[client] Skip engine restart when default route is unchanged

After the network monitor's debounce window, re-check the default next
hop before triggering a client restart. A flapping NIC that returns to
the same default route no longer forces a restart, avoiding redundant
sync stream reconnects and peer meta churn.

client/internal/networkmonitor/monitor.go

@@ -97,7 +97,12 @@ func (nw *NetworkMonitor) Listen(ctx context.Context) (err error) {
 		case <-event:
 			timer.Reset(debounceTime)
 		case <-timer.C:
-			return nil
+			// A flapping NIC may return to the same default route after the
+			// debounce window; only restart if the next hop actually changed.
+			if nexthopChanged(nexthop4, nexthop6) {
+				return nil
+			}
+			log.Debug("Network monitor: default route unchanged after debounce, ignoring")
 		case <-ctx.Done():
 			timer.Stop()
 			return ctx.Err()
@@ -134,3 +139,28 @@ func (nw *NetworkMonitor) checkChanges(ctx context.Context, event chan struct{},
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+// nexthopChanged reports whether the current default next hop differs from the
+// given baseline. A lookup error is treated as a change so we fail safe and
+// restart rather than miss a real network change.
+func nexthopChanged(oldv4, oldv6 systemops.Nexthop) bool {
+	newv4, errv4 := systemops.GetNextHop(netip.IPv4Unspecified())
+	newv6, errv6 := systemops.GetNextHop(netip.IPv6Unspecified())
+	if errv4 != nil || errv6 != nil {
+		return true
+	}
+	return !sameNexthop(oldv4, newv4) || !sameNexthop(oldv6, newv6)
+}
+
+func sameNexthop(a, b systemops.Nexthop) bool {
+	if a.IP != b.IP {
+		return false
+	}
+	if (a.Intf == nil) != (b.Intf == nil) {
+		return false
+	}
+	if a.Intf != nil && a.Intf.Index != b.Intf.Index {
+		return false
+	}
+	return true
+}

client/internal/networkmonitor/monitor_test.go

@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ package networkmonitor
 import (
 	"context"
 	"errors"
+	"net"
+	"net/netip"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
@@ -97,3 +99,31 @@ func TestNetworkMonitor_MultiEvent(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("unexpected duration: %v", time.Since(started))
 	}
 }
+
+func TestSameNexthop(t *testing.T) {
+	eth0 := &net.Interface{Index: 1, Name: "eth0"}
+	eth1 := &net.Interface{Index: 2, Name: "eth1"}
+	ip1 := netip.MustParseAddr("192.168.1.1")
+	ip2 := netip.MustParseAddr("192.168.2.1")
+
+	tests := []struct {
+		name string
+		a, b systemops.Nexthop
+		want bool
+	}{
+		{"identical", systemops.Nexthop{IP: ip1, Intf: eth0}, systemops.Nexthop{IP: ip1, Intf: eth0}, true},
+		{"same index different pointer", systemops.Nexthop{IP: ip1, Intf: eth0}, systemops.Nexthop{IP: ip1, Intf: &net.Interface{Index: 1, Name: "eth0"}}, true},
+		{"different ip", systemops.Nexthop{IP: ip1, Intf: eth0}, systemops.Nexthop{IP: ip2, Intf: eth0}, false},
+		{"different interface", systemops.Nexthop{IP: ip1, Intf: eth0}, systemops.Nexthop{IP: ip1, Intf: eth1}, false},
+		{"both nil interface", systemops.Nexthop{IP: ip1}, systemops.Nexthop{IP: ip1}, true},
+		{"one nil interface", systemops.Nexthop{IP: ip1, Intf: eth0}, systemops.Nexthop{IP: ip1}, false},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			if got := sameNexthop(tt.a, tt.b); got != tt.want {
+				t.Errorf("sameNexthop() = %v, want %v", got, tt.want)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}