Xubuntu: Wireless connection using Broadcom BCM4318 fails

Question

I've just installed Xubuntu for the first time and am trying to set up a wireless connection, configuring the connection in Terminal, as I can't see the network icon in the desktop.

I want to configure a wlan0 connection but unsure how to do this.

When I run a ifconfig, I get this: Ifconfig

06:05.0 Network controller [0280]: Broadcom Limited BCM4318 [AirForce One 54g] 802.11g Wireless LAN Controller [14e4:4318] (rev 02)
Subsystem: AMBIT Microsystem Corp. TravelMate 2410 [1468:0312]
Kernel driver in use: b43-pci-bridge
Kernel modules: ssb


lan@alan-TravelMate-2420:~$ lspci -knn | grep Net -A3; rfkill list
06:05.0 Network controller [0280]: Broadcom Limited BCM4318 [AirForce One 54g] 802.11g Wireless LAN Controller [14e4:4318] (rev 02)
    Subsystem: AMBIT Microsystem Corp. TravelMate 2410 [1468:0312]
    Kernel modules: ssb, wl
06:07.0 Ethernet controller [0200]: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL-8100/8101L/8139 PCI Fast Ethernet Adapter [10ec:8139] (rev 10)
0: acer-wireless: Wireless LAN
    Soft blocked: no
    Hard blocked: no

I managed to sort the wlan0 out but now i get the error ""Set Encode" (8B2A)". After research online, I dont think you can connect to a WPA/WPA2 network by using the iwconfig.

alan@alan-TravelMate-2420:~$ iwconfig lo        no wireless extensions.

wlan0     IEEE 802.11  ESSID:"VM1579855"  
          Mode:Managed  Access Point: Not-Associated   Tx-Power=20 dBm   
          Retry short limit:7   RTS thr:off   Fragment thr:off
          Power Management:off
           enp6s7    no wireless extensions.

alan@alan-TravelMate-2420:~$ sudo iwconfig wlan0 key s:password [sudo] password for alan:  Error for wireless request "Set Encode" (8B2A) :
    SET failed on device wlan0 ; Invalid argument.

Thanks all in advance :)

Comments are not for extended discussion; this conversation has been moved to chat. — Thomas Ward, Feb 04 '20 at 18:18

score 2 · Answer 1 · answered Feb 03 '20 at 21:58

Temporarily connect to the internet by other means and run in a terminal:

sudo apt purge bcmwl-kernel-source
sudo apt install firmware-b43-installer

Immediately or after a reboot, you Wi-Fi adapter should be up and running a normal way. You will be able to connect without tinkering with weird terminal commands.

Xubuntu: Wireless connection using Broadcom BCM4318 fails

1 Answers1