The Definitive 9.10 Broadcom Solution Guide

[streever]

Oddly enough, mmmmna's solution ACTUALLY WORKED for me Although I did install cutter, because I had not previously installed it, then followed the following instructions. Using Broadcom 4311 on V6120us (Compaq presario)

To be fair, right up front I'll say I tried everything here several times, in several orders: did some things in order and then did some things out of order. I tried other things from one place in between some things from the other place, so now that I've managed to get this resolved, I can only say that I'm not 100% certain how things got worked out.

I CAN describe the issues I saw.

Background:
I have installed Ubuntu Netbook Remix 9.10 on a Desktop system but UNR might eventually get wiped since I am actually using a 64bit capable system. Before you jump.... I've only installed UNR 9.1 after installing and trying to configure 3 other Ubuntu 9.1 distros (ulite 9.10, kubuntu 9.10, and U9.10 for 64 bit) and those other 3 failed and were successively replaced until I did this latest fresh install of UNR 9.10. Why UNR on a desktop? Because installing and using UNR 9.01 on my Asus EeePC 900A is first time I've had any version of Ubuntu that worked after being installed. I have gained a little bit of Ubuntu experience with that EeePC 900A, and so I felt this situation could be a sensible starting point for me to figure out how to get any other Ubuntu onto my Desktop box. I'm posting from UNR 9.10 on the Desktop box, I can only hope it stays configured after I reboot for the first time since I got the 4306 to work.

What I tried (and where I got the information):
--Everything in this thread (up to kat_ams post 1 day ago) failed for me. Each step may have acted like it worked properly (I saw b43fw-cutter, the kernel sources and the bcmwl-modaliases each said they were installed at some time or another).
--Earlier, I also had been trying the steps beginning at "http://linuxwireless.org/en/users/Drivers/b43" over here at Linux Wireless.

What I think made the difference:
After everything I had tried that didn't work, I figured I would try uninstalling stuff. Uninstalling these 3 things made it all work!

Using Synaptic, I uninstalled:

• bcmwl-kernel-sources
• b43fwcutter
• bcmwl-modaliases

After rebooting, I ran the hardware driver tool and tadaa.

Sorry for being so uninformative, but maybe what some folks need to try is the 3 uninstall steps I took, reboot and do the hardware driver install. While you could say that makes no sense, it is, no matter what, how I fixed my BCM4306R3 which previously did not work in Ubuntu Netbook Remix 9.10.

[mark-e-mark]

Terrific guide; thanks for putting it together. I've had the drivers installed for my BCM4322 on Ubuntu 9.10 for some months now, and I've been attempting to diagnose a "Slow SAMBA" issue. After getting SAMBA to where it's not logging errors and mounts shares reliably, I've finally figured out that the sluggish performance on my home wireless network (XP Server shares) is matched by poor performance on the web. Today I went to a newbie "testmyspeed" site and it told me I should get off dial-up.

Since then, I've been after my STA driver, and I compiled the latest WL driver according to instructions at Broadcom (http://www.broadcom.com/docs/linux_sta/README.txt). Since I'm a Windows guy and barely familiar with Unix, I was surprised that I successfully untarred and compiled the source correctly, but the driver is functioning. I can reboot and jump right on my network.

However, I still have ****-poor network speed. I'm writing this from my dual-boot HP dV4 Pavilion 64 bit where I can't watch my own movies unless I reboot to Vista. That's just not how things should be, so I am asking the community for suggestions. I see that mmmmna had success with a re-install, so I'll try that but I don't hold much hope for it. Does anyone know what else I might try?

[mark-e-mark]

First test: Using Synaptic, I uninstalled:

• bcmwl-kernel-sources
• b43fwcutter
• bcmwl-modaliases

If this sounds familiar, it's because I followed mmmmna's steps above. Looking at the Hardware Drivers tool, it shows the Broadcom STA driver NOT activated.

Here's the thing: I just doubled my wireless speed. Triumphantly, I returned to the newbie speedtest site and clicked the silly icon. Sure enough, I hit a download speed of 5mbs, twice that of before. I queued a movie from my XP share in Miro and it started playing so fast I didn't realize, and no stutter-stops this time!

My only guess is that the WL driver I compiled earlier is loaded from a different directory and the STA driver was interfering?? Any ideas on how to figure this out? Is this as good as it gets?

[3DCGdesign]

When I booted Ubuntu from Live CD I could install the proprietary Broadcom STA wireless driver no prob. I was on the internet, surfing. I could NOT however get the same driver to work w/ Kubuntu from Live CD.

I installed Kubuntu (9.10 x64) to hard drive and am finally dual booting between Kubuntu and (cough) Vista...

But when I go to look at hardware drivers, there are none, it just says there are none. "No proprietary drivers are in use on this system" ... so I can't even TRY.

So I tried putting the live disk in to get them from there, but have NO clue how to do it. I'm the most UN-programmer geek I know... so speak slowly and use small words, please.

I don't even understand the "uninstall xyz" in the above posts because I have no idea how to uninstall/install a driver... it just 'worked' from the Live CD, and now, there's not even the option.

can't even find a "System -> Admin -> Synaptic Pkg Mgr" ...

[PetoB]

Hi, I am also new and your problem looks exactly same like my.

I try everything in the world, but nothing help me... i do not like this way, which is explained upper this installing and uninstalling and so and so in some exact way....

...I think, should by some easy way and is it!
Try this link http://www.broadcom.com/support/802.11/linux_sta.php there are 2 package with drivers for broadcom.

I was able to installing by reading README.txt which is also able to download. Try it and do not forgot to put driver b43 to blacklist - in README is also explained how.

I do not have now time, but try it... if you will be not able to manage it, write info, I will try to help you... but really try it, I spend 8 days to understand and try to find problem and in that time I learn so much... after that I download this driver and in few minutes I installed driver and now is work ...do not forgot to put this b43 driver to blacklist, because after rebooting you will have same problem wifi will not work.

[elkoselim]

I have an laptop HP6735s (BCM4322 wireless adapter). I have installed drivers for wireless adapter. The problem is aircrack. When I type in:
aireplay-ng -9 eth2
An error appears as:
...
sure RFMON is enabled: run 'airmon-ng start eth2 <#>'
sysfs injection support was not found either.

What should I do? PLS for solution!

[teh603]

This guide worked on my Dell 1564 on Lucid Alpha 3.

[spenny77]

Thanks for the tips, so helpful. Got wireless to work after following the instructions, and activating the wireless card using Fn+F2 buttons on my Dell Inspiron 1501. Happy to be posting this using my wireless connection!

[Naggobot]

I too had a problem which Ubuntu 9.10 is described in this thread a few times.

After fresh installation the system did not list any proprietary drivers under Administration->Hardware drivers. I tried to install the drivers from live-cd but failed to do so (probably since I had no idea what I should have installed since at the time I did not know what the hardware is. )

Instead of debugging a lot I made a fresh reinstall so that

1. After booting from live CD I checked that the drivers are available and I activated the driver.
2. I plugged in hardwire to internet
3. I run the fresh installation

I also noted that during the installation process the installer spent some time installing (and probably downloading) b43-fwcutter.

After installation the system found proprietary drivers from Administration->Hardware drivers and I got everything working fine (except for some reason after hibernate the wireless remains disabled. This is problem only if I accidentally put the computer to hibernation instead of suspend)

Hardware is
Broadcom Corporation BCM4318 [AirForce One 54g] 802.11g Wireless LAN Controller [14e4:4318] (rev 02)

on Acer aspire 5020 (5021wlmi)
Edit: Fixed the model and I need to point out that I have not bothered to try and get bluetooth working and I do not know if it is possible. I need to point this out so that if someone happens to make some sort of purchasing decision based on this post there is all of the relevant info available. Also while writing this I did try the SD card reader and it works. I did have to use my teeth to pry the card out but this problem is not software related, its either just bad design, manufacturing or ageing.

[drfurly]

I've installed Linux on my Dell Inspiron 1420 laptop (which runs the BCM4312 wireless card) and completely uninstalled Linux on two separate occasions because I couldn't find a way to make my wireless card work. Finally, after some more refined Google searches I came across this thread and my wireless is up to snuff.

Great guide, I'm glad someone finally made a retard-proof walkthru for me.