Broadcom Wireless Setup for Hardy (Step by step)

[brad1138]

After spending ~10 hours, reading a LOT of the how to's on fixing wireless on Compaq V5000. I found the (an) answer, which is a combo of this thread and a few other fixes, I thought I would wrap it all up. This worked on Ubuntu 12.04, I will be testing it on some other current releases soon (debian, Mint, Xubuntu)


Step #1 Make sure the wireless driver in "additional drivers" is not activated.

Step #2 Install ndiswrapper from Synaptic Package Manager. Type "ndis" in the search bar and install all 5 packages that start "ndis" (excluding ndisc6 - in my case anyway). Installing ndiswrapper-dkms solves a bug (discussed here)

Step #3 Run "lspci | grep Broadcom\ Corporation" in terminal to determin your wireless adapted model #. Then find appropriate .exe here. Look for "Step 2: Download and Extract Drivers", about 3/4 of way down page. Create a new folder in your home directory (name it whatever you want), download and extract into that. Extract by double-clicking file and selecting extract.

Step #4 Type "sudo apt-get install firmware-b43-installer b43-fwcutter" in terminal. This fixes another bug where firmware doesn't get installed (discussed here).

Step #5 Run ndiswrapper from launcher (labeled "Windows wireless drivers" on my system) and click "install new driver" - select the .inf file from the extracted .exe you created in step #3

Step #6 Reboot (not sure if this is needed but can't hurt)

That should do it. I actually did steps 4 & 5 in reverse order, as soon as I finished step 4, I had wireless, no reboot needed. I think the steps as I listed above are the better way to do it though. So if there is anyone still using a V5000 laptop, I hope this helps.

Brad

P.S. I know these instructions are usually given completely with terminal commands. I like using the GUI when I can and that is how it worked for me.

[Bucky Ball]

sudo apt-get install firmware-b43-installer b43-fwcutter

... should be all that is required in 12.04 LTS. It is all that is required in 10.04 LTS. ndiswrapper is superseded for most Broadcom cards.

@Brad: From your link:

But as soon as loading a windows *.inf driver file in the ndisgtk program it show the following popup message

If you are using a Broadcom card and the B43 drivers/firmware you wouldn't be 'loading a windows *.inf driver' so ... ndiswrapper is intended for that purpose and this is what was required three or four years ago before the B43 setup arrived. I would try without step #2 and frankly, I would also activate B43 via 'Additional Drivers' if available there (might need to connect with a cable and do an update before it is).

[chili555]

Step #2 Install ndiswrapper from Synaptic Package Manager. Type "ndis" in the search bar and install all 5 packages that start "ndis" (excluding ndisc6 - in my case anyway). Installing ndiswrapper-dkms solves a bug (discussed here)

Step #3 Run "lspci | grep Broadcom\ Corporation" in terminal to determin your wireless adapted model #. Then find appropriate .exe here. Look for "Step 2: Download and Extract Drivers", about 3/4 of way down page. Create a new folder in your home directory (name it whatever you want), download and extract into that. Extract by double-clicking file and selecting extract.

Step #4 Type "sudo apt-get install firmware-b43-installer b43-fwcutter" in terminal. This fixes another bug where firmware doesn't get installed (discussed here).

There is no need for ndiswrapper for almost any Broadcom card.

[brad1138]

sudo apt-get install firmware-b43-installer b43-fwcutter

... should be all that is required in 12.04 LTS. It is all that is required in 10.04 LTS. ndiswrapper is superseded for most Broadcom cards.

@Brad: From your link:



If you are using the B43 drivers/firmware you wouldn't be 'loading a windows *.inf driver' so ...

OK, I'll test that also. I only found that as a fix for the problem my link pointed to. But if you are correct, I wasted a lot of time...

[brad1138]

OK, I'll test that also. I only found that as a fix for the problem my link pointed to. But if you are correct, I wasted a lot of time...

Well, when I removed the driver through ndiswrapper and rebooted I lost wireless. I ran "sudo apt-get install firmware-b43-installer b43-fwcutter" again and still nothing. When I re-installed the .inf through ndiswrapper my wireless came back instantly. It seems I need both installed. I know that you shouldn't (or can't) have 2 drivers installed, but apparently I do. I didn't think "firmware" was the same as a "driver".

[jpeddicord]

Hi all,

This thread is very old. As the wireless driver situation is constantly changing, following the advice on this thread in more recent versions of Ubuntu may only lead to frustration. I'm going to close this thread; if you have your own wireless issues feel free to create a new thread.

If you feel this was closed in error, please post in Forum Feedback & Help.

Thanks!
Jacob