Connman not saving passphrases, How to ensure Gemini (Debian) can reconnect after rebooting Options

[skodaczar]

Hello all,

Possibly clueless newbie question spoiler alert...

I have flashed my wifi-only Gemini to dual-boot and am generally loving it. One niggle is that Conmann doesn't remember my network and passphrase/password after I reboot, meaning I need to enable network access, find my network and type in my passphrase whenever I switch from Android to Debian.

How can I make Connman remember my network and passphrase and, ideally, reconnect whenever I reboot?

Thanks for your patience with a new user.

[DonOregano]

Well, strangely enough I had the same problem while I had my Gemini flashed without a proper NVRAM (as described in https://www.oesf.org/forum/index.php?showto...p;#entry288378). When I reflashed with my backed up NVRAM passwords got saved correctly again.

Most likely that is not your issue, though. But I thought it worth mentioning anyway...

[SNi]

Mine keeps my WiFi password, etc. and other setups, EXCEPT every time I switch to Debian it doesn't retain the time zone..

[epertinez]

Did anybody figure out how to solve it? Where is the data supposed to be stored? It happens to me both with Connman and with Synergy. Did anybody found a workaround? Having to activate Wifi, choose Wifi spot and Passphrase makes the system little usable.

[Adam Boardman]

I only ever had issues with connman storing passwords with the very first DebianTP1 and after an apt upgrade etc it has since worked fine. Whilst it was refusing to remember anything it was also getting a new IP address from my router via DHCP which indicates that its reading/setting of the MAC address was also confused.

[tuk0z]

Same issue with Connman forgetting my WiFi network and passphrase everytime I reboot.
Have a Gemini WiFi flashed with Flashtool and images from 2019-06. Gemian is up-to-date, no other sources added than Debian backports (problem pre-existed).

[mithrandir]

Recently there has been reported an issue with the new firmware. The mac id changed on reboot. Conman stores the keys per mac id, thus the saved one from the boot before is not being used.
@see: https://www.oesf.org/forum/index.php?showto...35793&st=45

The
chattr +i /nvdata/APCFG/APRDEB/WIFI
part seems to have done the trick.

[pbek]

Since Android is generating a new mac address for your wifi interface at every reboot and Connman is storing the mac address in its services you would need to enter your wifi passwords every time you reboot.

Fortunately there is a way to lock the mac address.

1) install hexedit:

CODE

sudo apt install hexedit

2)

CODE

sudo hexedit /nvdata/APCFG/APRDEB/WIFI

and set a mac address in bytes 04-09 (mind that the base is 0, so it starts at the 5th byte) of the first row (0)

3) set the i attr on the file:

CODE

sudo chattr +i /nvdata/APCFG/APRDEB/WIFI

This will lock down the mac address.

I've updated DebianTP3 Wiki and other wiki entries.

[Thiago Alves]

2)

CODE

sudo hexedit /nvdata/APCFG/APRDEB/WIFI

and set a mac address in bytes 04-09 (mind that the base is 0, so it starts at the 5th byte) of the first row (0)

It doesn't let me write to the file, even on root. I tried changing permissions but it also failed:

CODE

sudo chmod +w /nvdata/APCFG/APRDEB/WIFI
chmod: changing permissions of '/nvdata/APCFG/APRDEB/WIFI': Operation not permitted

[bled82]

any idea where or what the file name is in sailfish ? trying to run sailfish only .

[n3w_b00n]

Fortunately there is a way to lock the mac address.

1) install hexedit:

CODE

sudo apt install hexedit

2)

CODE

sudo hexedit /nvdata/APCFG/APRDEB/WIFI

and set a mac address in bytes 04-09 (mind that the base is 0, so it starts at the 5th byte) of the first row (0)

3) set the i attr on the file:

CODE

sudo chattr +i /nvdata/APCFG/APRDEB/WIFI

Hello.

I have executed these steps several times with hexedit and the i attr, but unfortunately they have no effect. Every time I reboot, the mac address in the file /nvdata/APCFG/APRDEB/WIFI is changed back to the old one and I need to reconnect the wireless network. What am I doing wrong? Did I miss something?

I'm not sure if I made the correct input, so I added a picture. My Gemini PDA runs Android 8.1 and Debian.

Attached thumbnail(s)