Re: Testing of rapid_commit patch

[Michael Tremer <michael.tremer@ipfire.org>]

[-- Attachment #1: Type: text/plain, Size: 2619 bytes --]

Hello,

> On 29 Nov 2024, at 11:50, Nick Howitt <nick(a)howitts.co.uk> wrote:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On 29/11/2024 11:21, Adolf Belka wrote:
>> Hi Michael, 
>> 
>> I had previously tested your rapid_commit patch on my vm network system. However as that network does not have a problem with the rapid_commit option it was not the best test. 
>> 
>> I said that i would test it out on my production system after the visit to my family. I have now got around to that. 
>> 
>> My new ISP, that bought out the very good technically based ISP I used to have, is one of the ones that has a DHCP server that just times out if you have the rapid_commit option in the dhcpcd config file. 
>> 
>> So I updated my production IPFire to Core-Update 190 Development Build: master/1e2abd66 
>> 
>> After rebooting the connection was lost as the rapid_commit option is on by default. 
>> 
>> I then ran the setup program and unchecked the rapid commit box on the red interface and then rebooted and the connection  was running. 
>> 
>> Another reboot still had the connection running. 
>> 
>> So I can confirm that the  patch is working . 
>> 
>> The only thing that came to mind is when we do the update people who have removed or commented out the rapid_commit option in dhcpcd.conf will lose their connection. 
>> 
>> So either 
>> 
>>  * we need to have the update check if the rapid_commit option has been commented out or has been removed and then disable the rapid commit option for the red interface. 
>> 
>> or 
>> 
>>  * we need to make sure that it is well communicated that anyone who has disabled the rapid_commit option needs to run the setup program after the upgrade (maybe before the reboot) to disable the option for the red interface. 
>> 
>> We can discuss this at our next conf call meeting on 3rd or 4th Dec. 
>> 
>> Regards, 
>> 
>> Adolf. 
>> 
> Can you not try to automate the upgrade so that it initially tries DHCP with rapid_commit enabled. If it times out, retry with rapid_commit disabled. If that succeeds, then keep rapid_commit disabled. If it fails, re-enable rapid_commit then fail? It could also be done for new installations choosing DHCP and for installations switching from Static/PPPoE to DHCP.

This would be a great method - if we have to accept that ISPs are now running this completely broken DHCP services.

However, the code does not easily allow this. We should not generally disable the setting if someone failed to plug a cable in and looking at how few people actually run into this problem at this time, we might not need to over engineer this.