In this article, we will walk you through a detailed guide on how to fix the Gnome native host connector issue with Snap Firefox on Ubuntu 18.04. This issue is commonly encountered when trying to install Gnome extensions from the web browser.
To fix the Gnome native host connector issue with Snap Firefox on Ubuntu 18.04, you need to install the chrome-gnome-shell package, restart Firefox, install the GNOME Shell Integration extension, launch GNOME Shell Integration, install the Native Host Connector, and verify the installation.
Understanding the Issue
The Gnome native host connector is a component that allows communication between your web browser and the Gnome shell. When it’s not working correctly, you’ll be unable to install Gnome extensions directly from your web browser. This issue is particularly prevalent with the Snap version of Firefox due to the confinement restrictions imposed by Snap.
Step 1: Install the Required Package
To begin with, we need to install the chrome-gnome-shell package. This package contains the host connector that we need to fix the issue. To do this, open up a terminal and run the following command:
sudo apt install chrome-gnome-shellHere, sudo is used to run the command with root privileges, apt is the package handling utility in Ubuntu, install is the command to install a package, and chrome-gnome-shell is the name of the package we want to install.
Step 2: Restart Firefox
After installing the package, restart Firefox to ensure that the changes take effect. This can be done by closing all Firefox windows and then opening Firefox again.
Step 3: Install the GNOME Shell Integration Extension
Next, you need to install the GNOME Shell Integration extension in Firefox. This extension allows Firefox to communicate with the Gnome shell. To install it, visit the GNOME Shell Integration page on the Firefox Add-ons website and click on the “Add to Firefox” button.
Step 4: Launch GNOME Shell Integration
After the extension is installed, you should see a prompt asking you to launch GNOME Shell Integration. Click on the “Launch” button to proceed.
Step 5: Install the Native Host Connector
At this point, you might see a message stating that the native host connector is not detected. This is the issue we’re trying to fix. To resolve this, click on the “Click here to install browser extension” link. You will be redirected to the GNOME Shell Extensions website.
On the website, click on the “Click here to install browser extension” button. A dialog box will appear asking for confirmation to install the GNOME Shell Integration connector. Click on the “Install” button to proceed.
Step 6: Verify the Installation
Once the installation is complete, you should see a message stating that the native host connector is now detected. This means that the issue has been resolved. You can now visit the extensions.gnome.org website and install GNOME extensions directly from there.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the native host connector issue with Snap Firefox on Ubuntu 18.04 can be resolved by installing the chrome-gnome-shell package and the GNOME Shell Integration extension in Firefox. However, if the issue persists, consider using the apt version of Firefox instead, as the Snap version has certain confinement restrictions that might prevent the native host connector from working correctly.
The Gnome native host connector issue with Snap Firefox refers to the problem where the communication between the web browser and the Gnome shell is disrupted, preventing the installation of Gnome extensions directly from the web browser.
This issue is more common with the Snap version of Firefox on Ubuntu 18.04 due to the confinement restrictions imposed by Snap. These restrictions can sometimes interfere with the proper functioning of the native host connector.
To fix the issue, you can follow the steps outlined in the article, which include installing the chrome-gnome-shell package, restarting Firefox, installing the GNOME Shell Integration extension, and installing the native host connector through the GNOME Shell Extensions website.
Yes, if the issue persists or if you prefer to avoid confinement restrictions, you can consider using the apt version of Firefox instead. The apt version does not have the same confinement restrictions as the Snap version, which may help resolve the native host connector issue.
