[SOLVED] Ubuntu 16.04: can I "delay" starting the network manager service?

d_K · 12-21-2016, 02:49 PM

I have unresolved wifi issues on 16.04. However, on every boot,

Code:

sudo systemctl restart network-manager.service

usually solves my issue. I'm wondering if simply delaying the service might work...if delaying is not possible, then I'll just use a script like this to restart it and put it in my "startup applications" list:

Code:

#!/bin/bash 
sleep 20 && systemctl restart network-manager.service

...the problem there however: restarting a service needs root privileges...maybe just put in cron with "@reboot", I'd rather not have to type out my pw on every reboot.

Turbocapitalist · 12-22-2016, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by d_K

...the problem there however: restarting a service needs root privileges...maybe just put in cron with "@reboot", I'd rather not have to type out my pw on every reboot.

You can add a line to /etc/sudoers to allow you to restart the service without needing a password. Obviously some caution is needed when editing the sudoers file. Use visudo to add the following to the tail end of sudoers for the user "dk" as a line by itself:

Code:

dk    ALL=(root:root) NOPASSWD: /bin/systemctl restart network-manager.service

Read the manual page for sudoers to see the meaning and, again, be sure to use visudo to ensure that at least the syntax is correct.

Then the code in your script could be the following:

Code:

#!/bin/sh 
sleep 20
sudo /bin/systemctl restart network-manager.service

About changing the boot order, changing the boot order in systemd seems (to me) to be a tangled mess. You'll have to get an overview by generating a graph using systemd-analyze plot > startup.svg and then examining the resulting file startup.svg to see where network-manager.service might possibly be moved. Then fiddle with the value for "After=" in the network-manager.service file.

d_K · 12-22-2016, 06:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Turbocapitalist

You can add a line to /etc/sudoers to allow you to restart the service without needing a password. Obviously some caution is needed when editing the sudoers file. Use visudo to add the following to the tail end of sudoers for the user "dk" as a line by itself:

Code:

dk    ALL=(root:root) NOPASSWD: /bin/systemctl restart network-manager.service

Read the manual page for sudoers to see the meaning and, again, be sure to use visudo to ensure that at least the syntax is correct.

Then the code in your script could be the following:

Code:

#!/bin/sh 
sleep 20
sudo /bin/systemctl restart network-manager.service

Thanks, this worked. The sudoers file did mention this:

Code:

# Please consider adding local content in /etc/sudoers.d/ instead of
# directly modifying this file.

...but I'm assuming "local content" isn't applicable here.

I also forgot about that pasting in nano works the same way in terminal (ctrl+shift+v), and that text buffering pasting also works here too (middle mouse button or shift+insert). And now I know why Neo did a ctrl+x to get rid of "wake up Neo, follow the white rabbit."

Turbocapitalist · 12-23-2016, 12:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by d_K

Thanks, this worked. The sudoers file did mention this:

Code:

# Please consider adding local content in /etc/sudoers.d/ instead of
# directly modifying this file.

...but I'm assuming "local content" isn't applicable here.

It could go in either place. The advantage of having your additions in a separate file is that automated updates to the main file can be done more easily. So I can see why they've started to suggest that approach. But either way works. I just suggested using the main file out of inertia.

If you want a quick overview of what your account is allowed via sudo, try it with the -l option.

Code:

sudo -l
sudo -ll

That will parse the configuration file and show a summary of what you can do.