dell inspiron 1300 installed now no internet

Question

I installed Ubuntu on an old dell 1300, but the wireless isn't working on it. I don't have cable or Ethernet, I tether to my phone, and it worked on Windows.

I did the sudo bc installer thingy at the terminal but it says files don't exist.

Please give me a simple link to download to a flash drive that I can just open and run.

0-2-0 3.0 network controller 0280 Broadcom Corporation bcm4318 airforce one 54 G 802.11g Wireless LAN controller 14e4: 4318 rev.02
  subsystem Dell Wireless 1370 WLAN Mini PCI card 1028: 0005
  kernel driver in use b43 PCI bridge

Please [edit] your question and add output of lspci -knn | grep Net -A2 terminal command. — Pilot6, Oct 25 '15 at 14:15
That means to open terminal, enter this command and post the output to your question. — Pilot6, Oct 25 '15 at 15:47
You have a symbol that is not on the keyboard. What is betwee the knn and grep. — Venessa Adkins Van Horn, Oct 25 '15 at 16:17
It responded with 1spci not found did you mean 1spci from package pciutils — Venessa Adkins Van Horn, Oct 25 '15 at 16:28
Oh gosh I feel like an idiot. Network controller is a broadcom bcm 4318 airforce one 54g 802.11g wireless lan controller (rev 02) — Venessa Adkins Van Horn, Oct 25 '15 at 16:54
0-2-0 3.0 network controller 0280 Broadcom Corporation bcm4318 airforce one 54 G 802.11g Wireless LAN controller 14e4: 4318 rev.02 subsystem Dell Wireless 1370 WLAN Mini PCI card 1028: 0005 kernel driver in use b43 PCI bridge. I hope I typed all that right. Im using a cell phone — Venessa Adkins Van Horn, Oct 25 '15 at 17:14

Pilot6 · Answer 1 · 2015-10-26T14:40:56.187

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Download these two files:

http://mirrors.kernel.org/ubuntu/pool/main/b/b43-fwcutter/b43-fwcutter_015-9_amd64.deb http://www.lwfinger.com/b43-firmware/broadcom-wl-5.100.138.tar.bz2

for 32-bit Ubuntu you will need a 32-bit b43-fwcutter instead of 64-bit.

http://mirrors.kernel.org/ubuntu/pool/main/b/b43-fwcutter/b43-fwcutter_015-9_i386.deb

and copy them to the Ubuntu Home folder.

Then run in terminal:

sudo dpkg -i b43*.deb
tar xfvj broadcom-wl-5.100.138.tar.bz2
sudo b43-fwcutter -w /lib/firmware broadcom-wl-5.100.138/linux/wl_apsta.o

If you do it correctly, Wi-Fi will work after reboot.

edited Oct 26 '15 at 14:40

answered Oct 25 '15 at 17:17

Pilot6

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Am I supposed to hit enter between each line as u wrote it. Becuz after the first line I hit enter, then it asks me for the sudo password, I enter the password and it says dpkg: error processing archives b43.deb (--install): can not access archived: no such file or directory errors were encountered while processing: b43.deb – Venessa Adkins Van Horn Oct 25 '15 at 18:37
Did you download these files? Where did you copy them? This error shows that there is no b43-fwcutter... in your Home folder. Or you typed a wrong command. – Pilot6 Oct 25 '15 at 18:39
This is so frustrating. So yes I downloaded and copied those files to the home folder. Typed the first line and it gave me that error. So I went to the fwcutter file and clicked on itlike to open it. It tried to open and said error. Does it matter that ive got 32 bit ubuntu? I just seen that the end of that file name says amd64. Just wondering if that might be the problem. – Venessa Adkins Van Horn Oct 26 '15 at 14:38
Yes that is the problem. I will replace the link. – Pilot6 Oct 26 '15 at 14:39
I added a link to 32-bit fwcutter. Delete the 64-bit package and try again. – Pilot6 Oct 26 '15 at 14:41
@VenessaAdkinsVanHorn: As you're a reputation 1 user: If this answer helped you, don't forget to click the grey ☑ at the left of this text, which means Yes, this answer is valid! ;-) – Fabby Nov 02 '15 at 00:05

Kangarooo · Answer 2 · 2022-01-16T01:18:54.233

Also try lighter distro for such old computer that im now making alive with lighter then ubuntu like kubuntu with effects i like or xubuntu or lightest lubuntu. Since each time starting i have ubuntu bug of update-apt-xapi using minute of cpu can also try clean debian distros for old computers. https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/apt-xapian-index/+bug/1958041

Well, lan you should try to connect, since manually downloading moving packages can be risky of infections.

Also try to Connect your pc to your Android phone with a USB cable tethering and on phone's settings....connections, more settings click on USB tethering option. That's all now you would get internet connection on pc. Now can install all whats needed to get wifi from phone wifi hotspot working.

Can also tethering from phone with wire usb or at friends, if interested in aquiring such with internet wire from router to plug for a second dirrect or 2nd wire from router.

I got it and fixed it with testing.

After each command try reboot to know if no more commands needed.

Test if this works. Both or one of packages

sudo apt install firmware-b43-installer

It also installs and uses b43-fwcutter

Maybe some need not that but

sudo apt install firmware-b43legacy-installer

Then

modprobe b43

I think this one fixed it, in case after reboot doesnt work.

maybe again after reboot can check- errors for some other drivers showing, but your driver will be already installed

sudo update-initramfs -u -k all

From my testing in

https://askubuntu.com/a/1387312/9550

score -2 · Answer 3 · answered Oct 25 '15 at 11:47

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Go to system settings>software and updates>additional drivers. Try to install any Broadcom drivers listed. If that doesn't work, tell me, and I'll post an alternative answer.

answered Oct 25 '15 at 11:47

Andrew Steele

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I had a dell inspiron 15 3000 series with the same problem, and I fixed it. So if my first answer doesn't work, then the next probably will. However, an alternative will require specific steps and lots of commands. – Andrew Steele Oct 25 '15 at 11:48
No additional drivers available it says – Venessa Adkins Van Horn Oct 25 '15 at 13:56

dell inspiron 1300 installed now no internet

3 Answers3