ConnectivityManager.requestNetwork in Android 6.0

Question

I'm trying to get the new ConnectivityManager.bindProcessToNetwork(Network) using ConnectivityManager.requestNetwork(NetworkRequest, ConnectivityManager.NetworkCallback)

The reason is to force the app to call the future request in some specific network, which doesn't have a internet connectivity (it's a local hardware communication network). At this point, the system is sending the requests over 3G/4G network and never reach the desired Wifi network, because this network doesn't respond the connectivity check that android call.

When I call the requestNetwork method, I receive the following error:

java.lang.SecurityException: com.xyz.app was not granted  either of these permissions: android.permission.CHANGE_NETWORK_STATE, android.permission.WRITE_SETTINGS.

I try to call the new method to request permission available in Android 6.0:

 requestPermissions(new String[]{Manifest.permission.CHANGE_NETWORK_STATE, Manifest.permission.WRITE_SETTINGS}, PERMISSIONS_REQUEST_WIFI);

But the callback is always PackageManager.PERMISSION_DENIED.

I put both of these permissions in the AndroidManifest.xml, without success.

Notice: The Manifest.permission.WRITE_SETTINGS is not in the Permissions Groups.

Answer 1

I'm not sure if this was intended by Google, but the following is the behavior I'm seeing:

CHANGE_NETWORK_STATE seems to always be denied (as noted in the comments, its a signature permission) but it also doesn't seem to matter. My ConnectivityManager network requests all seem to be gated by WRITE_SETTINGS only - so if you have WRITE_SETTINGS you don't need CHANGE_NETWORK_STATE.

As noted in comments, you do this differently than other permissions, using:

 Intent goToSettings = new Intent(Settings.ACTION_MANAGE_WRITE_SETTINGS);  goToSettings.setData(Uri.parse("package:" + Context.getPackageName()));  startActivity(goToSettings); 

And after that, my ConnectivityManager network requests were peachy.

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To check if the permission is already granted before calling the ACTION_MANAGE_WRITE_SETTINGS activity, this answer has the solution using Settings.System.canWrite(Context)

Can't get WRITE_SETTINGS permission

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UPDATE: as of Android 6.0.1, CHANGE_NETWORK_STATE is auto granted when requested in your manifest file. The above WRITE_SETTINGS checks are only required for 6.0

Answer 2

This was an Android 6.0 bug. It's fixed in Android 6.0.1, requestNetwork() can be called if you request CHANGE_NETWORK_STATE in the manifest. No need to call requestPermissions(), it's a normal permission.