"Nearby devices" in android "App permission" needed with Firefox?

[rugspin]

Hi all,

recently, when I opened the web UI of domoticz with firefox on android, I got asked to grant the permission "Nearby devices". I declined, but than the web UI does not load anymore.

Is this a needed requirement now? Or can I disable this behavior somehow?

Would be glad about some help,
best regards

[gizmocuz]

analysis:
- The Domoticz frontend uses no Web Bluetooth / USB / "nearby devices" API (I checked — the only matches are canvas-animation comments and a geolocation call in Setup, which is a location prompt).

- "Nearby devices" on Android is how the browser surfaces the new Local Network Access permission — the same mechanism as the ERR_BLOCKED_BY_LOCAL_NETWORK_ACCESS_CHECKS errors we've been ignoring in our own console. When declined, the browser blocks Domoticz's own json.htm / live-WebSocket calls to the LAN IP, so AngularJS can't bootstrap -> blank UI. That matches the symptom exactly.

- This is a browser policy change, not something our recent work caused and not a Domoticz code bug - a page can't bypass a browser security permission. The fix is to grant the permission for the Domoticz site (or add it to Firefox's allowed local-network sites).

[imautohuttraeger]

I am experiencing this new behaviour in Firefox on my Android phone, too. As I mainly use Chrome, it is not a big issue for me.

However, for my understanding, the Domoticz UI is actually "just" a website. And here is a markworthy finding: If I switch on a VPN to my home network, there is no problem loading Domoticz.

[waltervl]

see https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/co ... ox-android

I personally use Firefix and I never seen this question for approval.
What theme are you using?

[imautohuttraeger]

I'm using night glass. But when I switch to default theme, it is the same.

But it is really strange, that the permission is necessary, when Domoticz is opened from the local network. But it is not necessary, when opened from outside via VPN.

[rugspin]

analysis:
- The Domoticz frontend uses no Web Bluetooth / USB / "nearby devices" API (I checked — the only matches are canvas-animation comments and a geolocation call in Setup, which is a location prompt).

- "Nearby devices" on Android is how the browser surfaces the new Local Network Access permission — the same mechanism as the ERR_BLOCKED_BY_LOCAL_NETWORK_ACCESS_CHECKS errors we've been ignoring in our own console. When declined, the browser blocks Domoticz's own json.htm / live-WebSocket calls to the LAN IP, so AngularJS can't bootstrap -> blank UI. That matches the symptom exactly.

- This is a browser policy change, not something our recent work caused and not a Domoticz code bug - a page can't bypass a browser security permission. The fix is to grant the permission for the Domoticz site (or add it to Firefox's allowed local-network sites).

Thank you for investigating in that topic. I also tried with the web UI of "Zigbee2MQTT" and "Z-Wave JS UI" which I usually never use with a smartphone. Here it's the same, without the permission "Nearby devices" the UI does not load, which makes sense, since both make connections to local services.

[rugspin]

see https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/co ... ox-android

I personally use Firefix and I never seen this question for approval.
What theme are you using?

I only see that on a pixel 6a with android 17. On other phones with older android, I don't see it.

On the link from mozilla that you gave, they mention specific site permissions in Firefox: "Device apps and services" and "Local network devices". But these I don't see on any phone?

[imautohuttraeger]

I only see that on a pixel 6a with android 17. On other phones with older android, I don't see it

I am using a pixel 7 PRO with Android 17. So maybe it is the combination of Firefox and Android 17?

[rugspin]

I only see that on a pixel 6a with android 17. On other phones with older android, I don't see it

I am using a pixel 7 PRO with Android 17. So maybe it is the combination of Firefox and Android 17?

I just installed Chrome to check. Initially it had some "allow to keep the app working" in "Nearby devices" permissions checked and UI is loaded. But, when I remove that permission, same result, UI does not load.

[imautohuttraeger]

Ok. So do I understand it correctly, that Chrome has that permission granted by default, but new Firefox not?

[imautohuttraeger]

Meanwhile it is the same with Chrome, too.

So it is obviously a new security thing that you have to grant permission to access the local network.