feat: add --disable-auto-connectflag to prevent auto connection after daemon service start (fixes #444, fixes #1382)

client/cmd/root.go

@@ -25,12 +25,13 @@ import (
 )
 
 const (
-	externalIPMapFlag   = "external-ip-map"
-	dnsResolverAddress  = "dns-resolver-address"
-	enableRosenpassFlag = "enable-rosenpass"
-	preSharedKeyFlag    = "preshared-key"
-	interfaceNameFlag   = "interface-name"
-	wireguardPortFlag   = "wireguard-port"
+	externalIPMapFlag      = "external-ip-map"
+	dnsResolverAddress     = "dns-resolver-address"
+	enableRosenpassFlag    = "enable-rosenpass"
+	preSharedKeyFlag       = "preshared-key"
+	interfaceNameFlag      = "interface-name"
+	wireguardPortFlag      = "wireguard-port"
+	disableAutoConnectFlag = "disable-auto-connect"
 )
 
 var (
@@ -56,6 +57,7 @@ var (
 	rosenpassEnabled        bool
 	interfaceName           string
 	wireguardPort           uint16
+	autoConnectDisabled     bool
 	rootCmd                 = &cobra.Command{
 		Use:          "netbird",
 		Short:        "",
@@ -126,6 +128,7 @@ func init() {
 			`E.g. --dns-resolver-address 127.0.0.1:5053 or --dns-resolver-address ""`,
 	)
 	upCmd.PersistentFlags().BoolVar(&rosenpassEnabled, enableRosenpassFlag, false, "[Experimental] Enable Rosenpass feature. If enabled, the connection will be post-quantum secured via Rosenpass.")
+	upCmd.PersistentFlags().BoolVar(&autoConnectDisabled, disableAutoConnectFlag, false, "Disables auto-connect feature. If enabled, then the client won't connect automatically when the service starts.")
 }
 
 // SetupCloseHandler handles SIGTERM signal and exits with success

client/cmd/service_installer.go

@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ var installCmd = &cobra.Command{
 			cmd.PrintErrln(err)
 			return err
 		}
+
 		cmd.Println("Netbird service has been installed")
 		return nil
 	},
@@ -106,7 +107,7 @@ var uninstallCmd = &cobra.Command{
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
-		cmd.Println("Netbird has been uninstalled")
+		cmd.Println("Netbird service has been uninstalled")
 		return nil
 	},
 }

client/cmd/up.go

@@ -110,6 +110,18 @@ func runInForegroundMode(ctx context.Context, cmd *cobra.Command) error {
 		ic.PreSharedKey = &preSharedKey
 	}
 
+	if cmd.Flag(disableAutoConnectFlag).Changed {
+		ic.DisableAutoConnect = &autoConnectDisabled
+
+		if autoConnectDisabled {
+			cmd.Println("Autoconnect has been disabled. The client won't connect automatically when the service starts.")
+		}
+
+		if !autoConnectDisabled {
+			cmd.Println("Autoconnect has been enabled. The client will connect automatically when the service starts.")
+		}
+	}
+
 	config, err := internal.UpdateOrCreateConfig(ic)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("get config file: %v", err)
@@ -135,6 +147,25 @@ func runInDaemonMode(ctx context.Context, cmd *cobra.Command) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
+  if cmd.Flag(disableAutoConnectFlag).Changed {
+		_, err := internal.UpdateOrCreateConfig(internal.ConfigInput{
+			ConfigPath:         configPath,
+			DisableAutoConnect: &autoConnectDisabled,
+		})
+
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("update config file: %v", err)
+		}
+
+		if autoConnectDisabled {
+			cmd.Println("Autoconnect has been disabled. The client won't connect automatically when the service starts.")
+		}
+
+		if !autoConnectDisabled {
+			cmd.Println("Autoconnect has been enabled. The client will connect automatically when the service starts.")
+		}
+	}
+
 	conn, err := DialClientGRPCServer(ctx, daemonAddr)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to connect to daemon error: %v\n"+

client/internal/config.go

@@ -35,15 +35,16 @@ var defaultInterfaceBlacklist = []string{iface.WgInterfaceDefault, "wt", "utun",
 
 // ConfigInput carries configuration changes to the client
 type ConfigInput struct {
-	ManagementURL    string
-	AdminURL         string
-	ConfigPath       string
-	PreSharedKey     *string
-	NATExternalIPs   []string
-	CustomDNSAddress []byte
-	RosenpassEnabled *bool
-	InterfaceName    *string
-	WireguardPort    *int
+	ManagementURL      string
+	AdminURL           string
+	ConfigPath         string
+	PreSharedKey       *string
+	NATExternalIPs     []string
+	CustomDNSAddress   []byte
+	RosenpassEnabled   *bool
+	InterfaceName      *string
+	WireguardPort      *int
+	DisableAutoConnect *bool
 }
 
 // Config Configuration type
@@ -79,6 +80,10 @@ type Config struct {
 	NATExternalIPs []string
 	// CustomDNSAddress sets the DNS resolver listening address in format ip:port
 	CustomDNSAddress string
+
+	// DisableAutoConnect determines whether the client should start with the service
+	// it's set to true by default due to backwards compatibility
+	DisableAutoConnect bool
 }
 
 // ReadConfig read config file and return with Config. If it is not exists create a new with default values
@@ -152,6 +157,7 @@ func createNewConfig(input ConfigInput) (*Config, error) {
 		DisableIPv6Discovery: false,
 		NATExternalIPs:       input.NATExternalIPs,
 		CustomDNSAddress:     string(input.CustomDNSAddress),
+		DisableAutoConnect:   false,
 	}
 
 	defaultManagementURL, err := parseURL("Management URL", DefaultManagementURL)
@@ -277,6 +283,10 @@ func update(input ConfigInput) (*Config, error) {
 
 	if input.RosenpassEnabled != nil {
 		config.RosenpassEnabled = *input.RosenpassEnabled
+	}
+
+	if input.DisableAutoConnect != nil {
+		config.DisableAutoConnect = *input.DisableAutoConnect
 		refresh = true
 	}
 

client/server/server.go

@@ -116,11 +116,13 @@ func (s *Server) Start() error {
 		s.statusRecorder.UpdateManagementAddress(config.ManagementURL.String())
 	}
 
-	go func() {
-		if err := internal.RunClientWithProbes(ctx, config, s.statusRecorder, s.mgmProbe, s.signalProbe, s.relayProbe, s.wgProbe); err != nil {
-			log.Errorf("init connections: %v", err)
-		}
-	}()
+	if !config.DisableAutoConnect {
+		go func() {
+			if err := internal.RunClientWithProbes(ctx, config, s.statusRecorder, s.mgmProbe, s.signalProbe, s.relayProbe, s.wgProbe); err != nil {
+				log.Errorf("init connections: %v", err)
+			}
+		}()
+	}
 
 	return nil
 }