network manager spamming logs with repetitive messages

[Frank]

I noticed this morning that network manager is spamming my log with 
messages repeated every 3 or 4 seconds.

Jun 06 11:58:22 localhost.localdomain NetworkManager[787]: <info>  
[1622995102.8297] policy: set-hostname: current hostname was changed 
outside NetworkManager: fedora

Jun 06 11:58:22 localhost.localdomain NetworkManager[787]: <info>  
[1622995102.8299] policy: set-hostname: set hostname to 
localhost.localdomain (from address lookup)

It repeats these messages every 3 or 4 seconds.

This apparently has been going on for a few days at least.

There is a bug 1894137 -  But it was filed last November.

Anyone have any suggestions ?

[john quirke]

I've always found NetworkManager intrusive like this, it doesn't like 
you making changes outside it's domain. I presume you changed the hostname?

Try disabling hostname mode maybe as described below?

https://unix.stackexchange.com/a/513413/452882

On 06/06/2021 17:19, Frank wrote:
> I noticed this morning that network manager is spamming my log with 
> messages repeated every 3 or 4 seconds.
>
> Jun 06 11:58:22 localhost.localdomain NetworkManager[787]: <info>  
> [1622995102.8297] policy: set-hostname: current hostname was changed 
> outside NetworkManager: fedora
>
> Jun 06 11:58:22 localhost.localdomain NetworkManager[787]: <info>  
> [1622995102.8299] policy: set-hostname: set hostname to 
> localhost.localdomain (from address lookup)
>
> It repeats these messages every 3 or 4 seconds.
>
> This apparently has been going on for a few days at least.
>
> There is a bug 1894137 -  But it was filed last November.
>
> Anyone have any suggestions ?
>
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[Frank]

On 2021-06-06 9:35 p.m., john quirke wrote:
> I've always found NetworkManager intrusive like this, it doesn't like 
> you making changes outside it's domain. I presume you changed the 
> hostname?
>
> Try disabling hostname mode maybe as described below?
>
> https://unix.stackexchange.com/a/513413/452882
>
> On 06/06/2021 17:19, Frank wrote:
> > I noticed this morning that network manager is spamming my log with 
> > messages repeated every 3 or 4 seconds.
> >
> > Jun 06 11:58:22 localhost.localdomain NetworkManager[787]: <info>  
> > [1622995102.8297] policy: set-hostname: current hostname was changed 
> > outside NetworkManager: fedora
> >
> > Jun 06 11:58:22 localhost.localdomain NetworkManager[787]: <info>  
> > [1622995102.8299] policy: set-hostname: set hostname to 
> > localhost.localdomain (from address lookup)
> >
> > It repeats these messages every 3 or 4 seconds.
> >
> > This apparently has been going on for a few days at least.
> >
> > There is a bug 1894137 -  But it was filed last November.
> >
> > Anyone have any suggestions ?

No I didn't change the hostname. I don't know how long netmanager 
has been doing this...it's at least 3 or 4 days.

I will try disabling hostname mode and we'll see what happens.

Thanks

[Tim]

On Sun, 2021-06-06 at 12:19 -0400, Frank wrote:
> I noticed this morning that network manager is spamming my log with 
> messages repeated every 3 or 4 seconds.
>
> Jun 06 11:58:22 localhost.localdomain NetworkManager[787]: <info>  
> [1622995102.8297] policy: set-hostname: current hostname was changed 
> outside NetworkManager: fedora
>
> Jun 06 11:58:22 localhost.localdomain NetworkManager[787]: <info>  
> [1622995102.8299] policy: set-hostname: set hostname to 
> localhost.localdomain (from address lookup)

Just out of curiosity, is it only applying localhost.localdomain to
your 127.0.0.1 loopback interface (like it should), or is it trying to
apply it to an ethernet or wifi interface (which it shouldn't)?

Actual interfaces should get a different name than the loopback
interface.  Trying to use the same name to multiple interfaces is
liable to upset something.

Perhaps related, my /etc/hosts file just looks like this:

127.0.0.1   localhost localhost.localdomain localhost4 localhost4.localdomain4
::1         localhost localhost.localdomain localhost6 localhost6.localdomain6

With only those two lines in it.  Network manager is being told what to
do by my DHCP server.

[Frank]

On 2021-06-07 1:01 a.m., Tim via users wrote:
> On Sun, 2021-06-06 at 12:19 -0400, Frank wrote:
> > I noticed this morning that network manager is spamming my log with
> > messages repeated every 3 or 4 seconds.
> >
> > Jun 06 11:58:22 localhost.localdomain NetworkManager[787]: <info>
> > [1622995102.8297] policy: set-hostname: current hostname was changed
> > outside NetworkManager: fedora
> >
> > Jun 06 11:58:22 localhost.localdomain NetworkManager[787]: <info>
> > [1622995102.8299] policy: set-hostname: set hostname to
> > localhost.localdomain (from address lookup)
>
> Just out of curiosity, is it only applying localhost.localdomain to
> your 127.0.0.1 loopback interface (like it should), or is it trying to
> apply it to an ethernet or wifi interface (which it shouldn't)?
>
> Actual interfaces should get a different name than the loopback
> interface.  Trying to use the same name to multiple interfaces is
> liable to upset something.
>
> Perhaps related, my /etc/hosts file just looks like this:
>
> 127.0.0.1   localhost localhost.localdomain localhost4 localhost4.localdomain4
> ::1         localhost localhost.localdomain localhost6 localhost6.localdomain6
>
> With only those two lines in it.  Network manager is being told what to
> do by my DHCP server.

Here's the situation this morning. Following a suggestion from John 
Quirke

I added a line to /etc/NetManager/NetManager.conf

Added was  hostname-mode=none.

That has stopped the repeated logging, but now when I click on

the netmanager icon in the tray it tells me the network has been

disconnected. Actually it hasn't been so I don't know what is up with that.

I also do not understand why the repeated logging started as no changes were

made to anything network-related.

This is now my hosts file in /etc

127.0.0.1   localhost localhost.localdomain localhost4 
localhost4.localdomain4

::1         localhost localhost.localdomain localhost6 
localhost6.localdomain6

I also do not understand the references to localhost4 and localhost 6 in 
that

file.

I connect to the internet on a wired connection to my providers router 
via DHCP. There

is no wireless or other networks involved.

While the log spamming has stopped I feel there is something else going 
on here.

Thanks

[Frank]

On 2021-06-07 1:01 a.m., Tim via users wrote:
> On Sun, 2021-06-06 at 12:19 -0400, Frank wrote:
> > I noticed this morning that network manager is spamming my log with
> > messages repeated every 3 or 4 seconds.
> >
> > Jun 06 11:58:22 localhost.localdomain NetworkManager[787]: <info>
> > [1622995102.8297] policy: set-hostname: current hostname was changed
> > outside NetworkManager: fedora
> >
> > Jun 06 11:58:22 localhost.localdomain NetworkManager[787]: <info>
> > [1622995102.8299] policy: set-hostname: set hostname to
> > localhost.localdomain (from address lookup)
>
> Just out of curiosity, is it only applying localhost.localdomain to
> your 127.0.0.1 loopback interface (like it should), or is it trying to
> apply it to an ethernet or wifi interface (which it shouldn't)?
>
> Actual interfaces should get a different name than the loopback
> interface.  Trying to use the same name to multiple interfaces is
> liable to upset something.
>
> Perhaps related, my /etc/hosts file just looks like this:
>
> 127.0.0.1   localhost localhost.localdomain localhost4 localhost4.localdomain4
> ::1         localhost localhost.localdomain localhost6 localhost6.localdomain6
>
> With only those two lines in it.  Network manager is being told what to
> do by my DHCP server.

Here's the situation this morning. Following a suggestion from John Quirke

I added a line to /etc/NetManager/NetManager.conf hostname-mode=none.

That has stopped the repeated logging, but now when I click on

the netmanager icon in the tray it tells me the network has been

disconnected. Actually it hasn't been so I don't know what is up with that.

I also do not understand why the repeated logging started as no changes were

made to anything network-related.

This is now my hosts file in /etc

127.0.0.1   localhost localhost.localdomain localhost4 
localhost4.localdomain4

::1              localhost localhost.localdomain localhost6 
localhost6.localdomain6

I  do not understand the references to localhost4 and localhost6 in that

file.

I connect to the internet on a wired connection to my providers router 
via DHCP. There

is no wireless or other networks involved.

While the log spamming has stopped I feel there is something else going 
on here.

Thanks

[Tim]

Tim:
> > Just out of curiosity, is it only applying localhost.localdomain to
> > your 127.0.0.1 loopback interface (like it should), or is it trying
> > to apply it to an ethernet or wifi interface (which it shouldn't)?

You didn't answer the above query.

Frank:
> Here's the situation this morning. Following a suggestion from John
> Quirke
>
> I added a line to /etc/NetManager/NetManager.conf hostname-mode=none.
>
> That has stopped the repeated logging, but now when I click on the
> netmanager icon in the tray it tells me the network has been
> disconnected. Actually it hasn't been so I don't know what is up with
> that.
>
> I also do not understand why the repeated logging started as no
> changes were made to anything network-related.

Perhaps you should reboot your router.  Maybe it glitched.

Maybe you should remove the connection info network manager has set for
your interface, and let it freshly create a new one from your DHCP
server.
> This is now my hosts file in /etc
> 127.0.0.1   localhost localhost.localdomain localhost4 localhost4.localdomain4
> ::1         localhost localhost.localdomain localhost6 localhost6.localdomain6
>
> I do not understand the references to localhost4 and localhost6 in
> that file.

That looks fine.  The localhost 4 and 6 gubbins seems to be some new-
fangled stuff that someone thinks is a good idea.  I've never heard of
anything using it.

The local loopback interface is on 127.0.0.1, and is traditionally
given the hostname "localhost".  For some reason, Linux adds an extra
localhost.localdomain alias to it, perhaps to satisfy some daemons that
insist on having at least one dot in a hostname.

The loopback interface is how the computer communicates within itself. 
If there's any purely internal network traffic inside the computer, it
doesn't even go through any of the network hardware.  And it uses that
IP address, and gives it a "localhost" name.  It's like you looking at
yourself in the mirror and saying, "that's me," talking inside your
head.

Other interfaces (ethernet or wifi) should have their own completely
independent IP addresses and hostnames.  i.e. They should *NOT* be
called localhost.  If your DHCP server is working right, it should all
this properly for you.
> I connect to the internet on a wired connection to my providers
> router via DHCP. There is no wireless or other networks involved.

A DHCP server should give you an IP, hopefully (for you) the same one
each time.  And it may also give that interface a hostname.  It may
not, some routers only do a half-hearted job at it.

The https://unix.stackexchange.com/a/513413/452882 link provided
earlier tries to stop your computer listening the DHCP server regarding
a hostname.  Essentially the idea is that you name the computer
yourself, and hope to keep a consistent hostname.  That link then goes
on about them getting the computer to be localhost and
localhost.localdomain, on the non localhost interface which is leading
a networking nightmare.

If you can, configure your router to give you an IP and hostname.  If
you can't, then configure your computer to have its own hostname, and
don't call it localhost, nor localhost.localdomain.  Normally, I've
found Fedora would carry on using your assigned hostname if nothing
else changed it.  i.e. A DHCP server that only gives you an IP without
a name, will give you an IP, and you'll keep using the hostname you
manually set.

Try reading "man hostname" about manually setting a hostname (I reckon
you'll *need* to "su -" and do this as the root user, or through sudo).

When a computer doesn't have a hostname, and hasn't been given one to
use, one thing it can do is a reverse lookup on its assigned IP.

e.g. Your DHCP server says:  you are 192.168.1.23
     Your computer asks its DNS server, what's the name for 192.168.1.23
     Your DNS server says that's:  george.example.com
     Your computer refers to itself as george (the hostname) and
     george.example.com (as a fully-qualified domain name).

Without a fully functional DHCP server, and a co-operating DNS server
(your ISP's won't help, its outside of your DHCP server), you'll have
to manage some of that yourself.  And that's much easier if your
computer always gets given the same IP address.  A simple approach is
to use the hostname command to name your computer, and put its name
into your /etc/hosts file.

e.g. Under the two existing lines, add something like:

192.168.1.23  george

or, like this:

192.168.1.23  george   george.example.com

The first info is your IP, use *YOUR* actual IP.
The thing next to it (george) is the name you want it known as.
It can be followed by aliases (alternative names it can respond to).

Now your computer will consult its hosts file to find its name, rather
than try to get an answer from a DNS server that isn't going to give it
one.

If your computer is the only thing on your network (after the router),
you could just set a manual address and completely ignore DHCP.  You
can do that through the NetworkManager interface.  Pick an IP that's
not in use, and in the same range as the router.

[Jerry James]

On Sun, Jun 6, 2021 at 10:20 AM Frank  wrote:
> I noticed this morning that network manager is spamming my log with
> messages repeated every 3 or 4 seconds.
>
> Jun 06 11:58:22 localhost.localdomain NetworkManager[787]: <info>
> [1622995102.8297] policy: set-hostname: current hostname was changed
> outside NetworkManager: fedora
>
> Jun 06 11:58:22 localhost.localdomain NetworkManager[787]: <info>
> [1622995102.8299] policy: set-hostname: set hostname to
> localhost.localdomain (from address lookup)
>
> It repeats these messages every 3 or 4 seconds.
>
> This apparently has been going on for a few days at least.
>
> There is a bug 1894137 -  But it was filed last November.

Also https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1893223, filed last
October.  And see:

https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/[e-mail]/...

For me, running "hostnamectl" showed that the static hostname was
"localhost" and the transient hostname was "fedora", apparently
because somebody thought the latter was a good idea.  The nonmatching
hostnames triggered NetworkManager to spam the logs, which is the
second bug.  Both should be fixed, but the fact that nobody is paying
attention to bugs filed last fall is not encouraging.

The workaround I resorted to was to use hostnamectl to make the static
and transient hostnames match.

[Frank]

On 2021-06-07 10:30 a.m., Jerry James wrote:
> On Sun, Jun 6, 2021 at 10:20 AM Frank  wrote:
> > I noticed this morning that network manager is spamming my log with
> > messages repeated every 3 or 4 seconds.
> >
> > Jun 06 11:58:22 localhost.localdomain NetworkManager[787]: <info>
> > [1622995102.8297] policy: set-hostname: current hostname was changed
> > outside NetworkManager: fedora
> >
> > Jun 06 11:58:22 localhost.localdomain NetworkManager[787]: <info>
> > [1622995102.8299] policy: set-hostname: set hostname to
> > localhost.localdomain (from address lookup)
> >
> > It repeats these messages every 3 or 4 seconds.
> >
> > This apparently has been going on for a few days at least.
> >
> > There is a bug 1894137 -  But it was filed last November.
>
> Also https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1893223, filed last
> October.  And see:
>
> https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/[e-mail]/...
>
> For me, running "hostnamectl" showed that the static hostname was
> "localhost" and the transient hostname was "fedora", apparently
> because somebody thought the latter was a good idea.  The nonmatching
> hostnames triggered NetworkManager to spam the logs, which is the
> second bug.  Both should be fixed, but the fact that nobody is paying
> attention to bugs filed last fall is not encouraging.
>
> The workaround I resorted to was to use hostnamectl to make the static
> and transient hostnames match.

Strange this bug has been around for 6+ months with apparently no action.

Anyway I did as you suggested, but unless I put that extra keyword into 
/etc/NetworkManager/NetworkManager.conf (hostname-mode=none) the

repetitive logging continues.  I used hostnamectl to make all the names 
match, but it needed that keyword.  Is that what you had to do or

was simply making the names match enough ?

Thanks

[Frank]

On 2021-06-07 9:19 a.m., Tim via users wrote:
> Tim:
> > > Just out of curiosity, is it only applying localhost.localdomain to
> > > your 127.0.0.1 loopback interface (like it should), or is it trying
> > > to apply it to an ethernet or wifi interface (which it shouldn't)?
>
> You didn't answer the above query.

I can't tell now as I have changed the hostname.
> Frank:
> > Here's the situation this morning. Following a suggestion from John
> > Quirke
> >
> > I added a line to /etc/NetManager/NetManager.conf hostname-mode=none.
> >
> > That has stopped the repeated logging, but now when I click on the
> > netmanager icon in the tray it tells me the network has been
> > disconnected. Actually it hasn't been so I don't know what is up with
> > that.
> >
> > I also do not understand why the repeated logging started as no
> > changes were made to anything network-related.
>
> Perhaps you should reboot your router.  Maybe it glitched.

I did and there was no change
> /snip/
> > I connect to the internet on a wired connection to my providers
> > router via DHCP. There is no wireless or other networks involved.
>
> A DHCP server should give you an IP, hopefully (for you) the same one
> each time.  And it may also give that interface a hostname.  It may
> not, some routers only do a half-hearted job at it.
>
> The https://unix.stackexchange.com/a/513413/452882 link provided
> earlier tries to stop your computer listening the DHCP server regarding
> a hostname.  Essentially the idea is that you name the computer
> yourself, and hope to keep a consistent hostname.  That link then goes
> on about them getting the computer to be localhost and
> localhost.localdomain, on the non localhost interface which is leading
> a networking nightmare.

On he advice of another user I used hostnamectl to change

the permanent and transient names to the same thing. With

the addition of the hostname-mode=none to networkmanager.conf

the spamming has stopped.
> /snip/
> Without a fully functional DHCP server, and a co-operating DNS server
> (your ISP's won't help, its outside of your DHCP server), you'll have
> to manage some of that yourself.  And that's much easier if your
> computer always gets given the same IP address.  A simple approach is
> to use the hostname command to name your computer, and put its name
> into your /etc/hosts file.
>
> e.g. Under the two existing lines, add something like:
>
> 192.168.1.23  george
>
> or, like this:
>
> 192.168.1.23  george   george.example.com
>
> The first info is your IP, use *YOUR* actual IP.
> The thing next to it (george) is the name you want it known as.
> It can be followed by aliases (alternative names it can respond to).
>
> Now your computer will consult its hosts file to find its name, rather
> than try to get an answer from a DNS server that isn't going to give it
> one.
>
> If your computer is the only thing on your network (after the router),
> you could just set a manual address and completely ignore DHCP.  You
> can do that through the NetworkManager interface.  Pick an IP that's
> not in use, and in the same range as the router.

That is basically what I did.  There have been several bugs filed

on this problem but so far there has been no action??

These network problems are far above my pay grade!

Thanks very much.

[Jerry James]

On Mon, Jun 7, 2021 at 8:59 AM Frank  wrote:
> Anyway I did as you suggested, but unless I put that extra keyword into
> /etc/NetworkManager/NetworkManager.conf (hostname-mode=none) the
>
> repetitive logging continues.  I used hostnamectl to make all the names
> match, but it needed that keyword.  Is that what you had to do or
>
> was simply making the names match enough ?

For me it was enough, yes.

I've got a machine with a fresh Fedora 34 installation on it.  On that
one, hostnamectl says:

Static hostname: n/a
Transient hostname: fedora

And I'm not seeing the log spam.