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**basx** · Jul 14, 2010, 02:07 AM

Re: b43-fwcutter seems installed but notthing eslse

Hi all:
I rebooted the computer but it still doesn't detect the wireless and the drivers still aren't loading.

I feel both very frustrated and hopeless about getting the wireless card to work.

I'm wondering if the fact that it's asking for the KUBUNTU CD could be the problem. If so, should I uncheck the CD as a software source?

Thanks

P.S. Happy birthday Claydoh

xavier

**jglen490** · Jul 14, 2010, 07:59 PM

Re: b43-fwcutter seems installed but notthing eslse

Let's check to be sure about the b43-fwcutter package that you have.

Enter this:

Code:

dpkg -l b43*

The output should look like:

Code:

Desired=Unknown/Install/Remove/Purge/Hold
| Status=Not/Inst/Cfg-files/Unpacked/Failed-cfg/Half-inst/trig-aWait/Trig-pend
|/ Err?=(none)/Reinst-required (Status,Err: uppercase=bad)
||/ Name         Version       Description
+++-====================-====================-========================================================
ii b43-fwcutter     1:012-1build1    Utility for extracting Broadcom 43xx firmware

Then enter:

Code:

cd /etc/network

and:

Code:

less interfaces

It should look something like:

Code:

auto lo
iface lo inet loopback

If there is more than that, comment out ALL other lines.

It is possible that wpa-supplicant is not installed, so enter:

Code:

dpkg -l wpasupplicant

The response should be something like:

Code:

Desired=Unknown/Install/Remove/Purge/Hold
| Status=Not/Inst/Cfg-files/Unpacked/Failed-cfg/Half-inst/trig-aWait/Trig-pend
|/ Err?=(none)/Reinst-required (Status,Err: uppercase=bad)
||/ Name         Version       Description
+++-====================-====================-========================================================
ii wpasupplicant    0.6.9-3ubuntu3    client support for WPA and WPA2 (IEEE 802.11i)

Try the above and let us know what the responses are.

**basx** · Jul 15, 2010, 01:27 AM

Re: b43-fwcutter seems installed but nothing else

jglen940:

Thanks for your message.
I typed the first command and got this:

Code:

xavier@ordenador:~$ dpkg -l b43*
Souhait=inconnU/Installé/suppRimé/Purgé/H=à garder
| État=Non/Installé/fichier-Config/dépaqUeté/échec-conFig/H=semi-installé/W=attend-traitement-déclenchements
|/ Err?=(aucune)/besoin Réinstallation (État,Err: majuscule=mauvais)
||/ Nom           Version         Description
+++-=======================-=======================-==============================================================
ii b43-fwcutter      1:012-1build1      Utility for extracting Broadcom 43xx firmware
xavier@ordenador:~$ [url]http://www.kubuntuforums.net/[/url]

So I guess b43 fwcutter iis nstalled

As for the second command I get this

Code:

auto lo
iface lo inet loopback

#Ethernet
auto eth0
iface eth0 inet dhcp

but I can't comment out the Earthnet lines because then I'd lose my ability to connect to the net

When I type out the 3rd command, I get this result:

Code:

xavier@ordenador:~$ dpkg -l wpasupplicant
Souhait=inconnU/Installé/suppRimé/Purgé/H=à garder
| État=Non/Installé/fichier-Config/dépaqUeté/échec-conFig/H=semi-installé/W=attend-traitement-déclenchements
|/ Err?=(aucune)/besoin Réinstallation (État,Err: majuscule=mauvais)
||/ Nom           Version         Description
+++-=======================-=======================-==============================================================
ii wpasupplicant      0.6.9-3ubuntu3     client support for WPA and WPA2 (IEEE 802.11i)
xavier@ordenador:~$

What's the prognosis? Is everything in order?

Thanks again!

xavier

P.S On a hunch I typed lswh and I got this interesting tidbit:

Code:

*-network:1 UNCLAIMED
        description: Network controller
        product: BCM4306 802.11b/g Wireless LAN Controller
        vendor: Broadcom Corporation
        physical id: 2
        bus info: pci@0000:02:02.0
        version: 03
        width: 32 bits
        clock: 33MHz
        capabilities: bus_master
        configuration: latency=64
        resources: memory:e0104000-e0105fff

It seems that the drivers aren't loading and that's the problem that,s driven me crazy these past weeks as to why not.

**jglen490** · Jul 16, 2010, 05:04 PM

Re: b43-fwcutter seems installed but notthing eslse

Normally, all that should be in the "interfaces" file is the loopback entry, when you are using a network manager. What you can do is comment out the lines for ethernet, reboot and try to start the network manager. If you run into a problem, you can always uncomment the ethernet lines to get your hard wire connection back again. When the network manager is working, it will handle either the wireless or the wired connection, based on which connection is present.

You have the correct driver for your wireless, and you have a wpa-supplicant which will make the wireless connection to your router work. It's supposed to work with either WEP or a WPA variant. WPA is always much better (more secure) than WEP. But whatever you use depends on what your router can support, and is better than no security all

If either knwtworkmanager or wicd is installed, you will still to do some setup work through the GUI.

**claydoh** · Jul 16, 2010, 05:43 PM

Re: b43-fwcutter seems installed but notthing eslse

One thing we should figure out (and I should have done this earlier) is to get more info on the wireless card

Code:

 lspci -vnn | grep 14e4

this will give better info on the id numbers, etc so we can see if it a supported chip or which driver we actually need as no driver is loading at all.

http://wireless.kernel.org/en/users/Drivers/b43

**basx** · Jul 19, 2010, 07:28 AM

Re: b43-fwcutter seems installed but notthing eslse

Claydoh:

Thanks for the latest post. Sorry about the delay.#

Per your request, I copied ans pasted the commandyou gave me and this is the results

Code:

02:02.0 Network controller [0280]: Broadcom Corporation BCM4306 802.11b/g Wireless LAN Controller [14e4:4320] (rev 03)

According to the wireless.linux.org page it's supported through the b43file

Code:

14e4:4320  supported BCM4306/3 ?  ? b43

So I have 2 obvious questions:
1)Should I build my own b43 fw cutter and extract the necessary file(s)
2) Or should I download the ndiswrapper and use the Windows driver

Thanks!

xavier

**jglen490** · Jul 23, 2010, 09:45 PM

Re: b43-fwcutter seems installed but notthing eslse

1) You already have the correct version of b43-fwcutter, so I don't think you can do better than that.

2) It's possible the ndiswrapper could provide a working driver, but you really should remove any evidence of b43-fwcutter before doing that. Also, make sure you follow all the instructions for ndiswrapper.

I have a feeling that there is something interfering with networkmanager, such as another network management software.

Also, did you change the interfaces file to only have the loopback device referenced?

in your settings at K -> Settings -> System Settings -> Network Settings, there should only be one connection referenced and it should have all your router settings correctly referenced.

If you enter

Code:

lsmod

, the output should show only entries for b43 related to a couple of 80211 lines and b43 itself.

Beyond those few things, I don't know what else to look for.

**basx** · Jul 26, 2010, 12:13 AM

Re: b43-fwcutter seems installed but notthing eslse

jglen40:
Thanks for your input.
I typed lsmod and here's what returns:

Code:

 Module         Size Used by
binfmt_misc       6587 1 
fbcon         35102 71 
tileblit        2031 1 fbcon
font          7557 1 fbcon
bitblit         4707 1 fbcon
softcursor       1189 1 bitblit
vga16fb        11385 0 
vgastate        8961 1 vga16fb
pcmcia         33024 0 
snd_intel8x0      25588 2 
snd_ac97_codec    100646 1 snd_intel8x0
ac97_bus        1002 1 snd_ac97_codec
snd_pcm_oss      35308 0 
snd_mixer_oss     13746 1 snd_pcm_oss
snd_pcm        70662 3 snd_intel8x0,snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm_oss
snd_seq_dummy      1338 0 
snd_seq_oss      26726 0 
snd_seq_midi      4557 0 
joydev         8708 0 
snd_rawmidi      19056 1 snd_seq_midi
snd_seq_midi_event   6003 2 snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi
snd_seq        47263 6 snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi,snd_seq_midi_event
nouveau        467048 2 
snd_timer       19098 2 snd_pcm,snd_seq
snd_seq_device     5700 5 snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq
ttm          49943 1 nouveau
yenta_socket      20408 2 
drm_kms_helper     29297 1 nouveau
snd          54148 14 snd_intel8x0,snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm_oss,snd_mixer_oss,snd_pcm,snd_seq_oss,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq,snd_timer,snd_seq_device
rsrc_nonstatic     10015 1 yenta_socket
pcmcia_core      32964 3 pcmcia,yenta_socket,rsrc_nonstatic
drm          162377 4 nouveau,ttm,drm_kms_helper
i2c_algo_bit      5028 1 nouveau
ppdev          5259 0 
amd64_agp        7025 1 
video         17375 0 
soundcore        6620 1 snd
output         1871 1 video
psmouse        63245 0 
serio_raw        3978 0 
k8temp         3024 0 
agpgart        31724 3 ttm,drm,amd64_agp
shpchp         28820 0 
snd_page_alloc     7076 2 snd_intel8x0,snd_pcm
i2c_nforce2       5199 0 
parport_pc       25962 1 
lp           7028 0 
parport        32635 3 ppdev,parport_pc,lp
ohci1394        26950 0 
8139too        18545 0 
8139cp         16186 0 
pata_amd        8766 2 
mii           4381 2 8139too,8139cp
ieee1394        81181 1 ohci1394

If I want to make sure if I purged knetwork manager what comman should I use?

Thanks again!

xavier

**jglen490** · Jul 26, 2010, 07:30 PM

Re: b43-fwcutter seems installed but notthing eslse

I don't see b43 being loaded, at all.

I do see mii at end of your list which, I believe should be for your ethernet connector (at least it is for mine).

I'm not sure why it's not being loaded. Perhaps someone else has a better idea.

**claydoh** · Jul 26, 2010, 09:14 PM

Re: b43-fwcutter seems installed but notthing eslse

Code:

Have you purged and reinstalled b43-fwcutter yet? I looked back in the thread, and cannot tell if you have.

[code]sudo apt-get purge b43-fwcutter

then
[sudo apt-get install b43-fwcutter[/code]
while using a wired connection

this will bring up the dialog to download and extract the firmware

if you cannot access the net for this, the manual method is listed here
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Wi...ernet%20access

**basx** · Jul 29, 2010, 01:37 AM

Re: b43-fwcutter seems installed but notthing eslse

Hi all:
Well I'll have to throw up my hands and give up. No matter what I try and advice I follow, the drivers simply refuse to load. I'll just have to accept the fact that for my particular notebook. if I I want to connect to the net, I have to have the cable and be near an Eartnet connection.
Bummer because that defeats having a notebook. Still, everything else works and I get my work done offline.

I'll leave it as it is unless there's some other tip or idea we haven't though of.

Thanks for all the help!

xavier

**basx** · Jul 30, 2010, 02:52 AM

Re: b43-fwcutter seems installed but notthing eslse

Hi all:
Sorry to write again but I came across an important clue. I found an old book called Hacking Ubuntu (it's old because it refers to 6,06) and there's a chapter on network configuration and it mentioned that wlan0 is the name given to the driver with ndiswrapper.

Wait a minute, I've never installed ndiswrapper and that most likely explains why the driver isn't loading. In wicd, I have wlan0. So if that's the wrong name, what's the correct one? eth1 for the wireless? Or something else?

Thanks!

xavier

**claydoh** · Jul 30, 2010, 07:10 AM

Re: b43-fwcutter seems installed but notthing eslse

ndiswrapper is for using a Widows driver. not for using a (not existing in 6.06) Linux native driver.

wlan0 is *usually* correct, but for some drivers/devices it can be something else

**basx** · Jul 31, 2010, 08:56 AM

Re: b43-fwcutter seems installed but notthing eslse

claydoh:
Thanks. If I switched the wlan0 to eth1 in the wicd interface, how can I verify if the computer will finally recognize the wireless?

Also, I'm seriously thinking of removing the b43-fwcutter and using ndiswrapper. So I have a couple of questions

1) is there any updated documentation to install and configure ndiswrapper with 10,04? I found some French documentation on the subject but it's for the older versions and I'm a bit leery slavishly following the commands.

2) HP still has the Windows XP Broadcom drivers for my Compaq model. If I install ndiswrapper should I use the aforemention drivers? Or should I use a different one? If so which and where would I download the drivers?

3) If I use ndisgtk, would I still need to download the Windows drivers?

Thanks!

xavier

**claydoh** · Jul 31, 2010, 12:31 PM

Re: b43-fwcutter seems installed but notthing eslse

in my link above
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Wi...ernet%20access
You can try manually extracting the firmaware with the fwcutter tool try this first as you already have the tool installed, and that might just work - at least we will know if it does or not very quickly

if you still need to try ndsiwrapper
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Wi...er/Ndiswrapper
has all the instructions, and looks quite thorough as to what you need to do.

You will need to get your windows driver no matter which ndiswrapper method you use, I think you can use your XP driver as you know it works, but the wiki links to a page with the known good drivers iirc

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