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I have an Ubuntu 14.04 system running (dual boot) on a Dell Laptop machine. It happens to have a Broadcom wireless device in it, such that after initial installation, I need to follow the instructions here in order to get the wireless functionality to work.

Generally this involves a wired ethernet connection to a router to provide temporary internet connectivity.

I want to upgrade to 16.04, but may be forced by other circumstances to do so without access to an ethernet connection. The question is: Will this work? Or will the upgrade process undo (during or after) the solution to the Broadcom issues leaving me in a dire position?

Novak
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  • You'll need to reinstall the driver after an upgrade. – mikewhatever Sep 29 '17 at 02:39
  • @mikewhatever that was my fear, thanks. Will the system make it through the upgrade? I.e., are all necessary materials downloaded first? – Novak Sep 29 '17 at 02:45
  • Not sure what you mean. How can anything be downloaded offline? It's best to have a stable internet connection durring upgrades. – mikewhatever Sep 29 '17 at 02:48
  • I have a working wireless connection. Presumeably something gets downloaded in the upgrade process, and applied to comprise the upgrade. At some point during this process, the wireless connection will stop working. Will this happen before or after whatever needs to be downloaded is downloaded? – Novak Sep 29 '17 at 02:50
  • I've no idea when your "wireless connection will stop working". – mikewhatever Sep 29 '17 at 02:53

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Based on direct experience, Broadcom drivers do not need to be reinstalled after an upgrade from Ubuntu 14.04 to 16.04.

It is not clear if the entire upgrade can be done over that wireless connection, because I did not attempt it.

Novak
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