lmde kernel version? broadcom firmware (solved)

[LarryP]

I,d love to install lmde and realize that for a noob like me I'll be doing some serious learning . After looking at the debian wiki on installing the broadcom firmware with fwcutter it seems to be somewhat kernel specific. I've googled looked in the forums,checked the blog and no luck finding kernel version. Where would I find it? Any help is appreciated

[secipolla]

Since those packages come directly from Debian testing's repository they're compatible with the stock kernel (the same Mint uses).
From the announcement blog:

To get a Broadcom wifi card to work, plug into an internet connection with a cable, bring up the package manager and install packages “b43-fwcutter” and “firmware-b43-installer”. There are actually three different “firmware-b43xxx-installer” packages, so you may need to try each installer package depending on your broadcom card.

B43-fwcutter is required regardless of which …installer package you need. Mine worked with the first combination.

BigChris

[LarryP]

thanks chris , really appreciate the quick answer ,guess i was just overthinking it

[Gramps50]

The script I used to get mine working is in here

viewtopic.php?f=141&t=10267&start=640#p313931

[efgee]

Thank you all for your tips with us linux newbies...

Started out with the script and it worked great on a Compaq laptop (BCM4311).
Learned the hard way though that not all Broadcom chips are covered while trying to get LMDE on a Dell laptop (BCM4318).

The script only works for the following models:
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-, and BCM4322-based hardware.

The firmware-b43-installer (used with b43-fwcutter) works for: BCM4306/3, BCM4311, BCM4312, BCM4318.

As you can see BCM4306/3 and BCM4318 chips are not covered by the Broadcom STA driver.

Also on the Dell laptop I had to manually add "b43" to the /etc/modules file in order to get wireless automatically working after boot.

thanks

[z06gal]

Let me make sure I have this done correctly. I have the bcm4312 so I went to broadcom's site and downloaded and installed the broadcom sta driver. I installed the fwcutter tool but did not install the b43 firmware. For some reason, I didn't think I was supposed to install that but installed the broadcom source and common package. Anyway, I used the script posted by gramps50 but it still did not work. I then went through the script and went command by command. My wireless then returned but I lost it when I rebooted. After reading this thread, I checked my firmware folder and did not see any broadcom driver installed. I then installed the b43firmware and checked the firmware folder again to find the b43 listed. So, if I understand this thread correctly, that is what should be there and it should now come up after rebooting. Please let me know if there is something else I need to do. Thanks.


Robin