14 DAY TRIAL // A new maintenance release of the widely used NetworkManager 1.0 network connection manager software used by default in numerous GNU/Linux operating systems has been updated this past week.
Developer Lubomir Rintel reports on the NetworkManager 1.0.12 release, stating that it comes as an upgrade from NetworkManager 1.0.10 and previous versions, introducing many new features and improvements, as well as fixing several of the issues reported lately.
According to the release notes, NetworkManager 1.0.12 adds better OpenEmbedded and Yocto interoperability in the ifupdown plugin, implements support automatic renewing of DHCP leases on software devices when returning the computer from sleep, and ignores Wi-Fi monitor interfaces.
Moreover, an automatic connection functionality has been added to the AdHoc and AP mode connections with manual IP configuration, the software is now capable of removing netfilter rules used with the shared IPv4 method on exit, and the NetworkManager.service is now ordered after network-pre.target and dbus.service ones.
"This ensures NetworkManager doesn't set up connectivity before firewall rules are in place and wouldn't exit before remote filesystems can be umounted ensuring orderly operation of systemd managed installations," said Lubomir Rintel in the release announcement.
NetworkManager 1.2 is coming soon
Besides all the changes mentioned above, NetworkManager 1.0.12 comes with the ability to manage USB gadget drivers (UDC side), support for changing the InfiniBand transport mode only when on "link down", better support for VPN activations for plugins with an interactive mode, and a few memory leaks and a security issue were fixed.
NetworkManager 1.0.12 is a "must do" update for all GNU/Linux users, so check the main software repositories in the coming days for the new version, or download the sources and compile it yourself. In the meantime, the development of the major stable NetworkManager 1.2 branch continues and the final release should be available very soon.