network device config misalignment

[kallisti5]

The coupling of /boot/system/settings/network/interfaces is too loose to the network card.

/boot/system/settings/network/interfaces:

interface    /dev/net/emulex_oce/0 {
    address inet {
        address 192.168.254.200
        mask 255.255.255.0
    }
}

Reboot with only one network card (blacklist emulex_oce for example): /dev/net/rtl81xx/0

The device /dev/net/rtl81xx/0 is configured with 192.168.254.200 instead of being unconfigured.

[kallisti5]

LOL. We always see network device name as NULL and load the first entry we find in /boot/system/settings/network/interfaces for every interface.

• ​https://git.haiku-os.org/haiku/tree/src/kits/network/libnetapi/NetworkSettings.cpp#n303 _Load()
• ​https://git.haiku-os.org/haiku/tree/src/kits/network/libnetapi/NetworkSettings.cpp#n585
• ​https://git.haiku-os.org/haiku/tree/headers/os/add-ons/network_settings/NetworkSettings.h#n75

[kallisti5]

I'm not 100% sure that something doesn't come in later and call SetName, but the NULL check at ​https://git.haiku-os.org/haiku/tree/src/kits/network/libnetapi/NetworkSettings.cpp#n585 means it's a big unknown.

I think the NULL check is there as a generic "if no NIC name, apply static IP to the first nic", however that creates a lot of unknown behavior.

If someone swaps a NIC, we really should start ignoring the configuration for it since with multiple NIC's things get a bit complex.

Maybe that NULL check should be returned as B_ENTRY_NOT_FOUND?

[axeld]

That's actually intended behavior. There is no problem in NetworkSettings, the logic for this sits in the ​net_server, it's even documented now :-)

I don't really see a reason to change this, but if you see one, please elaborate.

On the plus side, you can boot the same Haiku installation with static IP settings from different hardware, or even from a VM.

On the other side, it's unexpected. The need for specific settings might be rare enough that this logic is too much.

Maybe others can chime in and voice their opinion, too.

[nielx]

Remove milestone for tickets with status = closed and resolution != fixed