I cant connect to my wireless network!

[crob26]

hello! i am running Ubuntu 10.10 on my dell inspiron desktop and i cannot connect to my wireless network. when i click on the network icon on the top toolbar, it says "Wireless Networks: Device not ready (Firmware Missing)". I am connected to the Internet right now via ethernet, but i would like to be able to use my wireless network. any help is appreciated.

[mikewhatever]

Check out System->Administration->Additional Drivers.

[crob26]

i tried that but its not bringing up the driver for my wireless card.

[Surachinen]

exacly what model inspiron is it? i had a similar problem with an hp pavilion dv8000

[Hippytaff]

can you open a terminal CTRL+ALT+T and post the output of

lspci

[crob26]

can you open a terminal CTRL+ALT+T and post the output of

lspci

this is what i got from "lspci"

00:00.0 RAM memory: nVidia Corporation MCP61 Memory Controller (rev a1)
00:01.0 ISA bridge: nVidia Corporation MCP61 LPC Bridge (rev a2)
00:01.1 SMBus: nVidia Corporation MCP61 SMBus (rev a2)
00:01.2 RAM memory: nVidia Corporation MCP61 Memory Controller (rev a2)
00:02.0 USB Controller: nVidia Corporation MCP61 USB Controller (rev a3)
00:02.1 USB Controller: nVidia Corporation MCP61 USB Controller (rev a3)
00:04.0 PCI bridge: nVidia Corporation MCP61 PCI bridge (rev a1)
00:05.0 Audio device: nVidia Corporation MCP61 High Definition Audio (rev a2)
00:06.0 IDE interface: nVidia Corporation MCP61 IDE (rev a2)
00:07.0 Bridge: nVidia Corporation MCP61 Ethernet (rev a2)
00:08.0 IDE interface: nVidia Corporation MCP61 SATA Controller (rev a2)
00:08.1 IDE interface: nVidia Corporation MCP61 SATA Controller (rev a2)
00:09.0 PCI bridge: nVidia Corporation MCP61 PCI Express bridge (rev a2)
00:0b.0 PCI bridge: nVidia Corporation MCP61 PCI Express bridge (rev a2)
00:0d.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation C61 [GeForce 6150SE nForce 430] (rev a2)
00:18.0 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] HyperTransport Technology Configuration
00:18.1 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] Address Map
00:18.2 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] DRAM Controller
00:18.3 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] Miscellaneous Control
01:09.0 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4318 [AirForce One 54g] 802.11g Wireless LAN Controller (rev 02)

[crob26]

exacly what model inspiron is it? i had a similar problem with an hp pavilion dv8000

it is a Dell Inspiron 531 Desktop. about 3 years old

[Hippytaff]

BCM4318 - This is probably the culprit

Try this

You might need to use the windows drivers with ndisgtk, but we'll cross that bridge if we come to it

[Hippytaff]

Wait...That tutorials too old...don't do the ndiswrapper bit. I'm a bit busy right now, but if no one replies by the time I get back I'll try to go through using the windows drivers with ndisgtk

[cbowman57]

Have you tried going into synaptic and adding the firmware-b43-installer already?