[clug] KDE 3: KNetworkManager and Kppp (kubuntu 8.04 LTS)

[steve jenkin]

Anyone know *for sure* the 'secret sauce' (or where to find it) needed
to integrate KNetworkManager and Kppp under KDE 3??

Whilst I'm trying to make landline dial-up work, with the rise of Mobile
Wireless (3G esp), this hoary old chestnut raises it's ugly head again
and others will hit the same wall.

To quote Kubuntu release notes:
<https://wiki.kubuntu.org/HardyHeron/Alpha1/Kubuntu>

> KNetworkManager
> INFO: http://en.opensuse.org/Projects/KNetworkManager
>  KMenu -> Internet -> KNetworkManager
> 
> KNetworkManager is the KDE front end for NetworkManager. It provides
> a sophisticated and intuitive user interface which enables users
> easily to switch their network environment. The latest updates for
> KNetworkManager in Kubuntu 8.04 include added support for PPP and
> KPPP and also the support for PPTP has been enabled.

The OpenSuSE page says:
> KNetworkManager has been completely rewritten as a KDE 4 application for openSUSE 11.2.

Hmmmmm... Why are they talking about KDE 4 when it's a KDE 3 distro?

> For both, Wireless LAN and Wired LAN, NetworkManager supports devices known to HAL.

and

> Dial-Up
> PPPoE connections should Just Work.

But they don't or I won't be writing...


They then point to a KDE page:
<http://userbase.kde.org/NetworkManagement>

Which offers less help/insight again - but does say some good things
about what to send in for a bug report.

The KPPP page by KDE is more useless (unbelievably!)
<http://userbase.kde.org/KPPP>

> The Network Manager suite is implementing PPP functionality that will
> probably, in time, make KPPP obsolete.

This page (screenshot of KnetworkManager doing dial-up) implies "don't
run KPPP":
<http://en.opensuse.org/File:Knetworkmanager-dialup.png>

I've trawled a large number of forum threads and tracked through
countless pages and comments.

There were a number of references to /etc/network/interfaces being read
by NetworkManager - and knowing to manage items marked 'auto' or 'dhcp'
(and leave 'static' and 'manual' alone - and not display).


There was a hint there about NM talking to HAL (& lshal).
I can't see where to find more about that...

A Sept-2008 blog post by someone reasonably technical who connected a
Nokia 6165i via bluetooth:
<http://administratosphere.wordpress.com/2008/09/26/tethering-a-nokia-6165i-to-a-compaq-nc4010-using-bluetooth-kubuntu/>
[contains comments about lack of integration]

The piece gives a lot of info about bluetooth & connecting a device.
Mentions that KNetworkManager and KPPP don't play well together, then
gives instructions only for KPPP.

This sentence may be a *clue* that it's a permissions problems, but I'm
after *for sure*. If anyone can clarify this is part of the
problem/solution, I'd appreciate that :-)

> Because of the conflict between kppp configuration and the
> KNetworkManager configuration, a setup step may be worth doing (as
> root):



For those wanting more amusement:
<https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/knetworkmanager/+bug/86680>

> Yuriy Kozlov wrote on 2008-05-29:	 #50
> See also:
> A report requesting to have kppp set the network status correctly
> for knetworkmanager is bug 193907
> 
> The bug in Ubuntu is bug 191889.

<https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/kdenetwork/+bug/193907>
Status: Won't Fix (2009-09-03)

> The KDE3 version of KNetworkManager has been discontinued by its original authors. 


Don't you just love it!!!

Life was not meant to be easy... Computers ensure this.

Thanks in Advance for any help, insight or (hopefully) some simple solution.

cheers
steve


-- 
Steve Jenkin, Info Tech, Systems and Design Specialist.
0412 786 915 (+61 412 786 915)
PO Box 48, Kippax ACT 2615, AUSTRALIA

sjenkin at canb.auug.org.au http://members.tip.net.au/~sjenkin