Package: freedombox-setup
Version: 0.10
Summary: I installed Debian with static-IP network configuration, it
worked. I then ran freedombox-setup, and my network connection stopped
working.
There is apparently no way or no simple way to set up static IPs on
Freedombox. Ideally, I would like freedombox-setup to automatically
preserve the existing network configuration from the Debian box on which
it is installed. Failing that, I would like documentation of this hitch,
clear warnings and error messages, and manual instructions for using
static IPs on Freedombox, if possible.
Details:
I installed Debian from CD using the graphical install. I encrypted the
disk. Under "select and install software", I deselected all the Desktop
environments, because I wanted a command-line-only system.
As part of the install, I inputted the network information for the
static-IP-only, DHCP-less, behind-a-firewall LAN I wanted to connect to
while I set up the FreedomBox.
I asked not to participate in popularity-contest, but the text under the
progress bar said that I was installing it! I stopped it, went back,
re-selected the option, and it didn't change anything; I saw the same text
flicker past. I suspect this was actually just an minor, irrelevant error
with the messages.
I had a brief hang-up where the system refused to believe that it still
had an install disk ("Media change" error). I ejected and re-inserted, and
it produced a different error message; I ejected and re-inserted for a
second time, and it worked.
I got two sets of apparently harmless error messages, these:
https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=846946
https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=807996
But apart from that, no problems, and I doubt these minor snags are
relevant. The connection worked, the install worked, I had a working
command-line-only Debian system.
I then installed debsig-verify using apt-get. I checked, and popularity
contest was not installed.
I followed the instructions at
https://wiki.debian.org/FreedomBox/Hardware/Debian
with one modification: I had no problems with the policykit-1 bug and did
not do the workaround. I did remove the network config, except for
loopback, from /etc/network/interfaces, as per the instructions.
I did the double reboot. It all looked fine, and I was impressed by
FreedomBox's ease on install. I didn't notice that I had no network
connection until I tried to configure the Freedombox, and couldn't get
hold of the interface.
In the new FreedomBox's /etc/hosts, I still had my assigned system name
and IP from the Debian install, but the new FreedomBox did not respond to
them from other machines on the local network. I couldn't access anything
outside the FreedomBox from the FreedomBox.
I could not edit the relevant fields via nmtui. I could select the fields,
but not type into them. There was no message telling me why.
Setting up static IPs via nmcli seems horribly complex, and reportedly
also sometimes unreliable, which for a server would be problematic:
https://bbs.nextthing.co/t/wanted-a-nice-simple-unambiguous-way-to-configure-static-ip/13870/7
Despite what it says in this 2015 bug:
https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=797614
...disabling network manager ('systemctl stop network-manager"),
restoring the commented-out lines in /etc/interfaces, and running "ifdown
-a", "ifup -a" did not allow me to configure the network manually.
Expected behaviour:
I expect a new system to need network setup, but once the network is
working, I expected that it would continue working for at least the rest
of the install. I was not expecting that freedombox-setup would undo an
function-essential part of the Debian setup without warning me or giving
an error message.
Possible fixes:
If a FreedomBox has no functioning network when freedombox-setup
completes, I'd suggest that it should give an error message. This is
especially important if all subsequent configuration is likely to be done
over the network. An error message upon boot if a FreedomBox finds no
network connection might be generally good.
If I had read that FreedomBox did not support static IPs, I would not have
installed it, as I am required to use them. If FreedomBox does not support
static IPs, I suggest that it say so clearly in the documentation, perhaps
in the install instructions as well as the manual.
It seems to me that ideally, freedombox-setup would automatically preserve
any existing network configuration of any Debian box it is used upon.
Configuring the network only once, using Debian's well-tested network
configuration, might contribute to a simple, robust install.
If freedombox-setup cannot automatically preserve any functioning network
connection of a Debian box it is used upon, I suggest that it should give
warning when it is used on Debian systems having an unpreservable network
configurations.
For instance, if freedombox-setup is run on a machine with static IP
setup, and it can't preserve that setup, I suggest that it should stop,
report the incompatibility, and offer the user a choice: abort the setup,
or continue, knowing that this will mean blowing away the existing network
configuration and using dynamic IPs.
If it is possible to use static IPs on Freedombox, but it requires
post-setup manual re-configuration, I'd suggest that that configuration be
described in
https://wiki.debian.org/FreedomBox/Manual#FreedomBox.2FManual.2FNetworks.Networks
I would suggest that this documentation be referred to in the error
messages suggested above.
I'm happy to answer questions, and I will keep the non-functioning
FreedomBox around for a bit, lest someone ask me to test something on it.
