Can't connect to VPN with GNOME and NetworkManager

[cmarcelo]

Using the default GNOME and NetworkManager. Either via the gnome-shell top-right menu or the Network Preferences, when I try to connect to VPN it doesn't do anything (and comes back to disconnected state).

Relevant log bits:

Sep 19 13:06:01 cmdeoliv-mobl2 NetworkManager[1404]: <error> [1537387561.2581] vpn-connection[0x10cc300,2422e936-4184-4192-a737-32d0607625f7,"VPN",0]: Failed to request VPN secrets #3: No agents were available for this request.
Sep 19 13:06:01 cmdeoliv-mobl2 NetworkManager[1404]: <info>  [1537387561.2608] vpn-connection[0x10cc300,2422e936-4184-4192-a737-32d0607625f7,"VPN",0]: VPN service disappeared

Installed version: 25090
Version URL:       https://download.clearlinux.org/update/
Content URL:       https://cdn.download.clearlinux.org/update/

Bundles:

bmap-tools
bootloader
c-basic
casync
cloud-api
containers-basic
containers-virt
cryptography
darktable
desktop
desktop-apps
desktop-apps-extras
desktop-assets
desktop-autostart
desktop-dev
desktop-gnomelibs
desktop-kde-apps
desktop-kde-libs
desktop-locales
dev-utils
dev-utils-dev
editors
emacs
ethtool
games
gimp
git
go-basic
iproute2
joe
kernel-container
kernel-native
koji
kvm-host
libX11client
linux-dev
mail-utils
mail-utils-dev
mixer
network-basic
network-basic-dev
openssh-server
openssl
os-clr-on-clr
os-core
os-core-dev
os-core-update
os-core-update-dev
os-installer
os-utils-gui
os-utils-gui-dev
p11-kit
package-utils
performance-tools
perl-basic
perl-basic-dev
python-basic
python-basic-dev
python-extras
python2-basic
python3-basic
qt-basic
qt-basic-dev
shells
storage-utils
storage-utils-dev
subversion
sudo
sysadmin-basic
sysadmin-basic-dev
tcl-basic
thunderbird
user-basic
vim
vlc
web-server-basic
which
wpa_supplicant
xemacs
xfce4-desktop

[ahkok]

Unsure this is actually supported at the moment. @mrkz ?

[miguelinux]

@cmarcelo did you setup the internal tool clr-pki?

[cmarcelo]

Yes, but long ago.

[miguelinux]

I'm using VPN right now, could you update and re-run the script, BUT inside the office network please.

[cmarcelo]

Re-running the script doesn't help.

[rustylynch]

I started seeing this also, but noticed that it doesn't happen on every boot.

When it does happen then i see the following in the journal:
[1537466429.1761] vpn-connection[0x103a300,ddb6a511-a1a5-4d37-87bb-cad7883d60ec,"Intel AnyConnect VPN",0]: Failed to request VPN secrets #3: No agents were available for this request.

[rustylynch]

More info... just rebooted and have a journal now from a boot that exposes this bug, and a boot that doesn't.

When everything works I see a lot of chatter in the log about starting up a PermissionStore, starting with:
Activating via systemd: service name='org.freedesktop.impl.portal.PermissionStore' unit='xdg-permission-store.service' requested by ':1.11' (uid=311 pid=501 comm="/usr/bin/gnome-shell ")

Perhaps we have a startup race with gnome-shell and i-have-no-idea-what?

[cmarcelo]

Another data point: starting nm-applet (sic!) manually seems to make things work again (maybe it triggers starting some other needed service or something like).

[rustylynch]

This is happening because there is a race condition between the startup of NetworkManager and gnome-shell attempting to use it. The following bug documents the same bug happening with fedora:
https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gnome-shell/issues/428

The clue is the following error that we also see in Clear:
JS ERROR: error initializing the NetworkManager Agent: NM.SecretAgentError: NetworkManager is not running

Users can work around this by logging out and back into the gnome-shell (i.e. click in the upper right of the screen to trigger a drop down box, click on your user name, and then click on "Log Out", and then after the gnome login screen has finished rendering then log in like normal.)

[TwistaTim]

I cant seem to get this working either, by default - it just outright fails to connect, but I can get it go no no problem if by using the openvpn-client service units.....