked in F8). As I guess that most desktop users want this beaviour rather than "keep all autoconfigured interfaces up", I would even say the former should be the default.
I just wanna tell that I'm on the comment #6 and comment #7 side.