Help with Broadcom Corporation BCM4318 [AirForce One 54g]

**LazyHitchhiker** · May 26th, 2008

I've gone through multiple forums, and I've tried everything that they've suggested. However, I cannot get my wireless to work.

I ran lshw and here's what it says:

description: Computer
width: 32 bits
*-core
description: Motherboard
physical id: 0
*-memory
description: System memory
physical id: 0
size: 1137MiB
*-cpu
product: Mobile AMD Sempron(tm) Processor 3000+
vendor: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD]
physical id: 1
bus info: cpu@0
version: 15.12.2
size: 1800MHz
capacity: 1800MHz
width: 32 bits
capabilities: fpu fpu_exception wp vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic sep mtrr pge mca cmov pat pse36 clflush mmx fxsr sse sse2 syscall nx mmxext fxsr_opt 3dnowext 3dnow up pni lahf_lm ts fid vid ttp tm stc cpufreq
*-cache:0
description: L1 cache
physical id: 0
size: 128KiB
*-cache:1
description: L2 cache
physical id: 1
size: 128KiB
*-pci:0
description: Host bridge
product: RS480 Host Bridge
vendor: ATI Technologies Inc
physical id: 100
bus info: pci@0000:00:00.0
version: 10
width: 32 bits
clock: 66MHz
configuration: latency=64
*-pci:0
description: PCI bridge
product: RS480 PCI Bridge
vendor: ATI Technologies Inc
physical id: 1
bus info: pci@0000:00:01.0
version: 00
width: 32 bits
clock: 66MHz
capabilities: pci normal_decode bus_master cap_list
*-display
description: VGA compatible controller
product: Radeon XPRESS 200M 5955 (PCIE)
vendor: ATI Technologies Inc
physical id: 5
bus info: pci@0000:01:05.0
version: 00
width: 32 bits
clock: 66MHz
capabilities: vga_controller bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=fglrx_pci latency=255 mingnt=8 module=fglrx
*-usb:0
description: USB Controller
product: IXP SB400 USB Host Controller
vendor: ATI Technologies Inc
physical id: 13
bus info: pci@0000:00:13.0
version: 80
width: 32 bits
clock: 66MHz
capabilities: ohci bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=ohci_hcd latency=64 module=ohci_hcd
*-usb:1
description: USB Controller
product: IXP SB400 USB Host Controller
vendor: ATI Technologies Inc
physical id: 13.1
bus info: pci@0000:00:13.1
version: 80
width: 32 bits
clock: 66MHz
capabilities: ohci bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=ohci_hcd latency=64 module=ohci_hcd
*-usb:2
description: USB Controller
product: IXP SB400 USB2 Host Controller
vendor: ATI Technologies Inc
physical id: 13.2
bus info: pci@0000:00:13.2
version: 80
width: 32 bits
clock: 66MHz
capabilities: ehci bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=ehci_hcd latency=64 module=ehci_hcd
*-serial
description: SMBus
product: IXP SB400 SMBus Controller
vendor: ATI Technologies Inc
physical id: 14
bus info: pci@0000:00:14.0
version: 81
width: 32 bits
clock: 66MHz
capabilities: cap_list
configuration: driver=piix4_smbus latency=0 module=i2c_piix4
*-ide
description: IDE interface
product: IXP SB400 IDE Controller
vendor: ATI Technologies Inc
physical id: 14.1
bus info: pci@0000:00:14.1
version: 80
width: 32 bits
clock: 66MHz
capabilities: ide bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=pata_atiixp latency=64 module=pata_atiixp
*-isa
description: ISA bridge
product: IXP SB400 PCI-ISA Bridge
vendor: ATI Technologies Inc
physical id: 14.3
bus info: pci@0000:00:14.3
version: 80
width: 32 bits
clock: 66MHz
capabilities: isa bus_master
configuration: latency=0
*-pci:1
description: PCI bridge
product: IXP SB400 PCI-PCI Bridge
vendor: ATI Technologies Inc
physical id: 14.4
bus info: pci@0000:00:14.4
version: 80
width: 32 bits
clock: 66MHz
capabilities: pci subtractive_decode bus_master
*-network:0
description: Ethernet interface
product: RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+
vendor: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
physical id: 0
bus info: pci@0000:05:00.0
logical name: eth0
version: 10
serial: 00:16:36:18:8e:15
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: bus_master cap_list ethernet physical
configuration: broadcast=yes driver=8139too driverversion=0.9.28 ip=192.168.0.184 latency=64 maxlatency=64 mingnt=32 module=8139too multicast=yes
*-network:1
description: Network controller
product: BCM4318 [AirForce One 54g] 802.11g Wireless LAN Controller
vendor: Broadcom Corporation
physical id: 2
bus info: pci@0000:05:02.0
version: 02
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: bus_master
configuration: driver=b43-pci-bridge latency=64 module=ssb
*-pcmcia
description: CardBus bridge
product: PCIxx21/x515 Cardbus Controller
vendor: Texas Instruments
physical id: 9
bus info: pci@0000:05:09.0
version: 00
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pcmcia bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=yenta_cardbus latency=176 maxlatency=5 mingnt=192 module=yenta_socket
*-multimedia
description: Multimedia audio controller
product: IXP SB400 AC'97 Audio Controller
vendor: ATI Technologies Inc
physical id: 14.5
bus info: pci@0000:00:14.5
version: 80
width: 32 bits
clock: 66MHz
capabilities: bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=ATI IXP AC97 controller latency=64 mingnt=2 module=snd_atiixp
*-communication
description: Modem
product: SB400 AC'97 Modem Controller
vendor: ATI Technologies Inc
physical id: 14.6
bus info: pci@0000:00:14.6
version: 80
width: 32 bits
clock: 66MHz
capabilities: generic bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=ATI IXP MC97 controller latency=64 mingnt=2 module=snd_atiixp_modem
*-pci:1
description: Host bridge
product: K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] HyperTransport Technology Configuration
vendor: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD]
physical id: 101
bus info: pci@0000:00:18.0
version: 00
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
*-pci:2
description: Host bridge
product: K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] Address Map
vendor: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD]
physical id: 102
bus info: pci@0000:00:18.1
version: 00
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
*-pci:3
description: Host bridge
product: K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] DRAM Controller
vendor: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD]
physical id: 103
bus info: pci@0000:00:18.2
version: 00
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
*-pci:4
description: Host bridge
product: K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] Miscellaneous Control
vendor: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD]
physical id: 104
bus info: pci@0000:00:18.3
version: 00
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
configuration: driver=k8temp module=k8temp
*-network DISABLED
description: Wireless interface
physical id: 1
logical name: wlan0
serial: 00:14:a5:68:c3:bc
capabilities: ethernet physical wireless
configuration: broadcast=yes multicast=yes wireless=IEEE 802.11g

Please let me know if there is anything else you need.

**mapes12** · May 26th, 2008

Here are some resources that should help you out. If you can't find the answer here then it's unlikely you will find the answer anywhere:

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/WifiDocs

Also, take a look at this excellent HOWTO:

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=684495

If the above doesn't work then consider abandoning your current wifi card and get one that Linux fully supports. I got mine (Comtrend RT2500 - just plug in and it works!) from these guys:

http://www.linuxemporium.co.uk/products/wireless/

ndiswrapper is an option for cards not fully supported but in my experience the configurataion breaks down over time. I ended up having to go back to ******* for a while until I got the new card. Natively supported cards work much better.

**sam_delta** · May 26th, 2008

you say you have tryied everything, so here a few questions of mine.
do you have a wired connection?
if so, have you tryied going into system>administration>hardware drivers??
have you tryied installing b43-fwcutter from the terminal?

sam

**LazyHitchhiker** · May 27th, 2008

I do have a wired connection, and I installed b43-fwcutter. After installing b43-fwcutter, my wireless started working. I configured my wireless with my SSID and WPA encryption information, but it would not connect. I know I entered all the information correctly in the network window. Am I suppose to configure my wireless in the terminal window and not in the network window?

**Paqman** · May 27th, 2008

TBH, the performance you get out of the Broadcom cards (once you finally get them working) isn't very good.

By far the easiest thing to do is pick up a cheap second-hand Intel (or other Linux-friendly) card off eBay and swap the Broadcom one out. It'll save an immense amount of hassle.

**mapes12** · May 28th, 2008

I agree with the last post. The Broadcom card you have is not natively supported:

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Ha...kCardsBroadcom

This page is a good starting point for current supported cards:

http://www.linuxemporium.co.uk/products/wireless/