[SOLVED] Yesteday's updates broke wireless Broadcom BCM4310 chipset HP Compaq 6720s

[Charles Sloan]

I'm glad that I read up on this, since when I first installed Ubuntu after the updates it worked without a hitch. Then I experimented with Mandriva which only confirmed my initial choice of distros with Ubuntu. Then I reinstall x64 only to find the wireless is out...

But its a relief that at least this is being looked into. Although isn't there a way to somehow roll back the update to the previous release for the time being?

[Charles Sloan]

I noticed that from the link that was provided there was a fix (at least for one person):

Through the Synaptic Package Manager, I enabled the "hardy-backports" repository and was able to remove the 2.6.24-19 modules to install the 2.6.24-18.41 modules and it worked for me (granted, I'm on a 64-bit rather than a 32-bit).

Either way, if you aren't seeing more than one version of the restricted modules, make sure you have the backports repository enabled.

But I couldn't find an 2.6.24-18.41 mod, the highest I found was 2.6.24-18.16. Is that because I have a new install without the previous update?

[loolee]

Hi! if I enter with 2.6.24-18- kernel I've got the wireless... but I've lost the audio

it's incredible.

Anyway, I wait, I think it's better.

[pytheas22]

I don't know if this will help, but I remembered that apt-get caches all packages for a long time. So if you open up /var/cache/apt/archives, you will find all the packages for all of the updates that you've ever installed. Various versions of linux-restricted-modules should be in there. Try installing an earlier version of that package (you can just double-click to start the installer) and see if it helps.

As a disclaimer, I don't know if the installation will even work (there may be dependency issues that are unresolvable offline, although I don't think so), let alone fix the problem. And if something weird happens (in principle it shouldn't, but I can't make any guarantees), it could mess up your system, so don't say I didn't warn you.

I don't have a BCM4310 card so I can't test it myself. But if you're desperate for a fix, it's worth a shot. The fix mentioned in the bug report still isn't in hardy-proposed, so I don't know what the timetable is going to be on pushing a patch out.

[Hoaxe]

i am confirming that the updated linux packages in the proposed sources have fixed my wireless.

more info here: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+s...24/+bug/243930

[dhruvraj]

Yes the update works, select system->administration->software sources

under the update tab select hardy-proposed, and install the restricted drivers module and restart your computer

[itsjustarumour]

Also confirming that now working fine on Ubuntu 8.04.1 32-bit, HP Compaq 6720s with a Broadcom BCM4310 chipset.

Took me an hour and three quarters to download the fix on a GPRS connection, but it sure feels good to be "back on the air"...

[Mike V]

Confirming Dell Inspiron I1525-119B with Dell 1395 Wireless minicard working with the fix posted on launchpad, using Hardy Heron 32bit, enabling the proposed repos, same previous issues as everyone else, the update kill my wireless and the proposed get it back, now booting again Ubuntu everywhere XD

[carltonh]

This is not resolved for me by following the hardy-proposed directions. However, I'm using a 2 day old laptop and so maybe the fix only relates to those who already had the 4310 working? According to http://www.linuxwireless.org/en/users/Drivers/b43 the b43 driver is "not supported" for the bcm4310 card.

So what are y'all additionally doing to get this to work?

[itsjustarumour]

This is not resolved for me by following the hardy-proposed directions. However, I'm using a 2 day old laptop and so maybe the fix only relates to those who already had the 4310 working? According to http://www.linuxwireless.org/en/users/Drivers/b43 the b43 driver is "not supported" for the bcm4310 card.

So what are y'all additionally doing to get this to work?

@carltonh,

This thread relates to the "wl" driver rather than the "b43" one you're trying to use. I checked the thread you quote, and see you're trying to use it with b43-fwcutter - I'd ditch that method if you have a BCM4310 chipset and just try installing the new Hardy packages

linux-restricted-modules-2.6.24-19-generic (2.6.24.13-19.45)
linux-restricted-modules-common (2.6.24.13-19.45)

Then System>Administration>Hardware Drivers and make sure "wl" is enabled.