Avahi package does not survive a config restore on pfsense 2.6.0 due to missing avahi-daemon package

A Former User

I started to use the Avahi package in order to have the mDNS / "Bonjour" messages from some IOT devices on a seperate IOT vlan to pass to another VLAN via the pfsense box.
That way apps like the Ikea Smart Home app or the Apple IOS "Home" app can find actually find their devices on the IOT vlan.

Running on
Version 2.6.0-RELEASE (amd64)
built on Mon Jan 31 19:57:53 UTC 2022
FreeBSD 12.3-STABLE

it works magically, but after each pfsense config restore, the pfsense box comes back with

"Package avahi-daemon does not exist in current pfSense version and it has been removed."

However, when I look in the list of available packages, I can select the Avahi package again, and after the manual re-install of the Avahi packages, everything works again.
Manually re-installation does not generate any error messages:

-->>> Installing pfSense-pkg-Avahi...
Updating pfSense-core repository catalogue...
pfSense-core repository is up to date.
Updating pfSense repository catalogue...
pfSense repository is up to date.
All repositories are up to date.
Checking integrity... done (0 conflicting)
The following 7 package(s) will be affected (of 0 checked):

New packages to be INSTALLED:
avahi-app: 0.8 [pfSense]
dbus-glib: 0.112 [pfSense]
gdbm: 1.22 [pfSense]
gnome_subr: 1.0 [pfSense]
libdaemon: 0.14_1 [pfSense]
nss_mdns: 0.14.1.20200624 [pfSense]
pfSense-pkg-Avahi: 2.2_1 [pfSense]

Number of packages to be installed: 7

The process will require 3 MiB more space.
[1/7] Installing gnome_subr-1.0...
[1/7] Extracting gnome_subr-1.0: .... done
[2/7] Installing libdaemon-0.14_1...
[2/7] Extracting libdaemon-0.14_1: .......... done
[3/7] Installing dbus-glib-0.112...
[3/7] Extracting dbus-glib-0.112: .......... done
[4/7] Installing gdbm-1.22...
[4/7] Extracting gdbm-1.22: .......... done
[5/7] Installing avahi-app-0.8...
===> Creating groups.
Using existing group 'avahi'.
===> Creating users
Using existing user 'avahi'.
[5/7] Extracting avahi-app-0.8: .......... done
[6/7] Installing nss_mdns-0.14.1.20200624...
[6/7] Extracting nss_mdns-0.14.1.20200624: .......... done
[7/7] Installing pfSense-pkg-Avahi-2.2_1...
[7/7] Extracting pfSense-pkg-Avahi-2.2_1: ......... done
Saving updated package information...
done.
Loading package configuration... done.
Configuring package components...
Loading package instructions...
Custom commands...
Executing custom_php_resync_config_command()...done.
Menu items... done.
Services... done.
Writing configuration... done.

Cleaning up cache... done.
Success

So I guess something is wrong with the avahi package that it does not re-install automatically after a pfsense config restore.

NollipfSense

@StadaanZee said in Avahi package does not survive a config restore on pfsense 2.6.0 due to missing avahi-daemon package:

it does not re-install automatically after a pfsense config restore.

So, did you try to install it again?

A Former User

@NollipfSense

Yes, I am able to manually re-install the package and then Avahi works again.

However, each time I need to restore a backup config file, the package is gone and I need to re-install it again.

Even, on a fresh re-installed pfsense box, the restore of the Avahi package via a config restore fails.

All the other 6 pfsense packages on the same pfsense server do re-install correctly when I need to do a config file restore, so it's definitely something wrong with the Avahi package.

SteveITS

@StadaanZee Do other packages reinstall? Package install during a restore will fail if pfSense does not (yet) have Internet... The info will be in the restored config file though.

A Former User

@SteveITS

Yes, all other packages do re-install correctly. Internet access is not the problem.

Something is wrong with the Avahi package or it's dependancies.

As seen in the error message after a config restore:

"Package avahi-daemon does not exist in current pfSense version and it has been removed."

SteveITS

@StadaanZee said in Avahi package does not survive a config restore on pfsense 2.6.0 due to missing avahi-daemon package:

avahi-daemon does not exist

It doesn't, it's called "Avahi":

I have never used it, but it sounds like they renamed it.

dennypage

@SteveITS The internal package name is still "avahi-daemon".

The issue is not particular to Avahi. A quick google will turn up a number of different packages being reported in this manner when doing an upgrade.

I believe that the issue may be that the local repo copy hasn't been fully updated when the configuration restore begins, so whichever package is restored first will report "Package XXXXX does not exist in current pfSense version and it has been removed."

FWIW, It has always been a recommended best practice to remove and re-install packages when performing major upgrades.

SteveITS

@dennypage thanks for the correction. I usually do follow the upgrade guide recommendation to at least uninstall the bigger packages. I don’t particularly recall running into problems restoring, though have expected issues when restoring without WAN access.

Trying to remember if installing the package before restoring alleviates this…?

dennypage

@SteveITS said in Avahi package does not survive a config restore on pfsense 2.6.0 due to missing avahi-daemon package:

Trying to remember if installing the package before restoring alleviates this…?

I'm afraid I don't know. I haven't tested it per se, but I have encountered the issue a few times in the normal course of upgrade and/or restore over the years.

It's been a minor inconvenience. Re-installing the package after the install/restore was complete has always been successful for me.

A Former User

@SteveITS

The error happens when I restore a previous backup config.xml file.
I have only had a package called Avahi.

A Former User

@dennypage

This error happens when I need to restore a previous backup config file.
Nothing to do with upgrading pfsense to a newer version.

NollipfSense

@SteveITS said in Avahi package does not survive a config restore on pfsense 2.6.0 due to missing avahi-daemon package:

Trying to remember if installing the package before restoring alleviates this…?

Occasionally, restoring a backup configuration will sometimes have package hiccups, especially if the Internet is been trottled with dips in speed right at the time the system makes the request.

When that happens, just reinstall the package...the configuration will be there...no need to create a post...there is nothing anyone can do.

SteveITS

@SteveITS said in Avahi package does not survive a config restore on pfsense 2.6.0 due to missing avahi-daemon package:

Trying to remember if installing the package before restoring alleviates this…?

Rereading what I wrote, what I was thinking of was a restore on a new install/router where the package didn't exist yet.

OP, I think, is talking about restoring over top of an existing router, correct @StadaanZee?

A Former User

@SteveITS

The same problem and error message happens on these 3 scenarios :

an existing pfsense router with a working config with a number of packages, including Avahi, where I need to restore a previous configuration (when I mess up a planned change)
after a fresh re-install where I have a /conf/config.xml file on the installation media
on a freshly installed pfsense box without any configuration, where I then manually restore the last config.xml file

Before using the Avahi package, I have never had issues with restoring a configuration in that way.

It can be that the first package that is restored is Avahi, if packages are indeed restored in alfabetical order.

dennypage

@StadaanZee said in Avahi package does not survive a config restore on pfsense 2.6.0 due to missing avahi-daemon package:

It can be that the first package that is restored is Avahi, if packages are indeed restored in alfabetical order.

I don't know if it is in alphabetical order or something else. But it's not uncommon. Nothing to worry about. As previously noted, you can just re-install the package after the restore or upgrade is done.

DBMandrake

@dennypage I've always had this issue as well - if I do a configuration restore the Avahi package fails to reinstall automatically claiming the package doesn't exist, but you can manually reinstall it afterwards.

I haven't seen the issue with any other packages, and I have many installed.

dennypage

A google search for

"Package" "does not exist in current pfSense version and it has been removed"

will show folk posting about the issue with many commonly used packages, including acme, avahi, iperf, named, nmap, pfBlockerNG, radiusd, squid, etc.

There are a some notable packages absent from this list, including apcupsd, ntopng, NUT, snort and suricata. Of course, the fact that no one has posted about a given package doesn't mean that it doesn't happen, but people tend to be vocal about these issues.

I don't know what triggers it. Something about the dependencies maybe?

DBMandrake

@dennypage Not sure.

Of your list I have had avahi, iperf, nmap, pfBlockerNG-Devel, squid all installed at the time of a restore, along with many other packages and the only one that ever exhibited the issue is avahi.

I started to look into it some time ago and I think it was a mistake in the package name that it was trying to install - the package is in the repository but under a slightly different name.

A Former User

@DBMandrake
@dennypage

Referring to my original post "Package avahi-daemon does not exist in current pfSense version and it has been removed.", it's something specific with the Avahi package.

Looking into my backup config.xml file I see a few sections:


<package>
			<name>Avahi</name>
			<internal_name>avahi-daemon</internal_name>
			<pkginfolink>https://forum.netgate.com/topic/134339</pkginfolink>
			<website>http://www.avahi.org/</website>
			<descr><![CDATA[Avahi is a system which facilitates host and service discovery in local networks via mDNS (Multicast DNS) and DNS-SD (DNS Service Discovery).]]></descr>
			<version>2.2_1</version>
			<configurationfile>avahi.xml</configurationfile>
			<include_file>/usr/local/pkg/avahi/avahi.inc</include_file>
			<plugins>
				<item>
					<type>plugin_carp</type>
				</item>
			</plugins>
</package>

and


<service>
			<name>avahi</name>
			<rcfile>avahi-daemon.sh</rcfile>
			<executable>avahi-daemon</executable>
			<description><![CDATA[Avahi mDNS/DNS-SD daemon]]></description>
			<starts_on_sync></starts_on_sync>
</service>

I believe the restore process tries to restore the package "avahi-daemon" based on the <internal name>, which does not exist.

A manually re-install of the Avahi package does work, probably because it's tries to install the right package "Avahi".

dennypage

@StadaanZee said in Avahi package does not survive a config restore on pfsense 2.6.0 due to missing avahi-daemon package:

I believe the restore process tries to restore the package "avahi-daemon" based on the <internal name>, which does not exist.

A manually re-install of the Avahi package does work, probably because it's tries to install the right package "Avahi".

Neither is the actual name of the package. The "name", "Avahi", is the display name shown in the UI. The "internal_name", "avahi-daemon", is how the installed package is tracked. The actual name of the package is "pfSense-pkg-Avahi".

I wrote the current avahi package (5 years ago now), replacing a very old package that had been around for a very long time. I used the same values for name and internal_name as the old version had used for backward compatibility, allowing users to upgrade to the new package rather than having to remove an old orphaned package and install a completely new one.

It may very well be that the issue arrises from the fact that name and internal_name are different. I did a quick check on a few of the others: some don't declare an internal_name at all; some use a different value for name and internal_name; most have name and internal name set to the same value. Determining if this actually the cause of the restore failure is a research project.