Ubuntu
gnome-nettool package

wireless setup failure after installing Ubuntu and lubuntu 11.04

Asked by michael2009

I have already posted about this issue at the Ubuntu network and wireless forum, in the thread

'[SOLVED] THE beginners solution for fixing up Broadcom BCM43xx and Wireless Cards'.

Using the documentation at <https://help.ubuntu.com/community/WifiDocs/Driver/bcm43xx>, I could identify the correct driver and relevant packages for a Compaq Evo n400c laptop, which is using a LINKSYS PCMCIA wireless card that requires the Broadcom Corporation BCM4318 [AirForce One 54g] 802.11g Wireless LAN Controller [14e4:4318].

According to the documentation, I should install the b43 driver. I followed the installation of both the b43-fwcutter and firmware-b43-installer packages.When this did not work, I tried with the firmware-b43-lpphy-installer package, but it still did not work, despite repeated removals and reinstallations. Finally, I used the ndiswrapper for the driver on the Linksys installation CD as a last resort, and it is now working.

The strange thing about all this is that the wireless drivers installed automatically on the Compaq Evo when completing previous Ubuntu installations i.e. JJ, 10.04 and 10.10. I also tried installing the regular Ubuntu 11.04 on my wife's Compaq Presario v6000 laptop and was unable to get the built in wireless card to work, yet the previous installation of Ubuntu 10.10 had no such problems, installing the drivers automatically. So I reinstalled Ubuntu 10.10 and her wireless is working fine again, running 10.10. So until I find a workable solution on 11.04, I am very wary of upgrading from 10.10 on the Compaq Presario.

I want to continue running lubuntu 11.04 on the Compaq Evo because it is faster and smoother than Ubuntu 10.10 for this computer, but I am not happy about being forced to use ndis wrapper. So I am asking for assistance in setting up the b43 drivers in preference to the ndiswrapper that I have currently installed, and that is why I am reposting here.

Is this an issue with 11.04 Natty Narwhal only, and does it mean that the b34 drivers are no longer included in the installation?

Or am I missing something?

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Ubfan (ubfan1) said : 		#1

The b43 is the default driver for your 4318 Broadcom wireless chip, and will work fine with the addition of the correct firmware.
The correct open source firmware for your chip will be in the package firmware-b43-installer (NOT firmware-b43legacy-installer, NOT firmware-b43-lpphy-installer). The correct proprietary firmware will be offered as a download the First time b43-fwcutter is installed (while on a wired connection), or after a purge of the package. You could even get a working set of proprietary firmware by applying the b43-fwcutter directly to the windows driver off your installation cd.
  The b43 driver will not work if it get suppressed. Installing the STA drivers suppresses the b43 driver, so of course, it wont work until you remove the suppression by deleting the exact line "blacklist b43" in whatever file it appears in in directory /etc/modprobe.d Since you have two extra sets of drivers( STA and ndiswrapper), you may have more than one blacklist of b43.
In general , the removal of the extra drivers is best done with a "remove completely" in the synaptic package manager or a "purge" instead of a "remove" from apt-get on the command line. Hopefully, the complete removal of the package will get rid of the /etc/modprobe.d additions which suppress the b43 driver.

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michael2009 (swimsocuk) said : 		#2

OK thanks for replying, and for the info. I had in fact already removed both the sta and ndiswrapper packages to avoid conflicts with the b43, and I have now completely removed the all the sta packages via package manager, and checked that the ndiswrapper was completely removed. It was. I then reinstalled the b43-fwcutter and firmware-b43-installer packages with the package manager, which completed successfully according to the details window. I then rebooted the computer, and did a search using Additional Drivers, but still nothing. I still am not getting the firmware offered as a download either.

Still looking for solutions, I then ran package manager and checked the status of the firmware-b43-ipphy-installer package. Although I had already removed it several days ago, the check box for complete removal was still active, so I then preoceeded to completely remove it.

I then completely removed the b43-fwcutter and firmware-b43-installer packages, then reinstalled only the b43-fwcutter package. Ran Additional drivers again. Still nothing. Then I reinstalled the firmware-b43-installer package as well. Ran Additional Drivers. Still nothing.

Can you give me a command line that will purge or delete the exact line "blacklist b43" that you refer to in your post?

Thanks for your attention.

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michael2009 (swimsocuk) said : 		#3

Please note that I have started a new thread on the Ubuntu Forum Community with the same title as this one, therefore I do not expect to receive further assistance here unless I fail to find a solution. Thanks for your help.

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marcobra (Marco Braida) (marcobra) said : 		#4

To help other user with the same issue please report the Ubuntu Forum Community thread here ...

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marcobra (Marco Braida) (marcobra) said : 		#5

i mean the link

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michael2009 (swimsocuk) said : 		#6

OK, this is the thread link:

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1842921

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michael2009 (swimsocuk) said : 		#7

I got it fixed now, thanks for all your help.

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michael2009 (swimsocuk) said : 		#8

This is the post containing the scripts that finally solved my problem:

http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php?p=11245849&postcount=5

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michael2009 (swimsocuk) said : 		#9

sorry, I guess I should have wrote 'the code that solved my problem' ...