WiFi issue

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sagarbjmc

WiFi issue

Post by sagarbjmc »

I am new to linux. I am using linuxmint 17.1 Rebacca on a Compaq laptop. The laptop has a Broadcom wireless driver 802.11 which was connecting alright to my home WiFi network. Today, all of sudden it won't connect to this network. I did not change any settings of the router or my laptop. What should I do??
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Pjotr
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Re: WiFi issue

Post by Pjotr »

Have you maybe installed updates from level 4 and 5? I've experienced that they broke the Broadcom wifi on a laptop....
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sagarbjmc

Re: WiFi issue

Post by sagarbjmc »

Pjotr wrote:Have you maybe installed updates from level 4 and 5? I've experienced that they broke the Broadcom wifi on a laptop....
It seems i have. what should i do now??
:(
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Pjotr
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Re: WiFi issue

Post by Pjotr »

sagarbjmc wrote:
Pjotr wrote:Have you maybe installed updates from level 4 and 5? I've experienced that they broke the Broadcom wifi on a laptop....
It seems i have. what should i do now??
:(
Unfortunately, I don't know how to roll those updates back... At the time, I "solved" it by re-installing Mint. And then I made all updates for level 4 and 5, including the security updates, invisible in the preferences of Update Manager.
Tip: 10 things to do after installing Linux Mint 21.3 Virginia
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JeremyB
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Re: WiFi issue

Post by JeremyB »

Post the results of

Code: Select all

uname -a; dpkg -l | grep bcmwl
Dilemmi

Re: WiFi issue

Post by Dilemmi »

You must connect to ethernet and use no flash or usb wifi sticks, ethernet through a dhcp wifi router is fine, best actually.

you're problem is simple with any distro:


For PC, it defaults to MAC OSX and will not work in 17.1, honestly with macchanger in 16-17.1

so you have to prgram it to do what you want automatically without cessation.

no usb wifi, ethernet only

open a terminal.

1. sudo nemo /etc/modprobe.d

select file > *blacklist.conf* by double clicking it; and opening it as a text file
then, after the first line containing a #, space to a new line
type: mac80211

* this will blacklist your wifi instruction from trying to use a mac osx broadcom card, which uses, per se, appletalk for Mac OSX, not pc

save the file, close the file.

close nemo

back to opened terminal
2. sudo apt-get install firmware-b43-installer
let it finish and no usb wifi sticks or you'll have to do it again. :) you shouldn't need one now :)

reboot

wifi works permanently and has true b43 with a capacity for macchanger working properly, and never quits or cuts off :)

* I realize what happened is they defaulted back to the version of b43 installer from ubuntu 10, pre-unity!! and it just defaults to MAC80211, so a pc runs a mac instruction set for pc nic, and broadcom or b43 for mac is not compatible with pc. :) ::Appletalk is why:: PC Wifi NICs don't use the same language as a mac one.
sagarbjmc

Re: WiFi issue

Post by sagarbjmc »

well, today when i started the computer the wifi network was detected. And it connected alright. I didnt do anything much yesterday..... looks the problem got solved by itself. :D Thanks guys for all the help. :D
Dilemmi

Re: WiFi issue

Post by Dilemmi »

[Solved]

Now, actually you have to use mac80211 for cfg80211, because they are softmacs, etc, you can read it if you want. After three times, the blacklist and etc was broken. to use it with macchanger, due to router's that use n specs, there's no country code etc that's an immediate problem. to use macchanger and wifi and have wifi connecting if it does not, clear your net settings completely and restart network manager.

In the old days, this would suffice:

sudo ifconfig wlan# down
sudo macchanger -m xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx wlan#
;or, sudo macchanger -A wlan# <for a random one>
sudo ifconfig wlan# up

then connect using the wifi manager atop on right.

****^^^^^^^ this no longer works.

you have to add a few things when it will not connect:

regular (if you do not want to hide your address from public viewing:

see your wlan# with:
ifconfig

sudo service network-manager stop
sudo ifconfig wlan# down
sudo ifconfig wlan# up
sudo service network-manager start

for macchanger:

sudo service network-manager stop
sudo ifconfig wlan# down
sudo maachanger - A wlan# <or> sudo macchanger -m xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx wlan#
sudo ifconfig wlan# up
sudo service network-manager start

it will connect every time if you do this:)
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