Wifi not working on Broadcom [14e4:43b1] (rev 03)

[nasi-n]

Hi everyone,

Looking for some assistance. The above network device does not work on a fresh install of Ubuntu 18.04.

Apt-get was unable to locate package bcmwl-kernel-source, but as (rev 03) is not an option on the list here https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2214110 I chose to look for help before installing the incorrect drivers.

I have attached a diagnostic report.

Thanks for any and all help in advance.

Regards,
Nasi

[chili555]

[ 372.036060] ERROR @wl_notify_scan_status :
[ 372.036063] wlp2s0 Scan_results error (-22)
[ 425.060075] ERROR @wl_notify_scan_status :
[ 425.060078] wlp2s0 Scan_results error (-22)
[ 469.086453] ERROR @wl_dev_intvar_get :
[ 477.728127] ERROR @wl_notify_scan_status :
[ 477.728127] wlp2s0 Scan_results error (-22)

Ouch!!!

Just as an experiment, let's try the other Broadcom driver possibility.

With the ethernet connected and working, open a terminal and do:

sudo -i
apt install firmware-b43-installer
echo "blacklist wl"  >>  /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf
exit

Reboot and let us see a new diagnostics report, please.

[nasi-n]

Thank you, report attached.

[chili555]

[ 4.254210] b43-phy0: Broadcom 4352 WLAN found (core revision 42)
[ 4.254634] b43-phy0 ERROR: FOUND UNSUPPORTED PHY (Analog 12, Type 11 (AC), Revision 1)

As we suspected. The short explanation is that b43, bcma and firmware are not correct for the device.

There is one last thing that we might try. Again, with the ethernet connected and working, open a terminal and do:

sudo nano /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf

Change this line:

blacklist wl

To comment it out, like this:

#blacklist wl

Proofread carefully, save and close the text editor.

Now do:

sudo apt purge bcmwl-kernel-source
sudo apt install broadcom-sta-dkms

The latter is a slightly newer version. Let's see if it corrects the errors above.

Reboot with the ethernet detached. Run:

iwconfig
dmesg | grep wl

Hook up the ethernet and post the outcome.

[nasi-n]

Thanks chili555,

sudo apt purge bcmwl-kernel-source

Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
E: Unable to locate package bcmwl-kernel-source

I should have stopped here considering the package was not removed, so may make the results below irrelevant.

iwconfig

lo        no wireless extensions.

enp1s0f0  no wireless extensions.

wlo1      IEEE 802.11  ESSID:off/any  
          Mode:Managed  Access Point: Not-Associated   Tx-Power=200 dBm   
          Retry short limit:7   RTS thr:off   Fragment thr:off
          Encryption key:off
          Power Management:off

dmesg | grep wl

[    0.000000] DMI: Hewlett-Packard HP EliteBook 745 G2/221C, BIOS M84 Ver. 01.07 03/10/2015
[    4.114250] wl: loading out-of-tree module taints kernel.
[    4.114255] wl: module license 'MIXED/Proprietary' taints kernel.
[    4.159736] wlan0: Broadcom BCM43b1 802.11 Hybrid Wireless Controller 6.30.223.271 (r587334)
[    4.313285] wl 0000:02:00.0 wlo1: renamed from wlan0
[    4.803736] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlo1: link is not ready
[    4.991770] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlo1: link is not ready
[  305.473535] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlo1: link is not ready
[  620.047042] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlo1: link is not ready

Thanks again.

[chili555]

Wierd.

Let's see:

sudo apt update

You needn't show all the output, just execute the command before you proceed with:

sudo dpkg -s bcmwl-kernel-source 
sudo dpkg -s broadcom-sta-dkms

If your wireless does this:

[ 4.114250] wl: loading out-of-tree module taints kernel.
[ 4.114255] wl: module license 'MIXED/Proprietary' taints kernel.
[ 4.159736] wlan0: Broadcom BCM43b1 802.11 Hybrid Wireless Controller 6.30.223.271 (r587334)
[ 4.313285] wl 0000:02:00.0 wlo1: renamed from wlan0

Then one of the two is loaded.

Please note that in your latest dmesg, the errors I quoted above do not appear.

[nasi-n]

Seems like bmcwl-kernel-source is not installed:

dpkg-query: package 'bcmwl-kernel-source' is not installed and no information is available

...and broadcom-sta-dkms is...

Package: broadcom-sta-dkms
Status: install ok installed
Priority: optional
Section: non-free/kernel
Installed-Size: 14140
Maintainer: Eduard Bloch <blade@debian.org>
Architecture: all
Source: broadcom-sta
Version: 6.30.223.271-5
Provides: broadcom-sta-modules
Depends: dkms (>= 2.1.0.0)
Recommends: wireless-tools
Conflicts: broadcom-sta-modules
Conffiles:
 /etc/modprobe.d/broadcom-sta-dkms.conf c5d2490e6167f876e7aae7b4f08e16e6
Description: dkms source for the Broadcom STA Wireless driver
 Broadcom STA is a binary-only device driver to support the following IEEE
 802.11a/b/g/n wireless network cards: BCM4311-, BCM4312-, BCM4313-,
 BCM4321-, BCM4322-, BCM43142-, BCM43224-, BCM43225-, BCM43227-, BCM43228-,
 BCM4331-, BCM4360-, and BCM4352-based hardware.
 .
 This package provides the source code for the wl kernel modules and makes use
 of the DKMS build utility to install them for the running kernel. The
 alternative package broadcom-sta-source can be used instead in case of build
 problems.
 .
 The wireless-tools package is also required in order to make use of these
 modules. Kernel source or headers are required to compile these modules.
Homepage: http://www.broadcom.com/support/802.11/linux_sta.php
root@debian-drogba:/home/sibongilembatha# apt install wireless-tools
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
wireless-tools is already the newest version (30~pre9-12+b1).
The following package was automatically installed and is no longer required:
  myspell-sv-se

Will appreciate any other suggestions!

[chili555]

Does it see networks?

sudo iwlist wlo1 scan

We needn't see the whole list, just tell us if it sees networks or gives some other error or message.

[nasi-n]

Hi Chili555,

Result of sudo iwlist wlo1 scan:

s1o1      No scan results

[nasi-n]

Correction:

wlo1      No scan results