NetworkManagement widget: not connecting to wifi automatically

[Feathers McGraw]

Hmm, actually I can't see any passwords either, I have quite a few "maps" in the NM section of my Kwallet, do you? Not sure what these are.

[Teunis]

Hmm yes, there are maps with a code + readable extension like wireless security, vpn and gsm.
So maybe the passwords that are visible in/ retrievable via the NM applet are mirrored or stored here...

[SteveRiley]

Just seen this, tried it and it worked! Thank you! I wonder why though?

It appears that there's been a terminology change in the latest release of Network Manager Conection Editor. The setting now known as All users may connect to this network was previously System connection (or similar -- Google for some images).

Network Manager will bring up only system interfaces -- er, "all users" interfaces -- during boot. Per-user interfaces require manual raising. Note that this appears to be distinct from the setting Automatically connect to this network when it is available. That setting likely controls roaming -- if you roam from one wifi network to another, your computer will switch automatically when this option is selected. But you still have to start the interface, and that looks like a manual process if the interface is per-user.

I also noticed that the PSK for this network is hard coded into the file, whereas other networks have the psk-flags=1 parameter set, which hands control of the password over to the "user session secret agent" (Kwallet in this case).... Does anyone know if the password is always hardcoded in the file when the connection is shared between all users?

This would support what I wrote above. System interfaces -- rats, "all users" interfaces -- have to be managed before a user logs in. There is no system-wide KWallet, so the wi-fi password has to be stored someplace where the system itself can retrieve it.

[Feathers McGraw]

Neat, thanks Steve! I think we'll see more of this question from other people - I don't think "all users may connect to this network" was ticked by default.

[Teunis]

As usual, we can rely on Steve to bring it into perspective
Yes now I remember this being called System connection or such.
But the issue has been around for some time, it didn't bite me because I had this System connection enabled for years as I like to have a connection in case I brake the desktop and have to fix it from the terminal.
(Yes I know how to connect from the terminal but it's a pain.)