Why is the wireless on my 2008 Macbook no longer working after upgrading to 12.04?

Question

I know this question has been raised a number of times in this forum, but after searching for a solution for nearly 3 hours, I am at my limit.

I own a Macbook from 2008 (not a Macbook pro). I was on 10.04, but today I upgraded to 12.04 LTS. And now, my wireless no longer works.

Here is my device:

02:00.0 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4321 802.11a/b/g/n (rev 03)

Here are some of the things I tried to follow but ultimately didn't work:

Using Additional Drivers to get STA. It wasn't letting me even download at first. Somehow, it let me at some point, but it kept saying "Driver not currently in use."
http://techdc.blogspot.com/2011/02/ubuntu-broadcom-wireless-sta-driver.html
Installing Broadcom Wireless Drivers
firmware-linux-nonfree package through synaptics.
b43

I tried a dozen other things which I can't even remember. Please help!

I also looked at:

6.) 2008 MacBook WiFi doesn't work with Ubuntu 13.04

which basically led to another forum post which led to 4.)

Here is the output of @WildMan's wireless diagnosis script:

*************** info trace ***************

***** uname -a *****

Linux Doolie 3.2.0-52-generic #78-Ubuntu SMP Fri Jul 26 16:23:24 UTC 2013 i686 i686 i386 GNU/Linux

***** lsb_release *****

Distributor ID: Ubuntu
Description:    Ubuntu 12.04.3 LTS
Release:    12.04
Codename:   precise

***** lspci *****

02:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Broadcom Corporation BCM4321 802.11a/b/g/n [14e4:4328] (rev 03)
    Subsystem: Apple Inc. Device [106b:0088]
    Kernel modules: ssb, wl
03:00.0 Ethernet controller [0200]: Marvell Technology Group Ltd. 88E8058 PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet Controller [11ab:436a] (rev 13)
    Subsystem: Marvell Technology Group Ltd. Device [11ab:00ba]
    Kernel driver in use: sky2

***** lsusb *****

Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 005 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 006 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 007 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 002 Device 002: ID 05ac:8300 Apple, Inc. Built-in iSight (no firmware loaded)
Bus 003 Device 003: ID 05ac:8205 Apple, Inc. Bluetooth HCI
Bus 007 Device 002: ID 05ac:8242 Apple, Inc. IR Receiver [built-in]
Bus 007 Device 003: ID 05ac:0229 Apple, Inc. Internal Keyboard/Trackpad (MacBook Pro) (ANSI)

***** PCMCIA Card Info *****


***** iwconfig *****


***** rfkill *****

0: hci0: Bluetooth
    Soft blocked: yes
    Hard blocked: no

***** lsmod *****

isight_firmware        12586  0 

***** nm-tool *****

NetworkManager Tool

State: connected (global)

- Device: eth0  [Wired connection 1] -------------------------------------------
  Type:              Wired
  Driver:            sky2
  State:             connected
  Default:           yes
  HW Address:        <MAC address removed>

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

  Wired Properties
    Carrier:         on

  IPv4 Settings:
    Address:         192.168.1.43
    Prefix:          24 (255.255.255.0)
    Gateway:         192.168.1.1

    DNS:             192.168.1.1



***** NetworkManager.state *****

[main]
NetworkingEnabled=true
WirelessEnabled=true
WWANEnabled=true

***** NetworkManager.conf *****

[main]
plugins=ifupdown,keyfile
dns=dnsmasq

[ifupdown]
managed=false

***** interfaces *****

auto lo
iface lo inet loopback




***** iwlist *****


***** resolv.conf *****

nameserver 127.0.0.1
search myhome.westell.com

***** blacklist *****

[/etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-ath_pci.conf]
blacklist ath_pci

[/etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-bcm43.conf]
blacklist b43
blacklist b43legacy
blacklist ssb
blacklist bcm43xx
blacklist brcm80211
blacklist brcmfmac
blacklist brcmsmac
blacklist bcma

[/etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf]
blacklist evbug
blacklist usbmouse
blacklist usbkbd
blacklist eepro100
blacklist de4x5
blacklist eth1394
blacklist snd_intel8x0m
blacklist snd_aw2
blacklist i2c_i801
blacklist prism54
blacklist garmin_gps
blacklist asus_acpi
blacklist snd_pcsp
blacklist pcspkr
blacklist amd76x_edac
blacklist ssb

[/etc/modprobe.d/libpisock9.conf]
blacklist visor

***** modinfo *****


***** udev rules *****

# PCI device 0x11ab:0x436a (sky2)
SUBSYSTEM=="net", ACTION=="add", DRIVERS=="?*", ATTR{address}=="<MAC address removed>", ATTR{type}=="1", KERNEL=="eth*", NAME="eth0"

# PCI device 0x14e4:0x4328 (ndiswrapper)
SUBSYSTEM=="net", ACTION=="add", DRIVERS=="?*", ATTR{address}=="<MAC address removed>", ATTR{type}=="1", KERNEL=="wlan*", NAME="wlan0"

***** dmesg *****

[   36.874019] wl: module license 'MIXED/Proprietary' taints kernel.
[   36.877635] wl: disagrees about version of symbol cfg80211_scan_done
[   36.877640] wl: Unknown symbol cfg80211_scan_done (err -22)
[   36.877677] wl: disagrees about version of symbol cfg80211_disconnected
[   36.877679] wl: Unknown symbol cfg80211_disconnected (err -22)
[   36.877702] wl: disagrees about version of symbol wiphy_register
[   36.877704] wl: Unknown symbol wiphy_register (err -22)
[   36.877710] wl: disagrees about version of symbol wiphy_new
[   36.877712] wl: Unknown symbol wiphy_new (err -22)
[   36.877717] wl: disagrees about version of symbol cfg80211_roamed
[   36.877719] wl: Unknown symbol cfg80211_roamed (err -22)
[   36.877728] wl: disagrees about version of symbol lib80211_get_crypto_ops
[   36.877730] wl: Unknown symbol lib80211_get_crypto_ops (err -22)
[   36.877739] wl: disagrees about version of symbol cfg80211_ibss_joined
[   36.877742] wl: Unknown symbol cfg80211_ibss_joined (err -22)
[   36.877751] wl: disagrees about version of symbol cfg80211_michael_mic_failure
[   36.877753] wl: Unknown symbol cfg80211_michael_mic_failure (err -22)
[   36.877757] wl: disagrees about version of symbol cfg80211_connect_result
[   36.877759] wl: Unknown symbol cfg80211_connect_result (err -22)
[   36.877772] wl: disagrees about version of symbol wiphy_unregister
[   36.877774] wl: Unknown symbol wiphy_unregister (err -22)
[   36.877783] wl: disagrees about version of symbol cfg80211_get_bss
[   36.877786] wl: Unknown symbol cfg80211_get_bss (err -22)
[   36.877793] wl: disagrees about version of symbol __ieee80211_get_channel
[   36.877795] wl: Unknown symbol __ieee80211_get_channel (err -22)
[   36.877819] wl: disagrees about version of symbol cfg80211_inform_bss_frame
[   36.877821] wl: Unknown symbol cfg80211_inform_bss_frame (err -22)
[   36.877832] wl: disagrees about version of symbol wiphy_free
[   36.877834] wl: Unknown symbol wiphy_free (err -22)

****************** done ******************

It is safe to run it was written by me and some good friends it will help diagnose your wireless issue. Paste this command in a terminal wget -N -t 5 -T 10 http://dl.dropbox.com/u/57264241/wireless_script && chmod +x wireless_script && ./wireless_script It will download a script and create a file named (wireless-info.txt, or wireless-info.txt.tar.gz) in your home folder paste the file here http://pastebin.com/ then paste the link back here. — Wild Man, Aug 24 '13 at 04:18

Wild Man · Accepted Answer · 2013-09-03T21:48:17.433

1

Your device can use the b43 driver so let's try to use it.

sudo apt-get purge bcmwl-kernel-source

the above command may say not installed if so do not worry about it.

Then do:

sudo apt-get install linux-firmware-nonfree
sudo modprobe b43

Please do:

sudo gedit /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf

Then remove:

blacklist ssb
blacklist b43
blacklist bcma

then save, close gedit and reboot.

edited Sep 03 '13 at 21:48

answered Aug 26 '13 at 21:41

Wild Man

8,187
4
34
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Okay, so I removed all the drivers I installed. I typed in both commands. Here are the outputs for the first and the second commands, respectively: http://pastebin.com/05dh7AAP, http://pastebin.com/hpEjTLbb – Braindead Aug 30 '13 at 01:45
Also, I did not install linux-backports-modules-cw. – Braindead Aug 30 '13 at 01:45
I redid the directions, this should work. You may need to work on the blacklist file. – Wild Man Sep 01 '13 at 23:55
Is this where I should be looking to download? (http://www.broadcom.com/support/802.11/linux_sta.php) – Braindead Sep 02 '13 at 23:27
I fixed the driver link in my answer. – Wild Man Sep 02 '13 at 23:47
Thanks you. Unfortunately, my wifi still doesn't work :( I downloaded the package and ran the commands, and I got these outputs: http://pastebin.com/4jYfd3ra, http://pastebin.com/Kdpiu6L1. – Braindead Sep 03 '13 at 16:09
Please try the b43 driver in my answer now. Thanks – Wild Man Sep 03 '13 at 21:42
Great! It worked the second I entered the command "sudo modprobe b43," even before doing the gedit. Thank you very much for your patience and help! – Braindead Sep 06 '13 at 00:22
When you reboot it will probably not work without removing those drivers from the blacklist file and doing sudo modprobe b43. – Wild Man Sep 06 '13 at 00:55

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Sep 02 '13 at 06:35

0

This should do the trick:

sudo apt-get install linux-headers-generic
sudo apt-get install --reinstall bcmwl-kernel-source

answered Sep 02 '13 at 06:35

Mihai

1,644

That did not work. – Braindead Sep 02 '13 at 23:33

Why is the wireless on my 2008 Macbook no longer working after upgrading to 12.04?

2 Answers2