# Interface has started, but is inactive problem.

## lfs0a

Every time I boot my laptop,I got these warnings:

```
Nov 25 22:55:50 W500 /etc/init.d/net.wlp3s0[2409]: WARNING: net.wlp3s0 has started, but is inactive

Nov 25 22:55:50 W500 /etc/init.d/dnsmasq[2561]: WARNING: dnsmasq will start when net.wlp3s0 has started

Nov 25 22:55:50 W500 /etc/init.d/netmount[2562]: WARNING: netmount will start when net.wlp3s0 has started

Nov 25 22:55:52 W500 dbus[2224]: [system] Activating service name='org.freedesktop.UDisks2' (using servicehelper)

Nov 25 22:55:52 W500 dbus[2224]: [system] Successfully activated service 'org.freedesktop.UDisks2'

Nov 25 22:55:52 W500 dbus[2224]: [system] Activating service name='org.freedesktop.UPower' (using servicehelper)

Nov 25 22:55:52 W500 dbus[2224]: [system] Successfully activated service 'org.freedesktop.UPower'

Nov 25 22:55:54 W500 dnsmasq[2976]: started, version 2.79 cachesize 150

```

Everything is just fine,but I wondering why would wlp3s0 has started but inactive?

After 4 secends,wlp3s0 is active:

```
Nov 25 22:55:50 W500 /etc/init.d/net.wlp3s0[2409]: WARNING: net.wlp3s0 has started, but is inactive

.......

Nov 25 22:55:54 W500 dnsmasq[2976]: started, version 2.79 cachesize 150

```

Look at the time on the left.

And I got this from dmesg:

```

[    3.585355] iwlwifi 0000:03:00.0 wlp3s0: renamed from wlan0

[    3.861594] EXT4-fs (sda4): re-mounted. Opts: (null)

[    5.604585] random: crng init done

[    5.604586] random: 7 urandom warning(s) missed due to ratelimiting

[    6.060680] iwlwifi 0000:03:00.0: Radio type=0x1-0x2-0x0

[    6.175251] iwlwifi 0000:03:00.0: Radio type=0x1-0x2-0x0

[    6.200245] ip (2501) used greatest stack depth: 12592 bytes left

[    9.684375] wlp3s0: authenticate with 00:19:d0:4c:1e:10

[    9.687387] wlp3s0: send auth to 00:19:d0:4c:1e:10 (try 1/3)

[    9.693391] wlp3s0: authenticated

[    9.694113] wlp3s0: associate with 00:19:d0:4c:1e:10 (try 1/3)

[    9.700237] wlp3s0: RX AssocResp from 00:19:d0:4c:1e:10 (capab=0x431 status=0 aid=2)

[    9.705913] wlp3s0: associated

```

Looks like the inactive time is for authentication with AP.

So here is the problem,how to eliminate these warnings?

----------

## krinn

The inactive state is when the interface is "present", but still not working.

The time between inactive and up depends on what the interface is waiting for, an ethernet card with ifplugd or similar program that wait for a carrier detection over the interface will mark the interface "inactive" while the program wait for the carrier (and could be days or years if you never plug the cable to it)

Same case: an ethernet card that get an IP thru dhcp ; while the interface goes up, it requiere an IP to a dhcp server, while it wait to get it, the interface will be in inactive state.

So for your case, the inactive state time gap is the wifi card waiting to get associated.

And the logic behind it is good, without that inactive delay, it would mean your computer may try to mount nfs shares while your network cannot communicate with any nfs server, with the failure as result.

Because of inactive state, instead, mounting nfs shares will wait until the network is ready to discuss with the nfs server, and once it could, try to do the work.

My point there is to show you why it is good to have that inactive state handling your network, without it, all services that depends on a "working network" would fail and you would had to start them yourself once the network is ready.

I couldn't help for the second question "how can i make the gap time between the wifi init and association shorter", but this is the one you should focus on as "Interface has started, but is inactive problem" is not a problem itself, more a life saver.

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## NeddySeagoon

lfs0a,

What krinn said, except its worse for wifi.

Wifi has to do the authenticated and associated steps to get the radio link working before it can run dhcpcd to get its ethernet settings. 

If you don't use NFS, you can remove netmount from the default runlevel.

This will remove the warning, not the delay. The delay is a feature, not a problem.

Now it gets more complex. 

If you have Ethernet and Wifi and you don't need both started for netmount and dnsmasq. i.e. The network service can be considered up when the first one is up, that can be arranged too.

You will still get the warning about net.wlp3s0 has started, but is inactive but the other network dependent services will not wait for wlp3s0.

----------

## lfs0a

 *krinn wrote:*   

> The inactive state is when the interface is "present", but still not working.
> 
> The time between inactive and up depends on what the interface is waiting for, an ethernet card with ifplugd or similar program that wait for a carrier detection over the interface will mark the interface "inactive" while the program wait for the carrier (and could be days or years if you never plug the cable to it)
> 
> Same case: an ethernet card that get an IP thru dhcp ; while the interface goes up, it requiere an IP to a dhcp server, while it wait to get it, the interface will be in inactive state.
> ...

 

Thanks you very much,krinn.

----------

## lfs0a

 *NeddySeagoon wrote:*   

> lfs0a,
> 
> What krinn said, except its worse for wifi.
> 
> Wifi has to do the authenticated and associated steps to get the radio link working before it can run dhcpcd to get its ethernet settings. 
> ...

 

Thanks a lot,NeddySeagoon.

----------

