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In the hamburger menu of the GNOME settings Wi-Fi panel, there's a "Turn on Wi-Fi Hotspot" entry, that does not work on Tails, and which we'd rather not support. We should hide it.

As of Debian sid on 2020-08-31:

• The corresponding code & UI lives in the gnome-control-center source package: https://codesearch.debian.net/search?q=Wi-Fi+Hotspot+package%3Agnome-control-center&literal=1
• This menu entry is only displayed if the user is allowed by the system policy to set up a hotspot: see start_hotspot_button in the sources ⇒ we could probably hide it by removing the org.freedesktop.NetworkManager.wifi.share.protected and org.freedesktop.NetworkManager.wifi.share.open polkit permissions from the amnesia user

Original report

Tails OS 4.9

My computer is using a wired connection.

In the settings panel under wifi you have the option to "turn on wi-fi hotspot.." (hamburger button)

When activated a two button message dialog appears:

"it is not possible to access the internet through your wireless while the hotspot is active wi-fi hotspots are usually used to share an additional internet connection over wi-fi"

Clicking the "turn on" button shows a new panel with the following:

network name: amnesia

security type: wpa

password: (random 8 character U/L case)

The amnesia hotspot is active and visible for a few seconds then shuts down with a message stating:

"connection failed activation of network connection failed"

I have tried this on two laptops and turned off random mac address generation on boot.

Is this hotspot feature functional and will it provide a TOR connection to other devices that connect through it?

Thnx