network-manager-applet doesn't reconnect automatically Huawei E172 3G

[itsjustarumour]

Binary package hint: network-manager

I use a Huawei E172 3G USB dongle for my internet connection (on Vodafone).

If the Vodafone 3G signal drops out for a moment (which in the real world it often does), and then the signal reappears a monent later, network-manager does not automatically re-connect to the 3G network - leaving me with no internet connection. Manual intevention is then required, by left-clicking on the applet icon and selecting my "Mobile Broadband - Vodafone Contract" connection from the list. Manual intervention should not be necessary - network-manager-applet should automatically restart once a 3G signal is available again.

Technical details:

Distro Version - Ubuntu Karmic 9.10, 32-bit, default fresh install with latest updates
Desktop Environment - GNOME 2.28.1 (Ubuntu 2009-11-03)
Kernel - Linux 2.6.31-19-generic
System - Athlon 64 3400 2.2GHz processor, NVidia 6800LE graphics, 1.5MB RAM
Network Manager Applet Version - 0.7.996
Modem - Huawei E172 USB stick on Vodafone with latest firmware

Steps to reproduce:

1. Right-click on NM-Applet icon in system tray.
2. Select "Edit Connections".
3. Click on "Mobile Broadband" tab.
4. Highlight the connection (in my case "Vodafone Contract").
5. Click on "Edit".
6. "Allow application access to keyring" box appears. Click on "Always Allow".
7. "Editing Vodafone Contract" box appears.
8. Put a tick in the checkbox for "Connect automatically" at the top.
9. Save settings and exit the box.
10. The next time no 3G signal is available, the internet connection is broken.

What happens:

As soon as a 3G signal is available again, network-manager-applet does not automatically re-connect.

What should happen:

network-manager-applet should automatically restart once a 3G signal is available again, without manual intervention from the user.

ProblemType: Bug
Architecture: i386
Date: Sun Feb 7 16:31:02 2010
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 9.10
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 9.10 "Karmic Koala" - Release i386 (20091028.5)
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
Package: network-manager 0.8~a~git.20091013t193206.679d548-0ubuntu1
ProcEnviron:
 LANG=en_GB.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.31-19.56-generic
SourcePackage: network-manager
Uname: Linux 2.6.31-19-generic i686

[Carey (carey)]

I have the same problem with my two USB 3G devices: a Huawei E169 and a Huawei E160E on Ubuntu 10.04 (Lucid Lynx) with latest updates as of September 8th, 2010. Same issue with two different mobile broadband providers in Australia that I use (Internode and Virgin).

So it's not particular to your E172. I think the bug is just to do with the woeful inadequacy of Network Manager. It doesn't have reliable "persist" features. It regularly gets its nickers in a twist and just refuses to keep trying a connection, it just spits the dummy and gives up - permanently until the user manually clicks connect. Silly.

There really needs to be some decent and reliable "persist" options with NM.

Windows is way better in this regard, by default Windows always tries to reconnect and is noticeably more reliable at keeping connections up, no matter if your DHCP server is temporarily unavailable or your signal is out for a bit, or whatever, it keeps trying.