HOW TO: Install Broadcom-sta (wl) driver in LMDE

Archived topics about LMDE 1 and LMDE 2
David M

Re: HOW TO: Install Broadcom-sta (wl) driver in LMDE

Post by David M »

I have a strange issue.

I used the script and it installed fine. However, wireless is not enabled. I tried right clicking on the internet icon and "enable wireless" is unchecked. When I click on it, it's still unchecked. Any ideas on that?
dawgdoc

Re: HOW TO: Install Broadcom-sta (wl) driver in LMDE

Post by dawgdoc »

@ David M

I would suggest starting a new thread separate from this one so that your problem doesn' t get lost in the shuffle.

In the new thread:

Tell us which version of Mint you are using, if it LMDE or one of the other editions. This and the kernel you are using can be found with --

Code: Select all

inxi -S
What is your wireless chipset is

Code: Select all

inxi -N
Any error messages upon running the script (although I guess there are not any per your post)
The output from

Code: Select all

sudo mintwifi
and, if different,

Code: Select all

iwconfig
these last two are best run when not connected to an ethernet cable.
Ryno

Re: HOW TO: Install Broadcom-sta (wl) driver in LMDE

Post by Ryno »

I hate to resurrect an old thread but I tried this tutorial and now I can only log into terminal. I went to configure my wireless interface, step 10, and after I ran "# aptitude install network-manager-gnome" into the terminal it all went to crap. Followed instructions step by step but after I ran the network manager install and restarted the computer it only goes to terminal.

Info:
Broadcom BCM43224
14e4:4353
Linux Mint Debian 64bit
Dual boot with Mac Os X Lion
Computer-Macbook(white) mid 2010
If more information is needed just let me know. I can only go into terminal so I have to switch back and forth from Lion to Linux to use internet.
I am a newbie so take it easy!

edit: I figured it out


Thanks. :)
davbir

Re: HOW TO: Install Broadcom-sta (wl) driver in LMDE

Post by davbir »

Thank you so much. This worked perfectly on my HP G-62 laptop with Broadcom Corporation BCM4313 802.11b/g/n Wireless LAN Controller.
gbhat2108

Re: HOW TO: Install Broadcom-sta (wl) driver in LMDE

Post by gbhat2108 »

Hi,

Thanks, I've used the automated script and worked like a charm. I did not expected it to work under live session. to my surprise it worked.

Thanks again.
cj123

Re: HOW TO: Install Broadcom-sta (wl) driver in LMDE

Post by cj123 »

Thanks to everyone who contributed to this forum. It helped me a lot. I have one thing to add for people using method 3 (installing the Broadcom STA firmware from source using directions in the 'readme' file.)

I am brand new to Linux and have just successfully installed the sta driver using this method. I had to use this method because something is wrong with the ethernet on my macbook 3,1. If you do not have a hardwired connection this method works. You just copy the files over to your hd with a usb. I ran into one snag however.

The directions Broadcom provides instruct you to enter the following commands:
# mkdir hybrid_wl
# cd hybrid_wl
# tar xzf <path>/hybrid-portsrc.tar or <path>/hybrid-portsrc-x86_64.tar.gz
# make

For me this went well until "make" when I got the following error:

KBUILD_NOPEDANTIC=1 make -C /lib/modules/`uname -r`/build M=`pwd`
make[1]: Entering directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-3.2.0-2-486'
Wireless Extension is the only possible API for this kernel version
Using Wireless Extension API
LD /home/cade/hybrid_wl/built-in.o
CC [M] /home/cade/hybrid_wl/src/shared/linux_osl.o
CC [M] /home/cade/hybrid_wl/src/wl/sys/wl_linux.o
/home/cade/hybrid_wl/src/wl/sys/wl_linux.c:388:2: error: unknown field ‘ndo_set_multicast_list’ specified in initializer
/home/cade/hybrid_wl/src/wl/sys/wl_linux.c:388:2: warning: initialization from incompatible pointer type [enabled by default]
/home/cade/hybrid_wl/src/wl/sys/wl_linux.c:388:2: warning: (near initialization for ‘wl_netdev_ops.ndo_validate_addr’) [enabled by default]
make[4]: *** [/home/cade/hybrid_wl/src/wl/sys/wl_linux.o] Error 1
make[3]: *** [_module_/home/cade/hybrid_wl] Error 2
make[2]: *** [sub-make] Error 2
make[1]: *** [all] Error 2
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-3.2.0-2-486'
make: *** [all] Error 2

I searched and came across the following link which solved the problem:
http://www.mindwerks.net/2011/11/wirele ... -2-kernel/

Installing the patch from this site worked for me. So if you don't have an ethernet connection you can download the firmware and readme from the broadcom site, as well as the patch from the site above, and whatever instructions you might need (the forum posts here and on the mindwerks page) and you should be good to go.

Hope this saves someone some time. Best!
cj123

Re: HOW TO: Install Broadcom-sta (wl) driver in LMDE

Post by cj123 »

...and I lost it on reboot and had to do trouble shooting in the original directions. Stranger yet my window displays (desktop is xfce) got all funky -- the minimize/maximize buttons disappeared and I can't move them around or resize. This made me think that the patch I linked to might not be a good idea but I searched forums and found out it is a common bug with easy fix (in case this happens to you: xfwm4 --daemon). Best!
sherghan

Re: HOW TO: Install Broadcom-sta (wl) driver in LMDE

Post by sherghan »

cj123 wrote:I have one thing to add for people using method 3 (installing the Broadcom STA firmware from source using directions in the 'readme' file.)
Hey,
I also have my tree cents to add about the method 3.

I've recently installed LMDE and upgraded it to UP7 on my MacBook (it has BCM4321 802.11a/b/g/n - but it's not that important here).
Then I tried to install both broadcom-sta-dkms and broadcom-sta-source and both of them failed.
I've tried to compile drivers from broadcom download page by myself, but I got same errors as when trying to install the above packages.

Code: Select all

~/src/broadcom-sta-tmp $ make
KBUILD_NOPEDANTIC=1 make -C /lib/modules/`uname -r`/build M=`pwd`
make[1]: Entering directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-3.10-2-amd64'
CFG80211 API is prefered for this kernel version
Using CFG80211 API
  LD      /home/sherghan/src/broadcom-sta-tmp/built-in.o
  CC [M]  /home/sherghan/src/broadcom-sta-tmp/src/shared/linux_osl.o
  CC [M]  /home/sherghan/src/broadcom-sta-tmp/src/wl/sys/wl_linux.o
/home/sherghan/src/broadcom-sta-tmp/src/wl/sys/wl_linux.c: In function ‘wl_tkip_printstats’:
/home/sherghan/src/broadcom-sta-tmp/src/wl/sys/wl_linux.c:3246:7: warning: passing argument 1 of ‘wl->tkipmodops->print_stats’ from incompatible pointer type [enabled by default]
/home/sherghan/src/broadcom-sta-tmp/src/wl/sys/wl_linux.c:3246:7: note: expected ‘struct seq_file *’ but argument is of type ‘char *’
/home/sherghan/src/broadcom-sta-tmp/src/wl/sys/wl_linux.c:3249:4: warning: passing argument 1 of ‘wl->tkipmodops->print_stats’ from incompatible pointer type [enabled by default]
/home/sherghan/src/broadcom-sta-tmp/src/wl/sys/wl_linux.c:3249:4: note: expected ‘struct seq_file *’ but argument is of type ‘char *’
/home/sherghan/src/broadcom-sta-tmp/src/wl/sys/wl_linux.c: In function ‘wl_reg_proc_entry’:
/home/sherghan/src/broadcom-sta-tmp/src/wl/sys/wl_linux.c:3470:2: error: implicit declaration of function ‘create_proc_entry’ [-Werror=implicit-function-declaration]
/home/sherghan/src/broadcom-sta-tmp/src/wl/sys/wl_linux.c:3470:22: warning: assignment makes pointer from integer without a cast [enabled by default]
/home/sherghan/src/broadcom-sta-tmp/src/wl/sys/wl_linux.c:3475:16: error: dereferencing pointer to incomplete type
/home/sherghan/src/broadcom-sta-tmp/src/wl/sys/wl_linux.c:3476:16: error: dereferencing pointer to incomplete type
/home/sherghan/src/broadcom-sta-tmp/src/wl/sys/wl_linux.c:3477:16: error: dereferencing pointer to incomplete type
cc1: some warnings being treated as errors
make[4]: *** [/home/sherghan/src/broadcom-sta-tmp/src/wl/sys/wl_linux.o] Error 1
make[3]: *** [_module_/home/sherghan/src/broadcom-sta-tmp] Error 2
make[2]: *** [sub-make] Error 2
make[1]: *** [all] Error 2
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-3.10-2-amd64'
make: *** [all] Error 2
I manage to find a solution on the Gentoo [url=http://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-968000-view-next.html?sid=fd1da7b74c45f3ce43b82e8115c67adb]forum threads[/url] which pointed me to the bug report that already had the required patch already attached to it.

If you download and apply this new patch to the Broadcom sources (similarly to what was described under UPDATE FOR KERNEL 3.0.0.1-amd64 part of post by niebling on Fri Jul 01, 2011 7:40 pm) you should be able to get a working driver.

Drivers sources version: 6.30.223.141 from [url=http://www.broadcom.com/support/802.11/linux_sta.php]802.11 Linux STA driver[/url] page
Current Linux kernel under LMDE UP7: 3.10-2-amd64

... I know that this is rather chaotic description and it lacks some details, but still I hope this can save someone some time and nerves.

Good luck and have fun!
Sherghan
Locked

Return to “LMDE Archive”