Version: unspecified (using KDE 4.7.2) OS: Linux including another poup asking for PIN code for the SIM card / mobile boradband. Both are just annoying, why do I need to enter SIM code again, once it was already entered into the knetworkmanager? why is the admin access necessary for the mobile boradband to work? Reproducible: Always Steps to Reproduce: startup kde Actual Results: two popups with input fields, enter PIN, enter root password Expected Results: no popups, automatic
The first popup asks the PIN and the second popup asks for the authorization to send the PIN to the modem. What you do not know is that the two popups are triggered by different programs: Plasma NM opens the first popup and send the PIN to ModemManager. ModemManager by itself opens the second pop up asking for authorization to send the PIN. We cannot prevent ModemManager from opening the second popup and it is pretty obvious the first popup is required. In recent Plasma NM versions you can change the configuration to store the PIN, then the first popup will not appear. But be warned that it will send the PIN to WHATEVER gsm device is attached to the computer, even the incorret one. The PIN is associated to the SIM card, not to the gsm device, but ModemManager does not have support to detect which sim card is inside the gsm device. If you store the PIN in Plasma NM it will send the PIN even if the incorrect SIM card is inside the gsm device, which can lead to a sim card lock. You would need the PUK to unlock the sim card, that is why this option is disabled by default. If you enable that option in Plasma NM do not complain if eventually your sim card gets locked.
I don't get this. In 11.04 everything was working correctly. PIN was stored safely for the any SIM card inserted (I change two cards) and no second popup regarding administration rights was ever asked. So, why is it that with the every following version, something gets messed up from the users's perspective (and the usability concept that you, developers, preach). This is usability nightmare.
I do not use (K)Ubuntu, but I guess 11.04 uses NetworkManager 0.8. By that time the default Plasma NM configuration was to store the PIN, now it is not and I am not going to change that until it is safe (for you users) to do it. As I said you can re-enable that configuration in the connection edit dialog, but do not complain if your sim card gets locked. As for the ModemManager dialog I cannot do anything about that since I do not develop ModemManager. You should contact ModemManager developers about that but I am quite sure you will not be able to change their minds. It is a security risk allowing anything to send the PIN to the modem because of the same reason I wrote above: you can lock the modem and if you send the wrong PUK code some times it will be locked for good, you will have to buy a new one. You may not like that but for us developers security comes before usability.