How to: Broadcom Wireless cards

[stromb]

Hah, just my luck...seems as though everyone on this thread with a "Broadcom Corporation BCM4318 [AirForce One 54g] 802.11g Wireless LAN Controller (rev 02)" card hasn't been able to get this working . I followed this guide to a T and though it seems as though it should be working (laptop light finally coming on and no "hanging" when configuring in the Network Manager"), I get nothing. Here is what I've done...

root@lappy:~# lspci | grep Broadcom\ Corporation
0000:06:02.0 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4318 [AirForce One 54g] 802.11g Wireless LAN Controller (rev 02)

Prerequisite
Ubuntu dapper *check*
A wireless card that shows up in Ubuntu *check*
A driver installation CD (for Windows) OR a driver for your card from the internet *check* (downloaded from http://sidulus.textdrive.com/bcmwl5sys.zip)
Access to the Ubuntu Universe Repository *check*

Did this:

root@lappy:~# apt-get install bcm43xx-fwcutter

When running:

root@lappy:~# bcm43xx-fwcutter -w /lib/firmware ~/Desktop/bcmwl5.sys

...I get:

*****: Sorry, it's not posible to extract "bcm43xx_microcode11.fw".
*****: Extracting firmware from an old driver is bad. Choose a more recent one.
*****: Luckily bcm43xx driver doesn't include microcode11 uploads at the moment.*****: But this can be added in the future...

...but it still appears to install the files into the firmware directory.

Did this:

root@lappy:~# apt-get install network-manager-gnome

And after a reboot and even trying this:

root@lappy:~# modprobe bcm43xx

...I get nothing. I've been playing around with this for hours now and am pretty much stuck. Here is some debug information (eth1 is the wlan card):

root@lappy:~# iwconfig
lo        no wireless extensions.

eth1      IEEE 802.11b/g  ESSID:"linksys_SES_54484"  Nickname:"Broadcom 4318"
          Mode:Managed  Frequency=2.437 GHz  Access Point: Invalid
          Bit Rate=11 Mb/s   Tx-Power=18 dBm
          RTS thr:off   Fragment thr:off
          Encryption key:off
          Link Quality:0  Signal level:0  Noise level:0
          Rx invalid nwid:0  Rx invalid crypt:0  Rx invalid frag:0
          Tx excessive retries:0  Invalid misc:0   Missed beacon:0

eth0      no wireless extensions.

sit0      no wireless extensions.

root@lappy:~# dhclient eth1
Internet Systems Consortium DHCP Client V3.0.3
Copyright 2004-2005 Internet Systems Consortium.
All rights reserved.
For info, please visit http://www.isc.org/products/DHCP

Listening on LPF/eth1/00:14:a5:69:d9:46
Sending on   LPF/eth1/00:14:a5:69:d9:46
Sending on   Socket/fallback
DHCPDISCOVER on eth1 to 255.255.255.255 port 67 interval 7
DHCPDISCOVER on eth1 to 255.255.255.255 port 67 interval 9
DHCPDISCOVER on eth1 to 255.255.255.255 port 67 interval 21

I have reset ALL the router settings so there's no WEP (or any encryption at all), copied/pasted the SSID into the Network Manager and even tried statically assigning the IP address. But still nothing . And nothing shows up in the Gnome panel for wifi either. Has anyone gotten this specific card to work??? Any help would be GREATLY appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

[kuriharu]

Looks great, it's the first time I've had an explanation as to why my card can be seen in Ubuntu but never connect.

How do I find the firmware for an Atheros card? Any clues? My connection actually worked once but it hasn't since.

[xXx 0wn3d xXx]

This worked great with my Broadcom Corporation BCM4318 [AirForce One 54g] 802.11g Wireless LAN Controller (rev 02) card. And to everyone who is having problems with getting this to work, try this:

sudo gedit /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist

and add:

blacklist ndiswrapper

to a new line.

[samjam]

I have a linksys bcm card, I had no trouble getting it to work with native bcm drivers WITHOUT encryption, but who wants to run an open network?

Here's my solution to getting it working on bootup with encryption:

Put this in a file called: /usr/local/bin/bcm43xx

#! /bin/sh -x

: ${IFACE:=${1:-eth1}}

ifconfig $IFACE up
sleep 1
iwconfig $IFACE key off
sleep 3
iwconfig $IFACE essid freeden
sleep 3
iwconfig $IFACE key restricted 0000111111yourkeyinhexhere
sleep 3

and then this fragment in my /etc/network/interfaces

iface eth1 inet dhcp
pre-up /usr/local/bin/bcm43xx
auto eth1

If I specify the essids and keys in my network interfaces it doesn't work
If I try to associate with the essid/AP with encryption on, it always fails, hence the script makes sure it is turned off.
So then I set the essid, wait, and then I set the key and I have to say "restricted"

A most telling message in dmesg or /var/log/messages is one like this:

Jun 2 20:56:23 localhost kernel: [4295485.996000] ADDRCONF(NETDEV_CHANGE): eth1: link becomes ready

the magic "link becomes ready" means essid and encryption all working fine.

[chubsmalone]

Thank God you put this out here. I have a Motorola WN825G wireless card and these steps worked PERFECTLY! No more ndiswrapper!! It "just works" now. Fantastic.

[duelboot]

nickm,

Thank you so much! I used this on my oldest computer (a Pent II (266)) with a Motorola PCI wireless card (Broadcom chipset)...this worked perfectly! No more ndiswrapper and no more driverloader.

Thanks again.
duel

[Brainfish]

This is a great how-to with one major problem. You must have a network connection to get a network connection (apt-get fwcutter). Can you install this package for distro discs?

I'll second this. My only access to the internet is via my wireless connection. The guide assumes that you already have internet access to download & install fwcutter.

[beck24]

Well, the bad news is that I have that same:

Broadcom Corporation BCM4318 [AirForce One 54g] 802.11g Wireless LAN Controller (rev 02)

card that isn't working for anyone else. The good news is that it is working for me. I followed the instructions as given, it gave me the same error:

*****: Sorry, it's not posible to extract "bcm43xx_microcode11.fw".
*****: Extracting firmware from an old driver is bad. Choose a more recent one.
*****: Luckily bcm43xx driver doesn't include microcode11 uploads at the moment.*****: But this can be added in the future...

as some other people. But on reboot it's working perfectly. Much better than in breezy using ndiswrapper and netapplet.
Thanks a bunch, I hope everyone else can get theirs going...

[axiomata]

I'd love to see a version of this guide for those like who are unable to get an ethernet internet connection that is required for a number of steps. Perhaps links to all the programs needed so they can be downloaded through windows or another computer as well as directions as to how to install the programs without the simple apt-get approach.

I know I'd appreciate it very much and I'm sure others may also.

[xXx 0wn3d xXx]

Well, the bad news is that I have that same:


card that isn't working for anyone else. The good news is that it is working for me. I followed the instructions as given, it gave me the same error:


as some other people. But on reboot it's working perfectly. Much better than in breezy using ndiswrapper and netapplet.
Thanks a bunch, I hope everyone else can get theirs going...

That's not an error. The message is saying that most broadcom cards do not currently support microcode11 uploads. I get the same message but my wireless works.