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I was trying to get Ubuntu working on old laptop. I believed it's wireless driver issue.

Output from a couple of commands:

myhost@ubuntu:~$ lsb_release -a
No LSB modules are available.
Distributor ID:    Ubuntu
Description:    Ubuntu 12.04.3 LTS
Release:    12.04
Codename:    precise 

myhost@ubuntu:~$ lspci | grp Network
0c:00.0 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4311 802.11b/g WLAN (rev 01)


myhost@ubuntu:~$ iwconfig
eth0      no wireless extensions.
lo        no wireless extensions.

Then I google it and found article to reinstall wireless driver at Installing Broadcom Wireless Drivers

So I did command sudo apt-get purge bcmwl-kernel-source (Done) and command sudo apt-get install bcmwl-kernel-source (Error as below lines)

...
Loading new bcmwl-6.20.155.1+bdcom DKMS files...
First Installation: checking all kernels...
Building only for 3.8.0-29-generic
Building for architecture x86_64
Building initial module for 3.8.0-29-generic
Error! Bad return status for module build on kernel: 3.8.0-29-generic (x86_64)
Consult /var/lib/dkms/bcmwl/6.20.155.1+bdcom/build/make.log for more information.
FATAL: Module wl not found.
FATAL: Error running install command for wl

Any suggestion to fix it? Thanks First.

Community
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user1864817
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1 Answers1

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Please get a working ethernet connection temporarily and do:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get remove --purge bcmwl-kernel-source
sudo apt-get install linux-firmware-nonfree

Detach the ethernet, reboot and give us your report.

magnusnn
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chili555
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  • About 1 hour ago, I plugged in network and did as your suggestion to remove and install. There was an crash report during this install of linux-firmware-nonfree.

    On screen it had a title: Crash report

    Package: bcmwl-kernel-source (not installed) Problem Type: Package Title: bcmwl-kernel-source 6.20.155.1+bdcom-0utbuntu0.0.1:bcmwl kernel module failed to build ApportVersion: 2.0.1-0ubuntu17.4 Architecture: amd64 DKMSBuildLog: 3.8.0-29-generic Date: Mon Aug 26 02:46:48 2013 ...

     – user1864817 Aug 26 '13 at 01:06
  • Please try one at a time and give me the results: sudo apt-get remove --purge bcmwl-kernel-source I will have further suggestions after I hear your report. – chili555 Aug 26 '13 at 11:55
  • Chili555, I did the remove command again. Below lines are from Terminal output. //--- myhost@ubuntu:~$ myhost@ubuntu:~$ sudo apt-get remove --purge bcmwl-kernel-source [sudo] password for myhost: 正在讀取套件清單... 完成 正在重建相依關係
    正在讀取狀態資料... 完成 套件 bcmwl-kernel-source 並沒有被安裝，所以也不會被移除 The following package was automatically installed and is no longer required: dkms 使用 'apt-get autoremove' 來將其移除。 升級 0 個，新安裝 0 個，移除 0 個，有 0 個未被升級。 myhost@ubuntu:~$ ^C //--- If it will help, I can change default locale. Thanks     – user1864817 Aug 26 '13 at 18:20
  • So far, so good! Next, please do: sudo apt-get autoremove. If that goes successfully, next do: sudo apt-get install linux-firmware-nonfree – chili555 Aug 26 '13 at 21:44
  • Chili555,

    I did the autoremove command successfully. Next command to install linux-firmware and no crash report this time. It says install linux-firmware already is the newest version. With Upgrade 0, New installation 0, Remove 0, Not Upgrade 0 What is next suggestion ?

    Terminal Output as below: // ---------- myhost@ubuntu:~$ sudo apt-get autoremove [sudo] password for myhost: 正在讀取套件清單... 完成 正在重建相依關係
    正在讀取狀態資料... 完成 下列套件將會被【移除】： dkms 升級 0 個，新安裝 0 個，移除 1 個，有 0 個未被升級。 此操作完成之後，會空出 348 kB 的磁碟空間。 是否繼續進行 [Y/n]？y

     – user1864817 Aug 27 '13 at 18:01
  • continue ... （正在讀取資料庫 ... 146955 files and directories currently installed.) 正在移除 dkms ... 正在進行 man-db 的觸發程式 ... myhost@ubuntu:~$ myhost@ubuntu:~$ sudo apt-get install linux-firmware-nonfree 正在讀取套件清單... 完成 正在重建相依關係
    正在讀取狀態資料... 完成 linux-firmware-nonfree 已經是最新版本了。 升級 0 個，新安裝 0 個，移除 0 個，有 0 個未被升級。 myhost@ubuntu:~$     – user1864817 Aug 27 '13 at 18:04
  • Now load the correct driver: sudo modprobe b43. Does your wireless work now? Is the wireless switch set to enable wireless? rfkill list all Are there any helpful messages here? dmesg | grep -e wlan -e b43 – chili555 Aug 27 '13 at 20:19
  • Chili555,

    Yes, It's working. My WiFi light is on after yor suggestion of modprobe command. I have two more questions. Q1: Why the autoremove then install linux-firmeare-nofree didn't have crash report this time? Q2: How do I discount wire and connect to my SSID with password? Thanks a lot.

    // --- myhost@ubuntu:~$ myhost@ubuntu:~$ sudo modprobe b43 [sudo] password for myhost: myhost@ubuntu:~$ // WiFi light is on myhost@ubuntu:~$ myhost@ubuntu:~$ rfkill list all

     – user1864817 Aug 27 '13 at 21:10
  • 0: hci0: Bluetooth Soft blocked: no Hard blocked: no 1: phy0: Wireless LAN Soft blocked: no Hard blocked: no myhost@ubuntu:~$ myhost@ubuntu:~$ dmesg | grep -e wlan -e b43 [11639.156737] b43-phy0: Broadcom 4311 WLAN found (core revision 10) [11639.200091] b43-phy0: Found PHY: Analog 4, Type 2 (G), Revision 8 [11639.732075] b43-phy0: Loading firmware version 666.2 (2011-02-23 01:15:07) [11639.821179] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlan0: link is not ready [11639.822187] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlan0: link is not ready myhost@ubuntu:~$ – user1864817 Aug 27 '13 at 21:12
  • I do not know why there wasn't a crash. The package that was autoremoved, dkms, has nothing to do with b43 and linux-firmware-nonfree. Detach the ethernet and click the Network Manager icon at the top right. You should see a list of networks to connect to. Click yours and a prompt for your WPA2 password should appear. If your question is solved, please accept my answer. http://www.eui.eu/Images-2011/ServicesAdmin/ComputingService/eduroam/eduroamUbuntu%284%29.png – chili555 Aug 27 '13 at 21:47
  • Chili55, A quick question: How does Ubuntu auto do "sudo modprobe b43" after reboot - just want to auto to have wireless connection via WiFi. :) ? – user1864817 Aug 27 '13 at 22:29
  • Chili55, I saw an article to suggest "Slow or Erratic Wi-Fi in Ubuntu 12.04 LTS? " Should install Wicd package if it can help my auto-connect issue. – user1864817 Aug 27 '13 at 22:52
  • To get b43 to load on boot, do these commands in sequence: sudo -i; echo b43 >> /etc/modules; exit. – chili555 Aug 27 '13 at 23:19
  • I doubt you need Wicd. – chili555 Aug 27 '13 at 23:37
  • Thank you for the help. I am happy with wireless connection. I don't know what to do with the link in answer.eui.eu you provided. – user1864817 Aug 28 '13 at 02:01
  • Chili55, I click on link at http://www.eui.eu/Images-2011/ServicesAdmin/ComputingService/eduroam/eduroamUbuntu%284%29.png And all I got is a PNG image. Didn't see Accept button. Maybe you can help more to resolve my request that you have been helping. – user1864817 Aug 29 '13 at 00:24
  • Please see here about accepting my answer: http://meta.askubuntu.com/questions/1137/how-do-i-accept-an-answer – chili555 Aug 29 '13 at 11:56