kde network preferences?

[varunendra]

dd:~$ grep b43 /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf
# replaced by b43 and ssb.
blacklist amd76x_edacblacklist b43

Is above a copy-paste mistake or the part highlighted in red is actually appended with the part before it like above? Please open the file /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf and confirm that.

Additionally, please post the outputs of (immediately after a fresh reboot) -

egrep -i 'b43|BOOT_IMAGE=' /var/log/syslog
grep -R b43 /etc/modprobe.d

If these don't give us the clue to why b43 is loading unnecessarily, we may have to take extreme measures like renaming the b43 and ssb driver files.

By the way, could you try a Live CD/USB and see how the wifi works with the native brcmsmac driver along (confirm with lsmod command that b43 isn't loading there too)? All the exercise we are doing is to make that driver work properly. The live session can confirm whether we are doing the right thing or not.

[princeofnam]

Yup. The last paragraph reads

# EDAC driver for amd76x clashes with the agp driver preventing the aperture
# from being initialised (Ubuntu: #297750). Blacklist so that the driver
# continues to build and is installable for the few cases where its
# really needed.
blacklist amd76x_edacblacklist b43

here is the grep output

egrep -i 'b43|BOOT_IMAGE=' /var/log/syslog
Dec 25 12:00:26 Ragnarork kernel: [    0.000000] Command line: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.11.0-14-generic root=UUID=173cf438-c9f3-490a-a50e-aead4d1a09ab ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
Dec 25 12:00:26 Ragnarork kernel: [    0.000000] Kernel command line: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.11.0-14-generic root=UUID=173cf438-c9f3-490a-a50e-aead4d1a09ab ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
Dec 25 12:00:26 Ragnarork kernel: [    1.449135] pci 0000:00:1c.2:   bridge window [mem 0xb3400000-0xb43fffff]
Dec 25 12:00:26 Ragnarork kernel: [    1.888256] pci 0000:00:1c.2:   bridge window [mem 0xb3400000-0xb43fffff]
Dec 25 12:00:26 Ragnarork kernel: [    1.888853] pci_bus 0000:04: resource 1 [mem 0xb3400000-0xb43fffff]
Dec 25 12:00:26 Ragnarork kernel: [   14.756318] Support for cores revisions 0x17 and 0x18 disabled by module param allhwsupport=0. Try b43.allhwsupport=1
Dec 25 12:00:26 Ragnarork kernel: [   14.756336] b43: probe of bcma0:0 failed with error -524
sushi@Ragnarork:~$ grep -R b43 /etc/modprobe.d
/etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf:# replaced by b43 and ssb.
/etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf:blacklist amd76x_edacblacklist b43
/etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf~:# replaced by b43 and ssb.

Unfortunately I cant demo whether the Live CD version is working or not as I'm currently at home where the WiFi is quite ample. I apologize for the inconvenience and I appreciate your help through this process.

[varunendra]

blacklist amd76x_edacblacklist b43

Open the file with root access -

gksu gedit /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf

[NOTE: Replace 'gksu' with 'kdesudo' or simply 'sudo' if using KDE, also, 'gedit' with whatever text editor you are using]
And edit the above quoted line to split it into two separate lines, so that it looks like -

blacklist amd76x_edac
blacklist b43

then save and close the file. Reboot and check -

lsmod | egrep 'b43|brcm'

You should see only brcmsmac and related drivers, but no b43 in the output. If so, is the connection any better?

[princeofnam]

brcmsmac              562767  0 
cordic                 12574  1 brcmsmac
brcmutil               15618  1 brcmsmac
mac80211              596969  1 brcmsmac
cfg80211              479757  2 brcmsmac,mac80211
bcma                   46670  2 brcmsmac

Yup! It's just as you described. I think it worked. It's hard to tell since connectivity can be subjective but I've felt good connectivity since I got back.

[princeofnam]

Checking again this morning. Connectivity is definitely better. Thanks for the help. Can't believe it was as simple as that.

[varunendra]

If it is still serving you good, please mark the thread as [SOLVED]. Thanks!

[princeofnam]

Hi! I just wanted to bump this thread as I'm still having trouble with my ubuntu wireless. I had to boot into Windows to use the wifi. Does anyone else have any suggestions? I noticed some error messages when I rebooted but I wasn't sure how to access them as they were only visible on the terminal right before reboot. I did see the words "brms_mac" though which led me to suspect something was wrong

[varunendra]

princeofnam, just noticed your last post.

How long the solution worked? Did the problem return after some update?

Please show us a fresh report created by the "wireless_script", as well as the output of -

dmesg | egrep -i 'brms|error'

And take a look yourself at these logs and post back if you see any suspicious lines -
/var/log/syslog
/var/log/dmesg