BCM4306/2 Very weak wireless- Mint 13 "Maya" - MATE (32-bit)

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RandyU

BCM4306/2 Very weak wireless- Mint 13 "Maya" - MATE (32-bit)

Post by RandyU »

Did a clean reinstall of Linux because I had no success before (been at this for a week) with wireless, thought I'd start fresh.

I have a wireless dell truemobile 1300 wlan mini-pci card on Inspiron 5100 laptop.
Identified chipset as BCM4306 802.11b/g Wireless LAN Controller (rev 02) so
I installed fwcutter and b43legacy driver.

But getting the same results maybe even worse than first install. If I'm 2 feet from the router it'll connect, 15 feet and not much luck, then disconnect, then asking for authentication over and over again. On my dual boot windows I get 20 Mbps download, with linux it's less than one Mbps.



$ inxi -Fxz
System: Host: dell-5100 Kernel: 3.2.0-23-generic i686 (32 bit, gcc: 4.6.3) Desktop: N/A Distro: Linux Mint 13 Maya
Machine: System: Dell (portable) product: Inspiron 5100
Mobo: Dell model: 09U808 Bios: Dell version: A32 date: 10/18/2004
CPU: Single core Intel Pentium 4 CPU (-UP-) cache: 512 KB flags: (sse sse2) bmips: 4783.97 clocked at 2391.986 MHz
Graphics: Card: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] nee ATI RV200 [Mobility Radeon 7500] bus-ID: 01:00.0
X.Org: 1.11.3 drivers: ati,radeon (unloaded: fbdev,vesa) Resolution: 1024x768@61.3hz
GLX Renderer: Mesa DRI R100 (RV200 4C57) x86/MMX/SSE2 TCL DRI2 GLX Version: 1.3 Mesa 8.0.2 Direct Rendering: Yes
Audio: Card: Intel 82801DB/DBL/DBM (ICH4/ICH4-L/ICH4-M) AC'97 Audio Controller driver: snd_intel8x0 ports: b800 bc40 bus-ID: 00:1f.5
Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture ver: 1.0.24
Network: Card-1: Broadcom BCM4306 802.11b/g Wireless LAN Controller driver: b43-pci-bridge bus-ID: 02:02.0
IF: wlan0 state: down mac: <filter>
Card-2: Broadcom BCM4401 100Base-T driver: b44 ver: 2.0 bus-ID: 02:01.0
IF: eth0 state: down mac: <filter>
Drives: HDD Total Size: 40.0GB (36.2% used) 1: /dev/sda TOSHIBA_MK4032GA 40.0GB
Partition: ID: / size: 12G used: 3.4G (32%) fs: ext4 ID: swap-1 size: 0.30GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap
Sensors: System Temperatures: cpu: 64.5C mobo: N/A
Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
Info: Processes: 134 Uptime: 1 min Memory: 215.1/495.8MB Runlevel: 2 Gcc sys: 4.6.3 Client: Shell inxi: 1.7.33

$ mintwifi
-------------------------
* I. scanning WIFI PCI devices...
-- Broadcom Corporation BCM4306 802.11b/g Wireless LAN Controller (rev 02)
==> PCI ID = 14e4:4320 (rev 02)
-------------------------
* II. querying ndiswrapper...
-------------------------
* III. querying iwconfig...
lo no wireless extensions.

wlan0 IEEE 802.11bg ESSID:"topofthehill"
Mode:Managed Frequency:2.462 GHz Access Point: 60:C3:97:C5:A5:39


Bit Rate=24 Mb/s Tx-Power=20 dBm
Retry long limit:7 RTS thr:off Fragment thr:off
Power Management:off
Link Quality=51/70 Signal level=-59 dBm
Rx invalid nwid:0 Rx invalid crypt:0 Rx invalid frag:0
Tx excessive retries:0 Invalid misc:47 Missed beacon:0

eth0 no wireless extensions.

-------------------------
* IV. querying ifconfig...
eth0 Link encap:Ethernet HWaddr 00:0d:56:38:85:92
UP BROADCAST MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1
RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000
RX bytes:0 (0.0 B) TX bytes:0 (0.0 B)
Interrupt:7

lo Link encap:Local Loopback
inet addr:127.0.0.1 Mask:255.0.0.0
inet6 addr: ::1/128 Scope:Host
UP LOOPBACK RUNNING MTU:16436 Metric:1
RX packets:100 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:100 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisions:0 txqueuelen:0
RX bytes:7309 (7.3 KB) TX bytes:7309 (7.3 KB)

wlan0 Link encap:Ethernet HWaddr 00:90:4b:14:6b:0f
inet addr:192.168.1.76 Bcast:192.168.1.255 Mask:255.255.255.0
inet6 addr: fe80::290:4bff:fe14:6b0f/64 Scope:Link
UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1
RX packets:176 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:252 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000
RX bytes:33763 (33.7 KB) TX bytes:44320 (44.3 KB)

-------------------------
* V. querying DHCP...
Rather than invoking init scripts through /etc/init.d, use the service(8)
utility, e.g. service smbd reload

Since the script you are attempting to invoke has been converted to an
Upstart job, you may also use the reload(8) utility, e.g. reload smbd
-------------------------
* VI. querying nslookup google.com...
Server: 192.168.1.254
Address: 192.168.1.254#53

Non-authoritative answer:
Name: google.com
Address: 74.125.224.192
Name: google.com
Address: 74.125.224.200
Name: google.com
Address: 74.125.224.196
Name: google.com
Address: 74.125.224.198
Name: google.com
Address: 74.125.224.194
Name: google.com
Address: 74.125.224.201
Name: google.com
Address: 74.125.224.195
Name: google.com
Address: 74.125.224.199
Name: google.com
Address: 74.125.224.197
Name: google.com
Address: 74.125.224.193
Name: google.com
Address: 74.125.224.206

Please explain any suggestions/fixes for a Linux first timer. I wanna make this old machine work. Thanks
Last edited by LockBot on Wed Dec 28, 2022 7:16 am, edited 2 times in total.
Reason: Topic automatically closed 6 months after creation. New replies are no longer allowed.
The-Wizard

Re: BCM4306/2 Very weak wireless- Mint 13 "Maya" - MATE (32-

Post by The-Wizard »

Identified chipset as BCM4306 802.11b/g Wireless LAN Controller (rev 02) so
I installed fwcutter and b43legacy driver.
before you did all this.. did you not try installing via the additional drivers application, it would have loaded the current BC43** drivers [which work perfectly well on my dell 1545 [4 year old insperon]

wizard
RandyU

Re: BCM4306/2 Very weak wireless- Mint 13 "Maya" - MATE (32-

Post by RandyU »

hi wizard,

I believe I did try that in one of my attempts to get wireless at least somewhat working, if you can call it that. Additional drivers' only suggestion was something like, can't remember exactly broadcom STA, which I tried to install, but it just crashed my system. Do you have the Broadcom Corporation BCM4306 802.11b/g Wireless LAN Controller (rev 02)?
The only compatible driver, as far as I know, is the b43legacy. Would you suggest that I uninstall the b43legacy and try additional drivers again? What driver do you have installed?

$ rfkill list
0: phy0: Wireless LAN
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: no
RandyU

BCM4306/BCM2050???

Post by RandyU »

I'm thinking maybe I don't have the BCM4306/rev2. This pdf file shows the information I have running in Windows XP.
Sorry, I couldn't figure out how to include the pdf in the body of this post.
It shows chipset BCM4306/BCM2050.
I've searched and searched and can't figure out what to do about this.
Last edited by RandyU on Sat Mar 15, 2014 8:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.
The-Wizard

Re: BCM4306/2 Very weak wireless- Mint 13 "Maya" - MATE (32-

Post by The-Wizard »

i have a marvell ethernet controller,

the 32 bit driver should be in the software manager you will need "bcmwl-kernel-sorce-i386" [im running mint 13 mate on that particular machine but it has the latest 3.13.5 kernel]
RandyU

Re: BCM4306/2 Very weak wireless- Mint 13 "Maya" - MATE (32-

Post by RandyU »

I can't find bcmwl-kernel-source-i386 anywhere, not even sudo apt-get install. I have bcmwl-kernel-source available in Package Manager but, some info about it is:
"bcmwl-kernel-source” binary package in Ubuntu Quantal i386
Ubuntu
Quantal (12.10)
i386
bcmwl-kernel-source
This package contains Broadcom 802.11 Linux STA wireless driver
for use with Broadcom's BCM4311-, BCM4312-, BCM4313-, BCM4321-,
BCM4322-, BCM43224-, and BCM43225-, BCM43227- and BCM43228-based
hardware.
So it is i386, but the description of broadcom doesn't sound right to me. Please see previous post you might have missed (we might have posted about the same time), about the BCM4306/BCM2050 information.
RandyU

Re: BCM4306/2 Very weak wireless- Mint 13 "Maya" - MATE (32-

Post by RandyU »

I've been trying a few things and was going to try NDISwrapper on another inf file I found bcmwl5a.inf dated 2005.
So I completely removed b43legacy and b43-fwcutter and rebooted.
Now I find driver: b43-pci-bridge running and wifi working, although as bad as ever.
So I don't know where b43-pci-bridge came from, package manager doesn't show it as installed or even list it. Except, the only thing I can think of is, I loaded xfce DE to try out, and could it have been loaded there? I'm pretty sure b43-pci-bridge wasn't in my original Linux Mint Mate install, because I didn't have a wireless connection.

So anyhow, I blacklist b43-pci-bridge and reinstall b43legacy and here is what I get:

$ inxi -Fxz
System: Host: dell-5100 Kernel: 3.2.0-23-generic i686 (32 bit, gcc: 4.6.3) Desktop: N/A Distro: Linux Mint 13 Maya
Machine: System: Dell (portable) product: Inspiron 5100
Mobo: Dell model: 09U808 Bios: Dell version: A32 date: 10/18/2004
CPU: Single core Intel Pentium 4 CPU (-UP-) cache: 512 KB flags: (sse sse2) bmips: 4783.95 clocked at 2391.975 MHz
Graphics: Card: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD/ATI] RV200/M7 [Mobility Radeon 7500] bus-ID: 01:00.0
X.Org: 1.11.3 drivers: ati,radeon (unloaded: fbdev,vesa) Resolution: 1024x768@61.3hz
GLX Renderer: Mesa DRI R100 (RV200 4C57) x86/MMX/SSE2 TCL DRI2 GLX Version: 1.3 Mesa 8.0.4 Direct Rendering: Yes
Audio: Card: Intel 82801DB/DBL/DBM (ICH4/ICH4-L/ICH4-M) AC'97 Audio Controller driver: snd_intel8x0 ports: b800 bc40 bus-ID: 00:1f.5
Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture ver: 1.0.24
Network: Card-1: Broadcom BCM4306 802.11b/g Wireless LAN Controller driver: b43-pci-bridge bus-ID: 02:02.0
IF: wlan0 state: up mac: <filter>
Card-2: Broadcom BCM4401 100Base-T driver: b44 ver: 2.0 bus-ID: 02:01.0
IF: eth0 state: down mac: <filter>
Drives: HDD Total Size: 40.0GB (13.4% used) 1: /dev/sda TOSHIBA_MK4032GA 40.0GB 48C
Partition: ID: / size: 12G used: 5.0G (47%) fs: ext4 ID: swap-1 size: 0.30GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap
Sensors: System Temperatures: cpu: 59.5C mobo: N/A
Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
Info: Processes: 123 Uptime: 5 min Memory: 139.0/495.8MB Runlevel: 2 Gcc sys: 4.6.3 Client: Shell inxi: 1.7.33

$ lsmod
Module Size Used by
snd_intel8x0 33455 2
snd_ac97_codec 106082 1 snd_intel8x0
ac97_bus 12642 1 snd_ac97_codec
snd_pcm 80845 2 snd_intel8x0,snd_ac97_codec
snd_seq_midi 13132 0
snd_rawmidi 25424 1 snd_seq_midi
snd_seq_midi_event 14475 1 snd_seq_midi
snd_seq 51567 2 snd_seq_midi,snd_seq_midi_event
pcmcia 39791 0
snd_timer 28931 2 snd_pcm,snd_seq
joydev 17393 0
snd_seq_device 14172 3 snd_seq_midi,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq
radeon 729591 2
yenta_socket 27428 0
dcdbas 14098 0
rfcomm 38139 0
bnep 17830 2
parport_pc 32114 0
ppdev 12849 0
bluetooth 158438 10 rfcomm,bnep
pcmcia_rsrc 18367 1 yenta_socket
snd 62064 11 snd_intel8x0,snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq,snd_timer,snd_seq_device
ttm 65344 1 radeon
drm_kms_helper 45466 1 radeon
drm 197692 4 radeon,ttm,drm_kms_helper
pcmcia_core 21511 3 pcmcia,yenta_socket,pcmcia_rsrc
i2c_algo_bit 13199 1 radeon
soundcore 14635 1 snd
snd_page_alloc 14115 2 snd_intel8x0,snd_pcm
shpchp 32325 0
psmouse 87140 0
serio_raw 13027 0
binfmt_misc 17292 1
mac_hid 13077 0
arc4 12473 2
b43legacy 127187 0
mac80211 436455 1 b43legacy
video 19068 0
cfg80211 178679 2 b43legacy,mac80211
lp 17455 0
parport 40930 3 parport_pc,ppdev,lp
firewire_ohci 40180 0
firewire_core 56906 1 firewire_ohci
b44 31412 0
crc_itu_t 12627 1 firewire_core
ssb 50691 2 b43legacy,b44

and from lspci -vvnn
02:02.0 Network controller [0280]: Broadcom Corporation BCM4306 802.11b/g Wireless LAN Controller [14e4:4320] (rev 02)
Subsystem: Dell TrueMobile 1300 WLAN Mini-PCI Card [1028:0001]
Control: I/O- Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR+ FastB2B- DisINTx-
Status: Cap+ 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B- ParErr- DEVSEL=fast >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR- INTx-
Latency: 32
Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 11
Region 0: Memory at faffc000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable)
Capabilities: <access denied>
Kernel driver in use: b43-pci-bridge
Kernel modules: ssb

What can I do about b43-pci-bridge? I think I should have the b43legacy driver for the BCM4306 802.11b/g Wireless LAN Controller [14e4:4320] (rev 02). Thanks
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