[SOLVED]No wireless on Ubuntu 20.04 for Broadcom adapter

[gordan-vrbanec-vepar]

Hello!

I'm fixing my mother's laptop that had a Windows 8 on it.
It was beyond repair so i wiped the whole disk and installed Ubuntu 20.04 on it.
it has efi, /boot, swap, /, and /home partitions (adding this info just in case it's relevant).

The laptop is Lenovo G500.

Everything so far is dandy, except i can't get wireless to work.

Now bear in mind, i haven't done this in a while and i have 0 knowledge about what has changed from the last time i dealt with ubuntu so i might need more info except just wireless if that's ok.
Like, do i still need to install restricted extras? What do i need to do to a fresh installation? She'll be using it for internet, office, email and watching movies from time to time. I can set her email etc, but idk about what to use for video - is there VLC in software center? Do i need codecs?

But first thing's first. Wireless. She can't have it wired all the time so this is kind of required. Otherwise i wouldn't bother.

I tried this:
https://itsfoss.com/fix-no-wireless-network-ubuntu/
https://askubuntu.com/questions/55868/installing-broadcom-wireless-drivers

So far, none of this worked, still no wireless showing. If i unplug the cable, it just says wired connection unplugged.

lspci -nn -d 14e4: output:

Broadcom Inc. adn subsidiaries BCM4142 802.1 1b/g/n [14e4:4356] (rev 01)

Any help would be greatly appreciated!
If you need further output, just tell me what you need and i'll copy it here.

[chili555]

Did you install the correct driver? From the terminal (Ctrl+Alt+t), run and post:


sudo dpkg -s bcmwl-kernel-source | grep Status

Is the wireless switch or key combination set to enable or disable wireless?


rfkill list all

Are there any informative clues in the log?


dmesg | grep wl

is there VLC in software center? Do i need codecs?
Yes and yes.

[gordan-vrbanec-vepar]

Hey! Thanks for responding!

Well dpkg for bcmwl-kernel-source is



Status: deinstall ok config-files

But that's because i first tried that - and that was installed by default.
I looked up the table in https://askubuntu.com/questions/55868/installing-broadcom-wireless-drivers and the correct driver for that was bcmwl-kernel-source.
So i tried what was said in https://itsfoss.com/fix-no-wireless-network-ubuntu/ and installed another one.

I'm going to switch to the laptop now and post other outputs. Just a sec.

[gordan-vrbanec-vepar]

Here's the rest:

rfkill list all

0: ideapad_wlan: Wireless LAN
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: no
1: ideapad_bluetooth: Bluetooth
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: no
2: hci0: Bluetooth
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: no


dmesg | grep wl has no output at all

[chili555]

So i tried what was said in https://itsfoss.com/fix-no-wireless-network-ubuntu/ and installed another one.

To paraphrase the cool kids, howz that workin' out for ya?? There are many issues I have with the itsfoss post. For instance, there is no way Jose, no way in God's green earth that a 4360 802.11ac device is going to work AT ALL with b43 and firmware. That's a subject for another rant.

Please do:


sudo apt install --reinstall bcmwl-kernel-source.

Reboot and tell us the result.

[gordan-vrbanec-vepar]

Do i uninstall the other drivers i got first?

[gordan-vrbanec-vepar]

dpkg:


Status: install ok half-configured

rfkill list all:


0: ideapad_wlan: Wireless LAN
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: no
1: ideapad_bluetooth: Bluetooth
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: no
2: hci0: Bluetooth
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: no



dmesg grep wl again no output

[chili555]

Do i uninstall the other drivers i got first?No need. bcmwl-kernel-source will blacklist them automagically.

[gordan-vrbanec-vepar]

No need. bcmwl-kernel-source will blacklist them automagically.

Yeah, i didn't uninstall them. I posted the outputs.

[chili555]

What does this report:


sudo dpkg -s bcmwl-kernel-source | grep Version
sudo modprobe wl && dmesg | grep wl

[gordan-vrbanec-vepar]

dpkg reports:


Version: 6.30.223.271+bdcom-0ubuntu5
Config-Version: 6.30.223.271+bdcom-0ubuntu5


modprobe:


modprobe: FATAL: Module wl not found in directory /lib/modules/5.4.0-26-generic

[chili555]

I wonder if there was an error that you missed when you installed it. Please run again:


sudo apt install --reinstall bcmwl-kernel-source

Does it end with:


wl.ko:
Running module version sanity check.
- Original module
- No original module exists within this kernel
- Installation
- Installing to /lib/modules/5.4.0-26-generic/updates/dkms/

depmod...

DKMS: install completed.Or does it end differently? Please post.

[gordan-vrbanec-vepar]

Hmm, i get:


E: dpkg was interrupted, you must manually run 'sudo dpkg --configure -a' to correct the problem.


i did what it said and then i get this:
https://imgur.com/a/vteq1Ru

i press enter and nothing happens

[jeremy31]

The build log for the 5.4.0-26 kernel is not pretty

DKMS make.log for bcmwl-6.30.223.271+bdcom for kernel 5.4.0-26-generic (x86_64)
Tue 28 Apr 2020 04:34:37 PM CDT
make: Entering directory '/usr/src/linux-headers-5.4.0-26-generic'
CFG80211 API is prefered for this kernel version
Using CFG80211 API
AR /var/lib/dkms/bcmwl/6.30.223.271+bdcom/build/built-in.a
CC [M] /var/lib/dkms/bcmwl/6.30.223.271+bdcom/build/src/shared/linux_osl.o
CC [M] /var/lib/dkms/bcmwl/6.30.223.271+bdcom/build/src/wl/sys/wl_linux.o
CC [M] /var/lib/dkms/bcmwl/6.30.223.271+bdcom/build/src/wl/sys/wl_iw.o
CC [M] /var/lib/dkms/bcmwl/6.30.223.271+bdcom/build/src/wl/sys/wl_cfg80211_hybrid.o
/var/lib/dkms/bcmwl/6.30.223.271+bdcom/build/src/wl/sys/wl_linux.c: In function ‘wl_pci_probe’:
/var/lib/dkms/bcmwl/6.30.223.271+bdcom/build/src/wl/sys/wl_linux.c:780:2: warning: this ‘if’ clause does not guard... [-Wmisleading-indentation]
780 | if ((val & 0x0000ff00) != 0)
| ^~
/var/lib/dkms/bcmwl/6.30.223.271+bdcom/build/src/wl/sys/wl_linux.c:782:3: note: ...this statement, but the latter is misleadingly indented as if it were guarded by the ‘if’
782 | bar1_size = pci_resource_len(pdev, 2);
| ^~~~~~~~~
In file included from /var/lib/dkms/bcmwl/6.30.223.271+bdcom/build/src/wl/sys/wl_cfg80211_hybrid.c:40:
/var/lib/dkms/bcmwl/6.30.223.271+bdcom/build/src/wl/sys/wl_cfg80211_hybrid.c: In function ‘wl_set_auth_type’:
/var/lib/dkms/bcmwl/6.30.223.271+bdcom/build/src/wl/sys/wl_cfg80211_hybrid.h:52:5: warning: this statement may fall through [-Wimplicit-fallthrough=]
52 | if (wl_dbg_level & WL_DBG_DBG) { \
| ^
/var/lib/dkms/bcmwl/6.30.223.271+bdcom/build/src/wl/sys/wl_cfg80211_hybrid.c:816:3: note: in expansion of macro ‘WL_DBG’
816 | WL_DBG(("network eap\n"));
| ^~~~~~
/var/lib/dkms/bcmwl/6.30.223.271+bdcom/build/src/wl/sys/wl_cfg80211_hybrid.c:817:2: note: here
817 | default:
| ^~~~~~~
In file included from ./include/linux/bitmap.h:9,
from ./include/linux/cpumask.h:12,
from ./arch/x86/include/asm/cpumask.h:5,
from ./arch/x86/include/asm/msr.h:11,
from ./arch/x86/include/asm/processor.h:21,
from ./arch/x86/include/asm/cpufeature.h:5,
from ./arch/x86/include/asm/thread_info.h:53,
from ./include/linux/thread_info.h:38,
from ./arch/x86/include/asm/preempt.h:7,
from ./include/linux/preempt.h:78,
from ./include/linux/spinlock.h:51,
from ./include/linux/seqlock.h:36,
from ./include/linux/time.h:6,
from ./include/linux/stat.h:19,
from ./include/linux/module.h:10,
from /var/lib/dkms/bcmwl/6.30.223.271+bdcom/build/src/include/linuxver.h:40,
from /var/lib/dkms/bcmwl/6.30.223.271+bdcom/build/src/wl/sys/wl_linux.c:27:
In function ‘strncpy’,
inlined from ‘_wl_add_monitor_if’ at /var/lib/dkms/bcmwl/6.30.223.271+bdcom/build/src/wl/sys/wl_linux.c:2980:2:
./include/linux/string.h:281:9: warning: ‘__builtin_strncpy’ specified bound depends on the length of the source argument [-Wstringop-overflow=]
281 | return __builtin_strncpy(p, q, size);
| ^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
/var/lib/dkms/bcmwl/6.30.223.271+bdcom/build/src/wl/sys/wl_linux.c: In function ‘_wl_add_monitor_if’:
./include/linux/string.h:302:10: note: length computed here
302 | return __builtin_strlen(p);
| ^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
LD [M] /var/lib/dkms/bcmwl/6.30.223.271+bdcom/build/wl.o
CFG80211 API is prefered for this kernel version
Using CFG80211 API
Building modules, stage 2.
MODPOST 1 modules
CC [M] /var/lib/dkms/bcmwl/6.30.223.271+bdcom/build/wl.mod.o
LD [M] /var/lib/dkms/bcmwl/6.30.223.271+bdcom/build/wl.ko
make: Leaving directory '/usr/src/linux-headers-5.4.0-26-generic'

Build log for broadcom-sta-dkms isn't much better

DKMS make.log for broadcom-sta-6.30.223.271 for kernel 5.4.0-26-generic (x86_64)
Tue 28 Apr 2020 04:36:27 PM CDT
/bin/sh: 1: [: Illegal number:
/bin/sh: 1: [: Illegal number:
Wireless Extension is the only possible API for this kernel version
Using Wireless Extension API
KBUILD_NOPEDANTIC=1 make -C /lib/modules/5.4.0-26-generic/build M=`pwd`
make[1]: warning: jobserver unavailable: using -j1. Add '+' to parent make rule.
make[1]: Entering directory '/usr/src/linux-headers-5.4.0-26-generic'
CFG80211 API is prefered for this kernel version
Using CFG80211 API
Kernel architecture is X86_64
AR /var/lib/dkms/broadcom-sta/6.30.223.271/build/built-in.a
CC [M] /var/lib/dkms/broadcom-sta/6.30.223.271/build/src/shared/linux_osl.o
CC [M] /var/lib/dkms/broadcom-sta/6.30.223.271/build/src/wl/sys/wl_linux.o
/var/lib/dkms/broadcom-sta/6.30.223.271/build/src/wl/sys/wl_linux.c: In function ‘wl_pci_probe’:
/var/lib/dkms/broadcom-sta/6.30.223.271/build/src/wl/sys/wl_linux.c:787:2: warning: this ‘if’ clause does not guard... [-Wmisleading-indentation]
787 | if ((val & 0x0000ff00) != 0)
| ^~
/var/lib/dkms/broadcom-sta/6.30.223.271/build/src/wl/sys/wl_linux.c:789:3: note: ...this statement, but the latter is misleadingly indented as if it were guarded by the ‘if’
789 | bar1_size = pci_resource_len(pdev, 2);
| ^~~~~~~~~
In file included from ./include/linux/bitmap.h:9,
from ./include/linux/cpumask.h:12,
from ./arch/x86/include/asm/cpumask.h:5,
from ./arch/x86/include/asm/msr.h:11,
from ./arch/x86/include/asm/processor.h:21,
from ./arch/x86/include/asm/cpufeature.h:5,
from ./arch/x86/include/asm/thread_info.h:53,
from ./include/linux/thread_info.h:38,
from ./arch/x86/include/asm/preempt.h:7,
from ./include/linux/preempt.h:78,
from ./include/linux/spinlock.h:51,
from ./include/linux/seqlock.h:36,
from ./include/linux/time.h:6,
from ./include/linux/stat.h:19,
from ./include/linux/module.h:10,
from /var/lib/dkms/broadcom-sta/6.30.223.271/build/src/include/linuxver.h:40,
from /var/lib/dkms/broadcom-sta/6.30.223.271/build/src/wl/sys/wl_linux.c:27:
In function ‘strncpy’,
inlined from ‘_wl_add_monitor_if’ at /var/lib/dkms/broadcom-sta/6.30.223.271/build/src/wl/sys/wl_linux.c:2989:2:
./include/linux/string.h:281:9: warning: ‘__builtin_strncpy’ specified bound depends on the length of the source argument [-Wstringop-overflow=]
281 | return __builtin_strncpy(p, q, size);
| ^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
/var/lib/dkms/broadcom-sta/6.30.223.271/build/src/wl/sys/wl_linux.c: In function ‘_wl_add_monitor_if’:
./include/linux/string.h:302:10: note: length computed here
302 | return __builtin_strlen(p);
| ^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CC [M] /var/lib/dkms/broadcom-sta/6.30.223.271/build/src/wl/sys/wl_iw.o
CC [M] /var/lib/dkms/broadcom-sta/6.30.223.271/build/src/wl/sys/wl_cfg80211_hybrid.o
In file included from /var/lib/dkms/broadcom-sta/6.30.223.271/build/src/wl/sys/wl_cfg80211_hybrid.c:43:
/var/lib/dkms/broadcom-sta/6.30.223.271/build/src/wl/sys/wl_cfg80211_hybrid.c: In function ‘wl_set_auth_type’:
/var/lib/dkms/broadcom-sta/6.30.223.271/build/src/wl/sys/wl_cfg80211_hybrid.h:52:5: warning: this statement may fall through [-Wimplicit-fallthrough=]
52 | if (wl_dbg_level & WL_DBG_DBG) { \
| ^
/var/lib/dkms/broadcom-sta/6.30.223.271/build/src/wl/sys/wl_cfg80211_hybrid.c:817:3: note: in expansion of macro ‘WL_DBG’
817 | WL_DBG(("network eap\n"));
| ^~~~~~
/var/lib/dkms/broadcom-sta/6.30.223.271/build/src/wl/sys/wl_cfg80211_hybrid.c:818:2: note: here
818 | default:
| ^~~~~~~
LD [M] /var/lib/dkms/broadcom-sta/6.30.223.271/build/wl.o
CFG80211 API is prefered for this kernel version
Using CFG80211 API
Kernel architecture is X86_64
Building modules, stage 2.
MODPOST 1 modules
CC [M] /var/lib/dkms/broadcom-sta/6.30.223.271/build/wl.mod.o
LD [M] /var/lib/dkms/broadcom-sta/6.30.223.271/build/wl.ko
make[1]: Leaving directory '/usr/src/linux-headers-5.4.0-26-generic'

[chili555]

Please disable Secure Boot in the BIOS/EFI and then try again:


sudo dpkg --configure -aSecure Boot was probably the underlying issue all along!

[gordan-vrbanec-vepar]

Please disable Secure Boot in the BIOS/EFI and then try again:


sudo dpkg --configure -aSecure Boot was probably the underlying issue all along!

I see! I'll go do that, i'll google how to disable it. This will i'm sure require a restart so i'll post again when it's done.
Hopefully that solves it!

[chili555]

The build log for the 5.4.0-26 kernel is not pretty

Yeah, mine is ugly, too. However, the driver does build and load. I don't know if it properly drives the device. I haven't a Broadcom to test.

[gordan-vrbanec-vepar]

Well, it works now, although, i'm not sure secure boot is off...

I found online that i should run:


sudo mokutil --disable-validation

So i did that, it prompted me for a password and upon reboot in MOK i selected Change Secure boot state to off.

I then ran:


sudo dpkg --configure -a

again, but i was greeted with the same screen. I pressed Alt+C and the screen was gone and it prompted me to make a key which i did. Then the configuration continued.
After it was done, i did sudo reboot and was greeted with MOK. The second option had something about a key, so i chose that, entered the key i made, and now i have wireless.

Weird. I don't know what happened now, is the secure boot off or not? Because i turned it off, but i still got the same message that it's on. Yet i still managed to complete the configuration and now it works.

So yes, thank you chili555 https://ubuntuforums.org/images/ubuntu-VB4/buttons/viewpost-right.png (https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=13951727#post13951727) secure boot was indeed the issue! Hopefully it won't cause future problems.