How to recompile and load my WiFi driver

**chili555** · September 29th, 2013

I think you'd have much better luck if you install the Ubuntu-ized version of compat-wireless. Please open Synaptic package manager and look for and install linux-backports-modules-cw-3.3 or even -3.6 if it's available. Then reboot.

**John_Rose** · September 29th, 2013

Thanks Varun, in the meantime I installed 3.2.0-54-generic-pae, just one of many 3.2.0-xx upgrades since I upgraded to Ubuntu 12.04.3 LTS. It gives no improvement for the Channel 13 problem.

The output of make is below (I put in the BB code tags, but since it is just terminal output so still not so beautiful):

Code:

john@JOHN-PC:~/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1$ make
make -C /lib/modules/3.2.0-54-generic-pae/build M=/home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1 modules
make[1]: entrant dans le répertoire « /usr/src/linux-headers-3.2.0-54-generic-pae »
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/compat/main.o
  LD [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/compat/compat.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/drivers/net/wireless/brcm80211/brcmsmac/mac80211_if.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/drivers/net/wireless/brcm80211/brcmsmac/ucode_loader.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/drivers/net/wireless/brcm80211/brcmsmac/ampdu.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/drivers/net/wireless/brcm80211/brcmsmac/antsel.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/drivers/net/wireless/brcm80211/brcmsmac/channel.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/drivers/net/wireless/brcm80211/brcmsmac/main.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/drivers/net/wireless/brcm80211/brcmsmac/phy_shim.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/drivers/net/wireless/brcm80211/brcmsmac/pmu.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/drivers/net/wireless/brcm80211/brcmsmac/rate.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/drivers/net/wireless/brcm80211/brcmsmac/stf.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/drivers/net/wireless/brcm80211/brcmsmac/aiutils.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/drivers/net/wireless/brcm80211/brcmsmac/phy/phy_cmn.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/drivers/net/wireless/brcm80211/brcmsmac/phy/phy_lcn.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/drivers/net/wireless/brcm80211/brcmsmac/phy/phy_n.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/drivers/net/wireless/brcm80211/brcmsmac/phy/phytbl_lcn.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/drivers/net/wireless/brcm80211/brcmsmac/phy/phytbl_n.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/drivers/net/wireless/brcm80211/brcmsmac/phy/phy_qmath.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/drivers/net/wireless/brcm80211/brcmsmac/otp.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/drivers/net/wireless/brcm80211/brcmsmac/srom.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/drivers/net/wireless/brcm80211/brcmsmac/dma.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/drivers/net/wireless/brcm80211/brcmsmac/nicpci.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/drivers/net/wireless/brcm80211/brcmsmac/brcms_trace_events.o
  LD [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/drivers/net/wireless/brcm80211/brcmsmac/brcmsmac.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/drivers/net/wireless/brcm80211/brcmutil/utils.o
  LD [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/drivers/net/wireless/brcm80211/brcmutil/brcmutil.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/net/mac80211/main.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/net/mac80211/status.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/net/mac80211/sta_info.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/net/mac80211/wep.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/net/mac80211/wpa.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/net/mac80211/scan.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/net/mac80211/offchannel.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/net/mac80211/ht.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/net/mac80211/agg-tx.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/net/mac80211/agg-rx.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/net/mac80211/ibss.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/net/mac80211/mlme.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/net/mac80211/work.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/net/mac80211/iface.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/net/mac80211/rate.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/net/mac80211/michael.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/net/mac80211/tkip.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/net/mac80211/aes_ccm.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/net/mac80211/aes_cmac.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/net/mac80211/cfg.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/net/mac80211/rx.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/net/mac80211/spectmgmt.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/net/mac80211/tx.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/net/mac80211/key.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/net/mac80211/util.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/net/mac80211/wme.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/net/mac80211/event.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/net/mac80211/chan.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/net/mac80211/led.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/net/mac80211/debugfs.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/net/mac80211/debugfs_sta.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/net/mac80211/debugfs_netdev.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/net/mac80211/debugfs_key.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/net/mac80211/mesh.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/net/mac80211/mesh_pathtbl.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/net/mac80211/mesh_plink.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/net/mac80211/mesh_hwmp.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/net/mac80211/pm.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/net/mac80211/driver-trace.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/net/mac80211/rc80211_pid_algo.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/net/mac80211/rc80211_pid_debugfs.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/net/mac80211/rc80211_minstrel.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/net/mac80211/rc80211_minstrel_debugfs.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/net/mac80211/rc80211_minstrel_ht.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/net/mac80211/rc80211_minstrel_ht_debugfs.o
  LD [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/net/mac80211/mac80211.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/net/rfkill/rfkill-regulator.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/net/wireless/core.o
/home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/net/wireless/core.c:7:0: attention : « pr_fmt » redéfini [enabled by default]
include/linux/printk.h:152:0: note: ceci est la localisation d'une précédente définition
/home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/net/wireless/core.c:7:0: attention : « pr_fmt » redéfini [enabled by default]
include/linux/printk.h:152:0: note: ceci est la localisation d'une précédente définition
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/net/wireless/sysfs.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/net/wireless/radiotap.o
  CC [M]  /home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/net/wireless/util.o
/home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/net/wireless/util.c: In function ‘cfg80211_change_iface’:
/home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/net/wireless/util.c:810:2: erreur: implicit declaration of function ‘br_port_exists’ [-Werror=implicit-function-declaration]
cc1: some warnings being treated as errors
make[3]: *** [/home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/net/wireless/util.o] Erreur 1
make[2]: *** [/home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/net/wireless] Erreur 2
make[1]: *** [_module_/home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1] Erreur 2
make[1]: quittant le répertoire « /usr/src/linux-headers-3.2.0-54-generic-pae »
make: *** [modules] Erreur 2
john@JOHN-PC:~/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1$

Looking forward to your advice, best regards, John

**varunendra** · September 29th, 2013

Originally Posted by John_Rose

Code:

/home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/net/wireless/util.c: In function ‘cfg80211_change_iface’:
/home/john/Desktop/compat-wireless-3.2.5-1/net/wireless/util.c:810:2: erreur: implicit declaration of function ‘br_port_exists’ [-Werror=implicit-function-declaration]

Looking forward to your advice, best regards, John

I think dr. chili555 already gave you the best one, and I don't think I'm familiar with above errors. They are obviously related to some undefined functions (expected to be in kernel headers, c libraries, but don't exist in your system), which can often be fixed by commenting them out or defining them in the headers, but doesn't look like it is worth the trouble.

It may take too much effort only to force something which is already incompatible with your kernel. Please try what was suggested above.

**John_Rose** · September 30th, 2013

Dear Ms. Chili (thanks Varan),

I installed the most recent cw backports for version 3.6 (linux-backports-modules-cw-3.6.3.2.0-53-generic) and rebooted. Still my Channel 13 router is not easily visible in the connection utility (usually have to wait a long time), and when I select it it does not log in, asking for password after each three minutes or so.

Here are the results of the commands which you advised in your first reply (while online to my Channel 11 router):

Code:

john@JOHN-PC:~$ iw reg get
country FR:
    (2402 - 2482 @ 40), (N/A, 20)
    (5170 - 5250 @ 40), (N/A, 20)
    (5250 - 5330 @ 40), (N/A, 20), DFS
    (5490 - 5710 @ 40), (N/A, 27), DFS

john@JOHN-PC:~$ sudo iwlist wlan0 chan
[sudo] password for john: 
wlan0     13 channels in total; available frequencies :
          Channel 01 : 2.412 GHz
          Channel 02 : 2.417 GHz
          Channel 03 : 2.422 GHz
          Channel 04 : 2.427 GHz
          Channel 05 : 2.432 GHz
          Channel 06 : 2.437 GHz
          Channel 07 : 2.442 GHz
          Channel 08 : 2.447 GHz
          Channel 09 : 2.452 GHz
          Channel 10 : 2.457 GHz
          Channel 11 : 2.462 GHz
          Channel 12 : 2.467 GHz
          Channel 13 : 2.472 GHz
          Current Frequency=2.462 GHz (Channel 11)

The backport install gave no errors, but it seems I still have the old 3.2.0-54-generic-pae driver installed (sorry I have the French version so some of the following is in French):

Code:

john@JOHN-PC:~$ sudo lshw -C network
  *-network               
       description: Interface réseau sans fil
       produit: BCM4313 802.11bgn Wireless Network Adapter
       fabriquant: Broadcom Corporation
       identifiant matériel: 0
       information bus: pci@0000:12:00.0
       nom logique: wlan0
       version: 01
       numéro de série: 5c:ac:4c:aa:53:53
       bits: 64 bits
       horloge: 33MHz
       fonctionnalités: pm msi pciexpress bus_master cap_list ethernet physical wireless
       configuration: broadcast=yes driver=brcmsmac driverversion=3.2.0-54-generic-pae firmware=N/A ip=192.168.0.1 latency=0 link=yes multicast=yes wireless=IEEE 802.11bgn
       ressources: irq:17 mémoire:fb400000-fb403fff
  *-network
       description: Ethernet interface
       produit: RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller
       fabriquant: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
       identifiant matériel: 0
       information bus: pci@0000:13:00.0
       nom logique: eth0
       version: 03
       numéro de série: a4:ba:db:dd:d4:7e
       taille: 10Mbit/s
       capacité: 1Gbit/s
       bits: 64 bits
       horloge: 33MHz
       fonctionnalités: pm msi pciexpress msix vpd bus_master cap_list rom ethernet physical tp mii 10bt 10bt-fd 100bt 100bt-fd 1000bt 1000bt-fd autonegotiation
       configuration: autonegotiation=on broadcast=yes driver=r8169 driverversion=2.3LK-NAPI duplex=half firmware=rtl_nic/rtl8168d-2.fw latency=0 link=no multicast=yes port=MII speed=10Mbit/s
       ressources: irq:47 portE/S:d000(taille=256) mémoire:d2c04000-d2c04fff mémoire:d2c00000-d2c03fff mémoire:fb300000-fb31ffff

What to do now? Thanks and best regards, John

**chili555** · September 30th, 2013

I see a couple of interesting things here; first:

ip=192.168.0.1

Where did you get that IP address? By DHCP from the router? Usually, 192.168.0.1 IS the router!

Second, I see:

firmware=N/A

Some versions of brcmsmac require firmware. Although I wonder if the wireless would even start if it required but lacked firmware, let's do some checking:

Code:

modinfo brcmsmac | grep firm

My much later version says:

firmware: brcm/bcm43xx_hdr-0.fw
firmware: brcm/bcm43xx-0.fw

And I have the firmware:

Code:

ls /lib/firmware/brcm

bcm43xx-0.fw bcm43xx_hdr-0.fw brcmfmac43236b.bin

If your modinfo mentions firmware and you do not have it, install it:

Code:

sudo apt-get install linux-firmware

**John_Rose** · September 30th, 2013

Hi Ms. Chili,

My Channel 13 router is the modem box provided by my ISP. The gateway is 192.168.0.254. It assigned my machine 192.168.0.1 by DHCP. The Channel 11 router is plugged into a LAN port on the ISP box. It's IP number is set to 192.168.0.227.

I have no firmware:

Code:

john@JOHN-PC:~$ modinfo brcmsmac | grep firm
john@JOHN-PC:~$

I thought that brcmsmac does not need any and that brcmfmac does?

My system has been running fine for years on all sorts of WiFi routers as long as the channel is less than 12.

Just to test I unloaded and loaded brcmsmac:

Code:

sudo modprobe -r brcmsmac
sudo modprobe brcmsmac

and the lshw command shows that I still have the old 3.2.0-54-generic-pae brcmsmac driver. Is that normal when I backport from a later version?

Still hoping, thanks and best regards, John

**chili555** · October 1st, 2013

lshw command shows that I still have the old 3.2.0-54-generic-pae brcmsmac driver. Is that normal when I backport from a later version?

Yes. The updated driver version will show up in:

Code:

modinfo brcmsmac

Here is an example from my machine:

version: backported from Linux (v3.11-rc3-0-g5ae90d8) using backports v3.11-rc3-1-0-g4e81a94

Your version may differ slightly, but it should be apparent you are using a version updated from the default in-kernel driver.

Other than trying the live CD for 13.04 and 13.10, I am afraid I have no other suggestions.

**John_Rose** · October 2nd, 2013

Dear Ms. Chili,

My system does not seem to show that the driver is backported from a more recent version:

Code:

john@JOHN-PC:~$ modinfo brcmsmac
filename:       /lib/modules/3.2.0-54-generic-pae/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/brcm80211/brcmsmac/brcmsmac.ko
license:        Dual BSD/GPL
description:    Broadcom 802.11n wireless LAN driver.
author:         Broadcom Corporation
srcversion:     99DF92A40D4267D7A7248E2
alias:          pci:v000014E4d00000576sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
alias:          pci:v000014E4d00004727sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
alias:          pci:v000014E4d00004353sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
alias:          pci:v000014E4d00004357sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
depends:        mac80211,brcmutil,cfg80211,cordic,crc8
intree:         Y
vermagic:       3.2.0-54-generic-pae SMP mod_unload modversions 686

If we can conclude that the backporting has not been fully implemented, maybe someone could advise on how to finalise it? If not I guess I am stuck without Channel 13!

Thanks and best regards, John

**chili555** · October 3rd, 2013

Please try, with a working wired ethernet connection:

Code:

sudo apt-get install --reinstall linux-backports-modules-cw-3.6--precise-generic

Reboot and report any errors along with:

Code:

modinfo brcmsmac

**John_Rose** · October 3rd, 2013

Thanks Ms. Chili,

The reinstall command results:

Code:

john@JOHN-PC:~$ sudo apt-get install --reinstall linux-backports-modules-cw-3.6--precise-generic
[sudo] password for john: 
Lecture des listes de paquets... Fait
Construction de l'arbre des dépendances       
Lecture des informations d'état... Fait
E: Impossible de trouver le paquet linux-backports-modules-cw-3.6--precise-generic
E: Impossible de trouver de paquet correspondant à l'expression rationnelle « linux-backports-modules-cw-3.6--precise-generic »

Translation into English:
Reading the package lists... Done
Construction of the tree of dependences
Reading status information... Done
E: Impossible to find the package linux-backports-modules-cw-3.6--precise-generic
E: Impossible to find the package corresponding to the rational epxresssion « linux-backports-modules-cw-3.6--precise-generic »[/code]

Seems that there was a problem with the term "precise". Tried with the exact package name linux-backports-modules-cw-3.6.3.2.0-53-generic:

Code:

john@JOHN-PC:~$ sudo apt-get install --reinstall linux-backports-modules-cw-3.6.3.2.0-53-generic
Lecture des listes de paquets... Fait
Construction de l'arbre des dépendances       
Lecture des informations d'état... Fait
Note : sélection de linux-backports-modules-cw-3.6-3.2.0-53-generic-pae pour l'expression rationnelle « linux-backports-modules-cw-3.6.3.2.0-53-generic »
Note : sélection de linux-backports-modules-cw-3.6-3.2.0-53-generic pour l'expression rationnelle « linux-backports-modules-cw-3.6.3.2.0-53-generic »
Les paquets suivants ont été installés automatiquement et ne sont plus nécessaires :
  thunderbird-globalmenu linux-headers-3.2.0-41-generic-pae
  linux-headers-3.2.0-41 mencoder firefox-globalmenu librhythmbox-core5 dkms
  liblzo2-2 update-manager-kde libqt3-mt linux-headers-3.2.0-41-generic
Veuillez utiliser « apt-get autoremove » pour les supprimer.
Les NOUVEAUX paquets suivants seront installés :
  linux-backports-modules-cw-3.6-3.2.0-53-generic-pae
0 mis à jour, 1 nouvellement installés, 1 réinstallés, 0 à enlever et 0 non mis à jour.
Il est nécessaire de prendre 2 791 ko/5 576 ko dans les archives.
Après cette opération, 7 952 ko d'espace disque supplémentaires seront utilisés.
Réception de : 1 http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-updates/main linux-backports-modules-cw-3.6-3.2.0-53-generic-pae i386 3.2.0-53.41 [2 791 kB]
2 791 ko réceptionnés en 2s (976 ko/s)                                         
(Lecture de la base de données... 583994 fichiers et répertoires déjà installés.)
Préparation du remplacement de linux-backports-modules-cw-3.6-3.2.0-53-generic 3.2.0-53.41 (en utilisant .../linux-backports-modules-cw-3.6-3.2.0-53-generic_3.2.0-53.41_i386.deb) ...
Dépaquetage de la mise à jour de linux-backports-modules-cw-3.6-3.2.0-53-generic ...
Sélection du paquet linux-backports-modules-cw-3.6-3.2.0-53-generic-pae précédemment désélectionné.
Dépaquetage de linux-backports-modules-cw-3.6-3.2.0-53-generic-pae (à partir de .../linux-backports-modules-cw-3.6-3.2.0-53-generic-pae_3.2.0-53.41_i386.deb) ...
Paramétrage de linux-backports-modules-cw-3.6-3.2.0-53-generic (3.2.0-53.41) ...
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-3.2.0-53-generic
Paramétrage de linux-backports-modules-cw-3.6-3.2.0-53-generic-pae (3.2.0-53.41) ...
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-3.2.0-53-generic-pae

Now rebooting, I'm rebooting will post the rest. Best regards, John

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