Bug Report: Setup UI freezes permanently on "Searching for network address" if an invalid/conflicting Static IP is configured

[moratac]

Bug Report: Setup UI freezes permanently on "Searching for network address" if an invalid/conflicting Static IP is configured

🔴 Description

During the initial setup/installation phase of ZimaOS (both on native hardware and Proxmox VE environments), configuring a Static IP that is already occupied (IP Conflict) or has an invalid gateway causes the network initialization to hang permanently.
Because ZimaOS utilizes an immutable root filesystem, the Setup UI completely freezes on the "Searching for network address..." screen. There is no timeout mechanism, no fallback to DHCP, and no option for the user to return to the previous menu to correct the IP address. The system becomes an unmanageable brick, forcing a complete re-installation.

🛠️ Environment

• OS: ZimaOS (Latest Stable/Beta Releases)
• Deployment: Confirmed on both Native Hardware and Proxmox VE (VM).
• Network Setup: Upstream Gateway (e.g., 192.168.1.1), where the targeted static IP (e.g., 192.168.1.22) is already bound to another active host/hypervisor.

📋 Steps to Reproduce

1. Boot into a fresh ZimaOS installation/setup wizard.
2. Navigate to the network configuration screen and select Static IP.
3. Input an IP address that is already in use on the local area network (LAN), along with the correct Subnet and Gateway.
4. Save settings and proceed.
5. Result: The system displays Searching for network address... and hangs indefinitely. The UI does not provide any "Back", "Cancel", or "Reset to DHCP" options.

🔍 Root Cause Analysis (Technical Insights)

• No UI Timeout / Fallback: The network daemon (likely NetworkManager or systemd-networkd) fails to bind or pass the pre-flight check due to the IP conflict, causing the frontend wizard to wait indefinitely for an active connection state.
• Immutable OS Limitation: Since users cannot access a standard local shell to manually edit network configurations or restart services during this phase, any configuration mistake locks the user out completely.

💡 Suggested Improvements (Feature Requests)

To prevent users from having to completely reinstall ZimaOS over a simple typo or IP conflict, we recommend implementing the following:

1. Implement a Connection Timeout: If the specified Static IP cannot ping the gateway or resolve a network state within 30–60 seconds, the UI should time out.
2. Add a Fallback / Recovery Option: Provide an explicit "Back to Network Settings" or "Force Fallback to DHCP" button on the loading screen so users can correct errors without re-imaging the drive.
3. Pre-flight IP Conflict Check: Perform a quick ARP ping (arping) on the local subnet before writing the static IP configuration. If the IP responds, warn the user immediately in the UI: "This IP is already in use."