initial commit

2026-07-12 10:17:17 -04:00
commit dab5a4ebc6
1424 changed files with 330463 additions and 0 deletions
@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+# Cockpit: "Cannot refresh cache whilst offline" / PackageKit + NetworkManager Fix
+
+## Symptom
+
+Cockpit's **Updates** page shows:
+> Loading available updates failed — Cannot refresh cache whilst offline
+
+Yet the system has full internet connectivity — `ping`, `curl`, and `apt update` all work.
+
+## Root Cause
+
+On Ubuntu Server, **`systemd-networkd`** handles networking, but **PackageKit** (Cockpit's backend for the updates page) checks **NetworkManager's** D-Bus state to determine if the system is online.
+
+When NM is installed but has **no connection profile** configured (because systemd-networkd is doing the actual networking), NM reports:
+```
+STATE: disconnected  CONNECTIVITY: none
+```
+
+PackageKit sees this and refuses to refresh the cache — even though the interface is up and routable via systemd-networkd.
+
+## Diagnosis
+
+```bash
+# NM says disconnected even though networking works
+nmcli general status
+# → STATE: disconnected  CONNECTIVITY: none
+
+# But systemd-networkd is fine
+networkctl status
+# → State: routable
+# → Online state: partial
+
+# PackageKit confirms it thinks we're offline
+busctl get-property org.freedesktop.PackageKit /org/freedesktop/PackageKit org.freedesktop.PackageKit NetworkState
+# 0 = Offline, 1 = Limited, 2 = Online
+```
+
+## Fix
+
+Since systemd-networkd is doing all the networking, NetworkManager is redundant. Stop and mask it:
+
+```bash
+sudo systemctl mask NetworkManager --now
+```
+
+Then restart PackageKit so it re-checks the network state without NM:
+
+```bash
+sudo systemctl restart packagekit
+sleep 2
+busctl get-property org.freedesktop.PackageKit /org/freedesktop/PackageKit org.freedesktop.PackageKit NetworkState
+# → u 2  (Online)
+```
+
+After this, reload Cockpit's updates page — it should work.
+
+## Verification
+
+```bash
+# PackageKit should now report Online
+busctl get-property org.freedesktop.PackageKit /org/freedesktop/PackageKit org.freedesktop.PackageKit NetworkState
+# Expected: u 2
+
+# Confirm networking still works
+ping -c 1 8.8.8.8
+curl -s --max-time 5 https://google.com -o /dev/null -w "%{http_code}"
+```
+
+## Why This Happens
+
+Ubuntu Server 24+ ships with **both** `systemd-networkd` and `NetworkManager` installed. The server installer configures networkd, not NM. But NM's service is still present and starts, sees no connections, and reports "offline." PackageKit only knows how to check NM — it has no fallback for systems that don't use NM.
+
+Masking NM is safe and standard on systems where networkd handles all interfaces.