network indicator shows no connection but browser works

[Lorn Potter]

Using nexus 4, wifi is disabled

/bearer# system-image-cli -i
current build number: 391
device name: mako
channel: ubuntu-touch/rc-proposed/ubuntu
last update: 2016-03-16 13:49:10
version version: 391
version ubuntu: 20160316
version device: 20160315
version custom: 20160316

The network indicator shows no connection.
route -n says rmnet_usb1 is default. nmcli c says ril_0 context2 is connected, and browser works

~# route -n
Kernel IP routing table
Destination Gateway Genmask Flags Metric Ref Use Iface
0.0.0.0 10.65.67.101 0.0.0.0 UG 600 0 0 rmnet_usb1
10.65.67.0 0.0.0.0 255.255.255.0 U 600 0 0 rmnet_usb1

~# nmcli c
NAME UUID TYPE DEVICE
/505025500612657/context2 e1a9ae5f-e7f7-cc00-54ed-cb6806086620 gsm ril_0
/505025500612657/context1 c56a0ac7-b8b6-8d66-7e7f-6da831c64ea8 gsm --
llkcr2 bc7eb95d-1ff0-4f64-b6ea-f63084914945 802-11-wireless --
BIGPOND1DE4 bfcaf5ac-262e-4c7d-9998-d421022aef18 802-11-wireless --
TV 1 ea55c5bd-9156-4283-aade-2b615a352f1a 802-11-wireless --
TV 824802a9-9492-44dd-bc8c-01e0b34f8abc 802-11-wireless --
llkcr 96382cce-f023-434f-97ee-b1b6c4103b20 802-11-wireless --
OPTUSDN1E578A 69e23365-40a4-4c7b-a999-7d568fb5d9f5 802-11-wireless --
Telstra1708 f6d10847-fa02-4a49-9644-89f9f9d3e935 802-11-wireless --

~# nmcli d
DEVICE TYPE STATE CONNECTION
ril_0 gsm connected /505025500612657/context2
wlan0 wifi unavailable --
dummy0 dummy unmanaged --
rev_rmnet0 ethernet unmanaged --
rev_rmnet1 ethernet unmanaged --
rev_rmnet2 ethernet unmanaged --
rev_rmnet3 ethernet unmanaged --
rev_rmnet4 ethernet unmanaged --
rev_rmnet5 ethernet unmanaged --
rev_rmnet6 ethernet unmanaged --
rev_rmnet7 ethernet unmanaged --
rev_rmnet8 ethernet unmanaged --
rmnet0 ethernet unmanaged --
rmnet1 ethernet unmanaged --
rmnet2 ethernet unmanaged --
rmnet3 ethernet unmanaged --
rmnet4 ethernet unmanaged --
rmnet5 ethernet unmanaged --
rmnet6 ethernet unmanaged --
rmnet7 ethernet unmanaged --
rmnet_smux0 ethernet unmanaged --
lo loopback unmanaged --
sit0 unknown unmanaged --

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[Ren (ubuntech)]

I'm right with this report. Many times I've noticed that ...
network indicator shows no connection but other
network applications work (Telegram, weather/Meteo, ping).
Since I have no 3G services, network traffic can
only work if it goes thru the wifi interface.

[Jean-Baptiste Lallement (jibel)]

Seen on frieza too.

[Jonathan Pelletier (funmungus)]

Using OTA 10.1 on Aquaris M10 I have confirmed `nmcli` still works to turn on and off the wifi radio.

[Jonathan Pelletier (funmungus)]

On Frieza again, in my case the phablet user no longer had permissions. `nmcli general permissions` would list "no" for all permissions. After using `loginctl activate c1` I was able to enable and disable wifi from the network indicator.

[Pat McGowan (pat-mcgowan)]

Seeing this frequently on the m10.
Restarting indicator-network-service restores the proper state to the indicator.

[Daniel Frost (danfro)]

I do actually experience the opposite behaviour.
The indicator shows the network connection to be turned on ("H" symbol + "R" symbol) but I do actually not get network access. Textsecure, Browser, Weather-App, ... do not connect to the internet.

I have to admit, that at work I am sort of in the middle between 2G and 3G range (thick walls). So the phone keeps switching between the two. That happened with my old phone as well.

[Daniel Frost (danfro)]

Sorry, forgot to add, that I am using a BQ E5 with OTA 11. But this did happen on 9 or 10 as well.

[Pat McGowan (pat-mcgowan)]

I have not see this in proposed after recent nm updates, lets see if it reproduces for anyone.

[GTriderXC (gtriderxc)]

Valid also under OTA12

[GTriderXC (gtriderxc)]

I just added a comment to a bug#1589703 and thought it might be helpfull also in a network indicator case:

"What I noticed in two cases (valid also for a bug#1560373) is that the notification area doesn't update its status. It shows the alarm clock icon or network icon with no connection only as long as we do not drop notification area down. Always when I pull it down, the network icon updates and false alarm clock disappears. Seems like a whole notification area falls asleep and takes its status from an unknown point in time".

[Tomas Öqvist (tomoqv)]

This problem affects me every day on my Pro 5 running the latest rc-proposed. The network is not updated at all or with a very looooong delay. Most of the times when I leave my home wifi and go out, I can still notice the "no network" icon after 15 minutes or more even though the mobile data shows as 4G (see attached screenshot). The problem is more apparent when moving from wifi to mobile data then going from mobile data to wifi, but the problems occur quite often both ways.

In some form or another, this has been an issue on every UT phone I have owned (Nexus 4 several years back, Bq Aquaris E4.5 and Meizu Pro 5). The problem is that apps on the phone seems to ask the network indicator about the connection status, not checking if the device is actually connected or not, and therefore throwing me the dreadful "Network error" in any app that needs an internet connection.

Wouldn't it be better if the actual connection status determined the state for the apps trying to connect?

[Tomas Öqvist (tomoqv)]

I am reporting my #13 comment in a separate bug (https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/indicator-network/+bug/1616809) as the headline of this bug doesn't reflect the problem commented. I do, however, experience the issue in this bug fairly often. Network indicator says no connection, but I can still access the internet.