newbie needs help with wifi (broadcom BCM4311)

[lesley57]

Hello everyone,

Unable to connect via wireless on compaq pressario C500. It came into my possesion via my mom, so it may be that the wireless card (broadcom BCM4311 802.11 b/g WLAN (rev 01) is broken. Have tried lots of hints & tips ad-hoc without sucess including downloading via synaptic firmware bc43 & bc43 fwcutter without a result. It would be helpful if someone can guide me through checking if the card is working or not prior to me taking it to get it replaced (hopefully with a linux friendly alternative)

Thanks Lez

[lesley57]

Hello everyone,

Recently installed linux mint 12 on my mom's old laptop. Have not been able to get wifi working. Was wondering if the card is actually broke. Have done what forum requests (see below) and tried several other suggestions without success. What stands out to me is that it's coming up as unable to scan for networks and even though I know I downloaded b-43 drivers & wl driver already installed no driver is showing up as in use.

Would be grateful for any suggestions - even if it is buy a new card!!! Be gentle with me, I am very confused - to many cooks & all that!!!


lesley@lesley-Presario-C500-RT154EA-ABU ~ $ sudo /usr/lib/linuxmint/mintWifi/mintWifi.py
[sudo] password for lesley:
-------------------------
* I. scanning WIFI PCI devices...
-- Broadcom Corporation BCM4311 802.11b/g WLAN (rev 01)
==> PCI ID = 14e4:4311 (rev 01)
-------------------------
* II. querying ndiswrapper...
-------------------------
* III. querying iwconfig...
lo no wireless extensions.

eth0 no wireless extensions.

-------------------------
* IV. querying ifconfig...
eth0 Link encap:Ethernet HWaddr 00:16:d4:b9:27:3b
inet addr:192.168.0.100 Bcast:192.168.0.255 Mask:255.255.255.0
inet6 addr: fe80::216:d4ff:feb9:273b/64 Scope:Link
UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1
RX packets:707 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:785 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000
RX bytes:579401 (579.4 KB) TX bytes:129349 (129.3 KB)
Interrupt:16 Base address:0x2000

lo Link encap:Local Loopback
inet addr:127.0.0.1 Mask:255.0.0.0
inet6 addr: ::1/128 Scope:Host
UP LOOPBACK RUNNING MTU:16436 Metric:1
RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisions:0 txqueuelen:0
RX bytes:0 (0.0 B) TX bytes:0 (0.0 B)

-------------------------
* V. querying DHCP...
RTNETLINK answers: File exists
-------------------------
* VI. querying nslookup google.com...
Server: 192.168.0.1
Address: 192.168.0.1#53

Non-authoritative answer:
Name: google.com
Address: 173.194.41.133
Name: google.com
Address: 173.194.41.132
Name: google.com
Address: 173.194.41.129
Name: google.com
Address: 173.194.41.135
Name: google.com
Address: 173.194.41.128
Name: google.com
Address: 173.194.41.130
Name: google.com
Address: 173.194.41.142
Name: google.com
Address: 173.194.41.134
Name: google.com
Address: 173.194.41.137
Name: google.com
Address: 173.194.41.136
Name: google.com
Address: 173.194.41.131


lesley@lesley-Presario-C500-RT154EA-ABU ~ $ lspci -vvnn | grep 14e4
06:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Broadcom Corporation BCM4311 802.11b/g WLAN [14e4:4311] (rev 01)


lesley@lesley-Presario-C500-RT154EA-ABU ~ $ sudo apt-get update
[sudo] password for lesley:

Get:7 http://packages.linuxmint.com lisa/main i386 Packages [15.0 kB]
Get:8 http://packages.linuxmint.com lisa/upstream i386 Packages [28.4 kB]

Get:9 http://packages.linuxmint.com lisa/import i386 Packages [22.1 kB]



lesley@lesley-Presario-C500-RT154EA-ABU ~ $ sudo apt-get install bcmwl-kernel-source

Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
bcmwl-kernel-source is already the newest version.

0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 10 not upgraded.


lesley@lesley-Presario-C500-RT154EA-ABU ~ $ sudo modprobe -r b43 ssb wl
lesley@lesley-Presario-C500-RT154EA-ABU ~ $ sudo modprobe wl
lesley@lesley-Presario-C500-RT154EA-ABU ~ $ sudo iwlist scanning
lo Interface doesn't support scanning.

eth0 Interface doesn't support scanning.

lesley@lesley-Presario-C500-RT154EA-ABU ~ $




lesley@lesley-Presario-C500-RT154EA-ABU ~ $ inxi -N
Network: Card-1 Broadcom BCM4311 802.11b/g WLAN
Card-2 Realtek RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ driver 8139too
lesley@lesley-Presario-C500-RT154EA-ABU ~ $


Thanks Lez

[xenopeek]

Topics merged by moderator

[remoulder]

wl driver already installed

This card uses the b43 and ssb drivers which conflicts with the STA (wl) driver. Please sudo modprobe -r wl and follow the instructions in https://help.ubuntu.com/community/WifiDocs/Device/Broadcom_BCM4311_Natty_11.04?highlight=%28ManufacturerModel%29. Note the amendment for 11.10 at the end. If it still doesn't work, post the output of lsmod

[lesley57]

Hi,

Tried all that. All went well (drivers already installed). Removed bcmwl-kernel-source incl. all DKMS Modules. Then this happened:

update-initramfs: deferring update (trigger activated)
Purging configuration files for bcmwl-kernel-source ...
update-initramfs: deferring update (trigger activated)
Processing triggers for initramfs-tools ...
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-3.0.0-12-generic
Warning: No support for locale: en_GB.utf8

Carried on anyway but did not recognise file :

lesley@lesley-Presario-C500-RT154EA-ABU ~ $ sudo rm /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-bcm43.conf
rm: cannot remove `/etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-bcm43.conf': No such file or directory
lesley@lesley-Presario-C500-RT154EA-ABU ~ $ sudo rm /etc/modprobe.d/broadcom-sta-common.conf
rm: cannot remove `/etc/modprobe.d/broadcom-sta-common.conf': No such file or directory

As this didn't work here is the output of lsmod:


lesley@lesley-Presario-C500-RT154EA-ABU ~ $ lsmod
Module Size Used by
rfcomm 38408 0
bnep 17923 2
bluetooth 148839 8 rfcomm,bnep
parport_pc 32114 0
ppdev 12849 0
binfmt_misc 17292 1
snd_hda_codec_conexant 52418 1
snd_hda_intel 24262 2
snd_hda_codec 91754 2 snd_hda_codec_conexant,snd_hda_intel
snd_hwdep 13276 1 snd_hda_codec
snd_pcm 80468 2 snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec
i915 505108 3
snd_seq_midi 13132 0
snd_rawmidi 25241 1 snd_seq_midi
joydev 17393 0
snd_seq_midi_event 14475 1 snd_seq_midi
drm_kms_helper 32889 1 i915
snd_seq 51567 2 snd_seq_midi,snd_seq_midi_event
hp_wmi 13652 0
sparse_keymap 13658 1 hp_wmi
snd_timer 28932 2 snd_pcm,snd_seq
snd_seq_device 14172 3 snd_seq_midi,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq
snd 55902 13 snd_hda_codec_conexant,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec,snd_hwdep,snd_pcm,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq,snd_timer,snd_seq_device
drm 192226 4 i915,drm_kms_helper
wmi 18744 1 hp_wmi
psmouse 73673 0
serio_raw 12990 0
soundcore 12600 1 snd
snd_page_alloc 14115 2 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm
i2c_algo_bit 13199 1 i915
video 18908 1 i915
lp 17455 0
parport 40930 3 parport_pc,ppdev,lp
8139too 23283 0
8139cp 22636 0
ahci 21634 2
libahci 25727 1 ahci
lesley@lesley-Presario-C500-RT154EA-ABU ~ $

Please tell me I haven't done something stupid,

Lez

[remoulder]

You currently have no driver loaded for the wifi card so try the following

Code: Select all

sudo modprobe -r hp_wmi
sudo modprobe b43 ssb
sudo rfkill unblock all

Is there any change in your wifi? If now working you need to follow the instructions in the ubuntu doc to blacklist the STA driver. If not post the outputs of lsmod again and also nm-tool and rfkill list

[lesley57]

Thanks for the advice, no luck though so heres the output I got in the terminal:

lesley@lesley-Presario-C500-RT154EA-ABU ~ $ lsmod
Module Size Used by
bnep 17923 2
rfcomm 38408 0
bluetooth 148839 10 bnep,rfcomm
parport_pc 32114 0
ppdev 12849 0
snd_hda_codec_conexant 52418 1
joydev 17393 0
hp_wmi 13652 0
sparse_keymap 13658 1 hp_wmi
snd_hda_intel 24262 2
snd_hda_codec 91754 2 snd_hda_codec_conexant,snd_hda_intel
snd_hwdep 13276 1 snd_hda_codec
snd_pcm 80468 2 snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec
snd_seq_midi 13132 0
snd_rawmidi 25241 1 snd_seq_midi
arc4 12473 2
i915 505108 3
snd_seq_midi_event 14475 1 snd_seq_midi
b43 318816 0
snd_seq 51567 2 snd_seq_midi,snd_seq_midi_event
drm_kms_helper 32889 1 i915
drm 192226 4 i915,drm_kms_helper
mac80211 272785 1 b43
snd_timer 28932 2 snd_pcm,snd_seq
snd_seq_device 14172 3 snd_seq_midi,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq
psmouse 73673 0
i2c_algo_bit 13199 1 i915
serio_raw 12990 0
binfmt_misc 17292 1
snd 55902 13 snd_hda_codec_conexant,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec,snd_hwdep,snd_pcm,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq,snd_timer,snd_seq_device
cfg80211 172392 2 b43,mac80211
soundcore 12600 1 snd
snd_page_alloc 14115 2 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm
wmi 18744 1 hp_wmi
video 18908 1 i915
lp 17455 0
parport 40930 3 parport_pc,ppdev,lp
ahci 21634 2
8139too 23283 0
8139cp 22636 0
libahci 25727 1 ahci
ssb 50682 1 b43
lesley@lesley-Presario-C500-RT154EA-ABU ~ $ nm-tool

NetworkManager Tool

State: connected (global)

- Device: wlan0 ----------------------------------------------------------------
Type: 802.11 WiFi
Driver: b43
State: unavailable
Default: no
HW Address: 00:1A:73:1C:38:E9

Capabilities:

Wireless Properties
WEP Encryption: yes
WPA Encryption: yes
WPA2 Encryption: yes

Wireless Access Points


- Device: eth0 [Wired connection 1] -------------------------------------------
Type: Wired
Driver: 8139too
State: connected
Default: yes
HW Address: 00:16:D4:B9:27:3B

Capabilities:
Carrier Detect: yes
Speed: 100 Mb/s

Wired Properties
Carrier: on

IPv4 Settings:
Address: 192.168.0.100
Prefix: 24 (255.255.255.0)
Gateway: 192.168.0.1

DNS: 192.168.0.1


lesley@lesley-Presario-C500-RT154EA-ABU ~ $ rfkill list
0: phy0: Wireless LAN
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: yes
1: hp-wifi: Wireless LAN
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: yes
lesley@lesley-Presario-C500-RT154EA-ABU ~ $

Sorry this is taking so long, if I had any idea what I was doing I'm sure it would be sorted by now. Or at least I'd know if the card is broken or not.

Thanks again, sorry to be such a nuiscance,

Lez

[remoulder]

hp_wmi 13652 0

Hard blocked: yes
1: hp-wifi: Wireless LAN

You do not appear to have carried out all the steps I gave you or did you restart? Either way do the 1st and last steps again and DO NOT restart. The hard blocked message means the wireless key on your laptop is ON. Sometimes they don't work with hp_wmi so we are trying to remove that.

[lesley57]

Tried again. Didn't recognise file/folder at end of ubuntu guide again (tried both options). When I input sudo modprobe -r hp_wmi it went beserk - black screen filled with code, then came back to previous desktop but terminal would no longer respond to any input. Started new terminal - input sudo modprobe b43 ssb, it asked for my password but continues to respond like a typewriter!

So, what do I do now ? (other than panic)

Lez

[remoulder]

what do I do now

Ok lets try another way, try this

Code: Select all

echo "blacklist hp_wmi" | sudo tee /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf

then restart. If still not working am going to need outputs of lsmod and rfkill list again.

[toolsinker]

Try THIS, it worked for me.

First of all remove any b43 STA drivers from hardware profile, and restart your machine. Verify that wired connection is working, then fire up Terminal. Step 1- Type in:

sudo zypper install b43-fwcutter

If cutter is already installed, you will receive message informing you of the fact. If not, then it will install properly. Step 2- Type in:

sudo /usr/sbin/install_bcm43xx_firmware

You should not have to reboot. right click on network icon in panel and you should see your network list.

[lesley57]

Hi guys/girls,

Thanks for your suggestions, much appreciated. Tried the first didn't appear to work, so here is the output of lsmd & rfkill

OUTPUT OF lsmd & rfkill after tried echo "blacklist hp_wmi" | sudo tee /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf and still unable to connect.


lesley@lesley-Presario-C500-RT154EA-ABU ~ $ sudo su
[sudo] password for lesley:
lesley-Presario-C500-RT154EA-ABU lesley # lsmod
Module Size Used by
bnep 17923 2
bluetooth 148839 7 bnep
parport_pc 32114 0
ppdev 12849 0
snd_hda_codec_conexant 52418 1
joydev 17393 0
snd_hda_intel 24262 2
snd_hda_codec 91754 2 snd_hda_codec_conexant,snd_hda_intel
snd_hwdep 13276 1 snd_hda_codec
snd_seq_midi 13132 0
arc4 12473 2
snd_rawmidi 25241 1 snd_seq_midi
b43 318816 0
snd_seq_midi_event 14475 1 snd_seq_midi
mac80211 272785 1 b43
snd_seq 51567 2 snd_seq_midi,snd_seq_midi_event
snd_pcm 80468 2 snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec
i915 505108 3
snd_seq_device 14172 3 snd_seq_midi,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq
binfmt_misc 17292 1
snd_timer 28932 2 snd_seq,snd_pcm
pcspkr 12614 0
i2c_i801 17346 0
psmouse 73673 0
drm_kms_helper 32889 1 i915
drm 192226 4 i915,drm_kms_helper
snd 55902 13 snd_hda_codec_conexant,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec,snd_hwdep,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq,snd_seq_device,snd_pcm,snd_timer
serio_raw 12990 0
i2c_algo_bit 13199 1 i915
cfg80211 172392 2 b43,mac80211
soundcore 12600 1 snd
wmi 18744 0
snd_page_alloc 14115 2 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm
evbug 12581 0
video 18908 1 i915
lp 17455 0
parport 40930 3 parport_pc,ppdev,lp
ahci 21634 2
libahci 25727 1 ahci
8139too 23283 0
8139cp 22636 0
ssb 50682 1 b43


lesley-Presario-C500-RT154EA-ABU lesley #
lesley-Presario-C500-RT154EA-ABU lesley # rfkill list
0: phy0: Wireless LAN
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: yes:


Attempted the zypper command but it kept telling me no such command. Tried a few adjustments in case spelling mistake but no luck.

Beginning to think either I've got the wrong connection settings or the card is broken. Happy to persevere though 'cos I believe it will give me practice at using the dreaded terminal and bolster my confidence/understanding. so just keep throwing me suggestions - as long as it's idiot proof!

Thanks again,

Lez

[lesley57]

Hi guys/girls,

Since last post 5 minutes ago, pressed wi-fi button on laptop & hey presto I have wireless - guess it worked after all. Now I'm thinking maybe if I'd done that 5 or 6 posts ago!!!!

Have I been a comlete idiot? All I can say that prior to my 1st post it definately did not work!!!!

Thank you all so much - I'm so proud I didn't have to take laptop to someone else to sort out - even if I don't know how I did it. Think it was as 1st suggested conflicting drivers fighting over my machine!!!

[Clawinus]

I have a similar problem with Compac C500 with broadcomm wireless.
Read through the lengthy post. Would somebody please distill and list the commands necessary to be successful?
Thanks

[lm21]

I have a similar problem with Compac C500 with broadcomm wireless.
Read through the lengthy post. Would somebody please distill and list the commands necessary to be successful?
Thanks

Hi, i'm french so excuse my words...

I have the same computer like you, the presario with this wi-fi card.
The good issue:

$ sudo apt-get update
$ sudo apt-get install firmware-b43-installer
$ sudo apt-get remove bcmwl-kernel-source
$ sudo reboot

It will work great.I have shared
Bye.

[Clawinus]

Thanks for the precious four Sudo instructions.
It worked like a charm; now I have wireless internet.
I was busy with other projects, so could get to try the solution only today.