Re: NetworkManager connection gets stuck in pending state when bringing up AP mode connection with IWD backend

[Denis Kenzior <denkenz@gmail.com>]

Hi James,

On 5/7/24 5:12 PM, James Hilliard wrote:
> On Tue, May 7, 2024 at 3:40 PM Denis Kenzior <denkenz@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> Hi James,
>>
>>>>
>>>> Should only be using the Start(ssid, psk) method. Its really that simple
>>>> so I don't see how it could really get anything wrong as far as being
>>>> notified. But again, I'm not too familiar with NM.
>>>
>>> Looking into this that doesn't appear to be entirely accurate, that method
>>> seems to be working fine but is not the only API NM uses to interface with
>>> IWD.
>>>
>>> It looks like NM is also using this for interface configuration:
>>> https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/network/wireless/iwd.git/tree/doc/agent-api.txt
>>
>> That is only relevant for Station interfaces (i.e. client mode) if you're
>> running iwd with EnableNetworkConfiguration=true.  The Access Point mode is not
>> setup to report network configuration details via this infrastructure.
> 
> The docs indicate that RegisterNetworkConfigurationAgent is relevant for:
> station-mode, AP-mode or P2P connection

Indeed.  But note that NetworkConfigurationAgent API is marked experimental and 
there's no infrastructure that would enable AP to invoke this agent at the 
moment.  It is only integrated with l_netconfig which is used for client side only.

It may be the intent was to add this functionality eventually, but it isn't 
there now.  I'm surprised NM tries to use it for AP mode actually.  Maybe Andrew 
(who wrote much of the code on both iwd and NM sides) would know.

> 
> If AP mode doesn't support this interface then how should the network
> configuration details be reported to NM when running in AP mode?

Well, I see two options:
   - If NM expects IP details from iwd even in AP mode, then teach iwd to do this
   - Make NM only use NetworkConfigurationAgent in station mode

Regards,
-Denis