Broadcom BCM4311: Network works but fails

[LoopTown]

Hy, my problem in general is about network almost working.

I'm using 12.10 ubuntu (installed on a new HDD after using 12.04 wich didn't work too well) on Dell Latitude D620.

All problems start with Software Updater wich shows me 40 new updates waiting to be installed. After pressing install now I get a error "system error". Pressing report error it gives me another one something like "ubuntu experienced a software error", after pressing report error it gives me yet another one telling that program crashed unexpectedly. After clicking leave closed it askes me about a minute later my password to report a problem. In this time software updater just hangs there - not responding, not crashing - just chillin'.

Also software center doesn't allow me to install anything - clicking install it just doesn't do anything whatsoever.

Only thing that let's me do anything in matter of sofware is synaptic package manager.

Also my transmission (BitTorrent client) downloads everything for about a minute or so and then gradually closes all connections (wihtout any warning or anything). Both for uploading and dowloading. New connection is possible but those as well get disconnected in about a minute or so. Restarting transmission gives me another minute of up/downloading.

Problem keep coming - sometimes my wireless connection decides to just go away - it does not disconnect connection, it just goes away. The icon shows no connection but clicking on the icon tell me i'm connected. After closing connection thru pressing a button on my laptop and then switching it on again the wireless network comes back.

Thing that is problably not the problem with network but someone might find it useful for me to mention is that I can't backup my system - namely because backup keeps asking me the encryption password (not saying it's wrong but asks me for the password - starts the process of prepearing for backup - asks me for the password again and starts the process again and so on and so on). Password is correct - I know that much.

Overall I have to do a restart on my computer at least once a day to use Wifi in general (sometimes the switch on the laptop doesn't do anything at all).

On Windows XP (sorry for mentioning it on ubuntu forums) all worked well.

Really don't like to go back on windows a Linux is a great platform to learn Computer Science on and has a lot of extremely useful tools and apps for free. That being said - I really can't use my computer like this also.

Thanks for any help you could give me!

PS! Updateing and upgrading doesn't work thru terminal either.
PPS! Problems I had with 12.04 still remain with 12.10 in network-wise. My unsolved post about 12.04 IM connection problems (still have the same problem in 12.10 http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2098635 )

[chili555]

Let's see what kind of wireless card you have. Please open a terminal and do:

lspci -nn | grep 0280

The pipe symbol | is on the right side of my US keyboard on the same key with \. If it is a Broadcom, also post:

lsmod | grep -e b43 -e brcmsmac -e wl

Thanks.

[LoopTown]

Here they are!

lspci

0c:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Broadcom Corporation BCM4311 802.11b/g WLAN [14e4:4311] (rev 01)

lsmod

b43 347311 0
mac80211 461203 1 b43
cfg80211 175574 2 b43,mac80211
bcma 34484 1 b43
ssb 50088 2 b43,ssb_hcd

[chili555]

A Broadcom; pretty good guess, eh? All looks just fine so far. Let's see a couple of other things:

dmesg | grep -e wlan -e b43
nm-tool

[LoopTown]

Let me guess - broadcom is not the best network hardware around?

dmesg

[ 32.145595] b43-phy0: Broadcom 4311 WLAN found (core revision 10)
[ 32.573814] Registered led device: b43-phy0::tx
[ 32.573843] Registered led device: b43-phy0::rx
[ 32.573877] Registered led device: b43-phy0::radio
[ 38.848098] b43-phy0: Loading firmware version 666.2 (2011-02-23 01:15:07)
[ 38.961139] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlan0: link is not ready
[ 38.961555] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlan0: link is not ready
[ 41.396888] wlan0: authenticate with 08:76:ff:85:80:09
[ 41.420264] wlan0: send auth to 08:76:ff:85:80:09 (try 1/3)
[ 41.422681] wlan0: authenticated
[ 41.428169] wlan0: associate with 08:76:ff:85:80:09 (try 1/3)
[ 41.430577] wlan0: RX AssocResp from 08:76:ff:85:80:09 (capab=0x411 status=0 aid=1)
[ 41.431048] wlan0: associated
[ 41.431273] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_CHANGE): wlan0: link becomes ready

NM Tool

State: connected (global)

- Device: eth0 -----------------------------------------------------------------
Type: Wired
Driver: tg3
State: unavailable
Default: no
HW Address: 00:18:8B:A9:3E:63

Capabilities:
Carrier Detect: yes

Wired Properties
Carrier: off


- Device: wlan0 [Thomson-08-76-FF-85-80-09] -----------------------------------
Type: 802.11 WiFi
Driver: b43
State: connected
Default: yes
HW Address: 00:19:7D:18:44:F1

Capabilities:
Speed: 54 Mb/s

Wireless Properties
WEP Encryption: yes
WPA Encryption: yes
WPA2 Encryption: yes

Wireless Access Points (* = current AP)
Thomson-08-76-FF-CB-3B-F4: Infra, 08:76:FF:CB:3B:F4, Freq 2462 MHz, Rate 54 Mb/s, Strength 59 WPA WPA2
Maestro: Infra, 00:1C:F0F:3C:3D, Freq 2437 MHz, Rate 54 Mb/s, Strength 57 WPA
Thomson-58-98-35-F4-B1-DC: Infra, 58:98:35:F4:B1C, Freq 2462 MHz, Rate 54 Mb/s, Strength 54 WPA WPA2
Air: Infra, 00:24:36:AC:2F:2B, Freq 2462 MHz, Rate 54 Mb/s, Strength 40 WPA2
Rasti: Infra, 64:70:02:CA:3E:3C, Freq 2452 MHz, Rate 54 Mb/s, Strength 32 WPA2
lisette: Infra, 00:16:01:C7:16:A7, Freq 2442 MHz, Rate 54 Mb/s, Strength 45 WEP
*Thomson-08-76-FF-85-80-09: Infra, 08:76:FF:85:80:09, Freq 2462 MHz, Rate 54 Mb/s, Strength 78 WPA WPA2
Vkos: Infra, BC:AE:C5:C3:C4:6D, Freq 2412 MHz, Rate 54 Mb/s, Strength 39 WPA WPA2

IPv4 Settings:
Address: 192.168.1.68
Prefix: 24 (255.255.255.0)
Gateway: 192.168.1.254

DNS: 192.168.1.254

[chili555]

*Thomson-08-76-FF-85-80-09: Infra, 08:76:FF:85:80:09, Freq 2462 MHz, Rate 54 Mb/s, Strength 78 WPA WPA2

Would you please try setting your router to WPA2 only and not mixed mode WPA and WPA2? Also, is your router set for B, G and N speeds? Will you please try B and G only? Finally, please Edit Connections in Network Manager and set IPv6 to Ignore. Please see attached.

Everything else looks very fine.

[LoopTown]

It's going to take a little time as now I can't connect to the wireless network with any computer in my house ( I've changed all the settings in computers too - encryption and key type and such).

[LoopTown]

It's done, and got my wireless back. Still doesn't update the system.

[chili555]

Are there any errors or warnings if you do:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade

[LoopTown]

Now it seems like the transmission kills connections a lot faster - within 10 seconds into downloading.