How to install native broadcom drivers for BCM4311, BCM4312, BCM4321, and BCM4322

[mike_l]

After searching for ways to get wireless working on my HP dv9000, I came across this thread. Apparently, Broadcom offers linux drivers for it's 802.11a/b/g/n cards (chipsets BCM4311, BCM4312, BCM4321, and BCM4322, in both 32 and 64 bit).

Figuring that there are other people out there with the same problem: here's the steps I took to install the native drivers:

1. Download the appropriate driver
   I downloaded the 64 bit version of the driver from http://www.broadcom.com/support/802.11/linux_sta.php
   It's important that you get the correct version, as the 32 and 64 bit versions are not compatible.
   
2. Make the .ko file
   First, make a temporary directory
   

   mkdir wdriver

   ... and place the downloaded package into it (hybrid-portsrc-_64_5_10_27_6.tar.gz, or hybrid-portsrc-x86_32_5_10_27_6.tar.gz for the 32 bit version)
   Then 'cd' into the temporary directory and un-tar the file.
   

   cd wdriver
   tar -xzf hybrid-portsrc-x86_64_5_10_27_6.tar.gz

   Now, we want to make the wl.ko file, so we enter:
   (<2.6.xx.xx> is your kernel version: mine was "2.6.24-19-generic". Use tab-completion to find yours.)
   

   make -C /lib/modules/<2.6.xx.xx>/build M=`pwd` clean
   make -C /lib/modules/<2.6.xx.xx>/build M=`pwd`

   You should now have a file "wl.ko" located in the temporary directory you created (wdriver).
3. Make sure that no other wireless drivers are installed
   Enter: (Don't worry if there are any errors returned)
   

   sudo rmmod bcm43xx
   sudo rmmod b43
   sudo rmmod b43legacy

   I also uninstalled ndiswrapper, just to be sure:
   

   sudo rmmod ndiswrapper
   sudo apt-get remove ndiswrapper-common

4. Test the new wireless driver
   Now, lets test out our new wireless driver. Enter:
   

   sudo modprobe ieee80211_crypt_tkip
   sudo insmod wl.ko

   If it worked, and you can see/connect to wireless networks, you'll want to:
5. Make your changes permanent.
   First, you may want to blacklist the old b43/b43legacy/bcm43xx drivers. Enter:
   

   sudo gedit /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist

   and add the following to the end of the file:
   

   blacklist b43
   blacklist b43legacy
   blacklist bcm43xx

   Now, let's move the wireless driver somewhere more permenant:
   

   sudo mkdir /lib/modules/<2.6.xx.xx>/wlan
   sudo mv wl.ko /lib/modules/<2.6.xx.xx>/wlan

   Now, lets make it so that the driver and wireless encryption module are loaded on startup. Enter:
   

   sudo gedit /etc/modules

   and add
   

   ieee80211_crypt_tkip

   to the bottom.
   
   Now run:
   

   sudo gedit /etc/rc.local

   and add
   

   sudo insmod /lib/modules/<2.6.xx.xx>/wlan/wl.ko

   at the end of the file, but before the line "exit 0"
   
   That's it. If I've made any errors, please let me know. Thanks.
   

[Ayuthia]

Now, lets make it so that the driver and wireless encryption module are loaded on startup. Enter:

sudo gedit /etc/modules

and add

ieee80211_crypt_tkip

to the bottom.

Now run:

sudo gedit /etc/rc.local

and add

sudo insmod /lib/modules/<2.6.xx.xx>/wlan/wl.ko

at the end of the file, but before the line "exit 0"

That's it. If I've made any errors, please let me know. Thanks.
[/LIST]

You don't really need to do the stuff I quoted above. What you need to do is the following:

sudo depmod -a
echo wl |sudo tee -a /etc/modules

The depmod -a command will update your modules list. After that, you will be able to automatically load the module in /etc/modules or if you want to load it manually:

sudo modprobe wl

The ieee80211_crypt_tkip will automatically be loaded when the modprobe wl is done.


EDIT:
Another tidbit is that instead of using <2.6.xx.xx>, you can just use `uname -r`. This will provide your kernel info. For example:

sudo insmod /lib/modules/`uname -r`/wlan/wl.ko

One other thing, it does look like this module might be included in the next linux-restricted-modules update. It is currently being tested.

[smalldog]

The driver seems work well under normal condition. However, it already halted when after ssh session authentication complete. In addition, it never using WPA(1/2) to build the wireless connection. But it still works under WEP mode. I am looking for solution for long time and I will switch to using ndiswrapper instead of wl, since most users reported ndiswrapper haven't above mentioned problem. Good luck

[smalldog]

The best solution that I find is follow the link to upgrade the kernel http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.p...ybrid&t=880218. WPA connection no problem. ssh connection no problem. Good luck to every people. Thanks a lot, superm1

[rol801]

You don't really need to do the stuff I quoted above. What you need to do is the following:

sudo depmod -a
echo wl |sudo tee -a /etc/modules

The depmod -a command will update your modules list. After that, you will be able to automatically load the module in /etc/modules or if you want to load it manually:

sudo modprobe wl

The ieee80211_crypt_tkip will automatically be loaded when the modprobe wl is done.


EDIT:
Another tidbit is that instead of using <2.6.xx.xx>, you can just use `uname -r`. This will provide your kernel info. For example:

sudo insmod /lib/modules/`uname -r`/wlan/wl.ko

One other thing, it does look like this module might be included in the next linux-restricted-modules update. It is currently being tested.

"sudo modprobe wl" cant load it up.. i've try many times but still fail.


but it work while you use " insmod" is fine... very strange actually

[Ayuthia]

"sudo modprobe wl" cant load it up.. i've try many times but still fail.


but it work while you use " insmod" is fine... very strange actually

Where did you place the wl.ko file? The file has to be located in /lib/firmware/`uname -r` in order for it to work. Also did you run sudo depmod -a after moving the file there?

[hajk]

Where did you place the wl.ko file? The file has to be located in /lib/firmware/`uname -r` in order for it to work. Also did you run sudo depmod -a after moving the file there?

I have a success story for the Broadcom 4328 rev 05 device in my Apple MacBook Pro. I just moved the wl.ko file to the /lib/modules/2.2..../misc/ directory, then ran "depmod -a" and loaded the module through a script:

#!/bin/sh
rmmod ssb
modprobe wl
modprobe ssb

which I've called /usr/local/bin/wireless and put in /etc/rc.local. As you can guess, the ssb module on my computer interferes, so wl.ko must be loaded first.

Broadcom claim that this module is "version-agnostic", so should work for any 2.6 kernel. Throughput is fine, but the reported signal strenght gets funny readings, the network-manager icon is white most of the time, there is the occasional reconnect after some period of inactivity. I'm using it right now with the AP (an Apple Airport Extreme Base Station) in mixed b/g/n mode using the 2.4GHz band, still to try using pure 802.11n and 5GHz.

Edit: Yes, pure 802.11n (draft) mode in the 5GHz band works, but doesn't show an increase in speed AFAICT. Those disconnects seem to occur after a period of inactivity; reconnecting takes place promptly whenever needed, so probably a feature to preserve battery power.

[vibhor goyal]

[QUOTE=mike_l;5636495]

[*]Test the new wireless driver
Now, lets test out our new wireless driver. Enter:

sudo modprobe ieee80211_crypt_tkip
sudo insmod wl.ko

Hi,
when I get to thsi step, I get this error :

insmod: error inserting 'wl.ko': -1 File exists

Please help me out. I have the temp folder on the desktop. By the error I thought it means that file already exists but wireless doesn't work

[vibhor goyal]

ok.. so an update to my previous post. So I did a rmmod to remove the wl.ko drive and then did insmod again and it didn't give any error this time, but sadly the wireless still doesn't work

[Ayuthia]

[QUOTE=vibhor goyal;6007316]

[*]Test the new wireless driver
Now, lets test out our new wireless driver. Enter:

sudo modprobe ieee80211_crypt_tkip
sudo insmod wl.ko

Hi,
when I get to thsi step, I get this error :

insmod: error inserting 'wl.ko': -1 File exists

Please help me out. I have the temp folder on the desktop. By the error I thought it means that file already exists but wireless doesn't work

Can you post the results of the following:

lsmod |grep -e b43 -e ssb -e ndiswrapper -e bcm43xx -e wl
uname -r
lshw -C network

It might be possible that the wl driver is already there and other modules are causing a conflict.