Need help getting wifi card to work on Dell Latitude D610 using Ubuntu 9.10
 

Hello all.

I recently installed Ubuntu 9.10 a a Dell D610 that is running a broadcom BMC943 internal wifi adapter. I've tried installing the wifi drivers off of Dell's website using the ndisgtk gui setup. It appears that whenever I setup the driver the OS can't apply it. It states that the wifi adapter is not on or installed. Here is what I get when I run iwconfig and lspci -n.

iwconfig:
lo no wireless extensions.
eth0 no wireless extensions.

lspci -n:
00:00.0 0600: 8086:2590 (rev 03)
00:02.0 0300: 8086:2592 (rev 03)
00:02.1 0380: 8086:2792 (rev 03)
00:1c.0 0604: 8086:2660 (rev 03)
00:1d.0 0c03: 8086:2658 (rev 03)
00:1d.1 0c03: 8086:2659 (rev 03)
00:1d.2 0c03: 8086:265a (rev 03)
00:1d.3 0c03: 8086:265b (rev 03)
00:1d.7 0c03: 8086:265c (rev 03)
00:1e.0 0604: 8086:2448 (rev d3)
00:1e.2 0401: 8086:266e (rev 03)
00:1e.3 0703: 8086:266d (rev 03)
00:1f.0 0601: 8086:2641 (rev 03)
00:1f.2 0101: 8086:2653 (rev 03)
00:1f.3 0c05: 8086:266a (rev 03)
02:00.0 0200: 14e4:1677 (rev 01)
03:01.0 0607: 104c:8036
03:01.5 0780: 104c:8038
03:03.0 0280: 14e4:4319 (rev 02)--This was the listed PCI wifi adapter
04:00.0 0c03: 1033:0035 (rev 43)
04:00.1 0c03: 1033:0035 (rev 43)


I've also edited the blacklist.conf file as well with no luck. Anyone out there knows what I'm doing wrong? I've spent 2 days trying to figure this out with no luck at all.

What does it say about it in dmesg? Also, what exactly does "lspci -v" say about the card?

This is what I get when I run lspci -v
03:03.0 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4311 [AirForce 54g] 802.11a/b/g PCI Express Transceiver (rev 02)
Subsystem: Dell Device 0005
Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 64, IRQ 17
Memory at dfcfe000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=8K]
Kernel driver in use: b43-pci-bridge
Kernel modules: ssb

I'm not sure how to run dmesg. I'm only two days into this whole world of linux, so forgive me if I'm not totally familiar with what you asking me to do. So I chanced it and just typed in dmesg in the terminal and this is what was diplayed on the screen:

[ 1533.742882] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 0, Code: 0, Value: 0
[ 1533.799431] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 4, Code: 4, Value: 57
[ 1533.799446] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 1, Code: 57, Value: 1
[ 1533.799455] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 0, Code: 0, Value: 0
[ 1533.866862] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 4, Code: 4, Value: 57
[ 1533.866873] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 1, Code: 57, Value: 0
[ 1533.866878] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 0, Code: 0, Value: 0
[ 1534.011271] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 4, Code: 4, Value: 21
[ 1534.011288] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 1, Code: 21, Value: 1
[ 1534.011297] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 0, Code: 0, Value: 0
[ 1534.104118] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 4, Code: 4, Value: 21
[ 1534.104135] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 1, Code: 21, Value: 0
[ 1534.104145] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 0, Code: 0, Value: 0
[ 1534.169542] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 4, Code: 4, Value: 24
[ 1534.169557] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 1, Code: 24, Value: 1
[ 1534.169567] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 0, Code: 0, Value: 0
[ 1534.270043] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 4, Code: 4, Value: 22
[ 1534.270054] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 1, Code: 22, Value: 1
[ 1534.270058] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 0, Code: 0, Value: 0
[ 1534.280707] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 4, Code: 4, Value: 24
[ 1534.280724] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 1, Code: 24, Value: 0
[ 1534.280733] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 0, Code: 0, Value: 0
[ 1534.363526] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 4, Code: 4, Value: 57
[ 1534.363543] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 1, Code: 57, Value: 1
[ 1534.363552] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 0, Code: 0, Value: 0
[ 1534.384487] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 4, Code: 4, Value: 22
[ 1534.384504] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 1, Code: 22, Value: 0
[ 1534.384514] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 0, Code: 0, Value: 0
[ 1534.488037] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 4, Code: 4, Value: 57
[ 1534.488052] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 1, Code: 57, Value: 0
[ 1534.488061] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 0, Code: 0, Value: 0
[ 1534.551903] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 4, Code: 4, Value: 30
[ 1534.551917] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 1, Code: 30, Value: 1
[ 1534.551926] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 0, Code: 0, Value: 0
[ 1534.663595] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 4, Code: 4, Value: 30
[ 1534.663606] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 1, Code: 30, Value: 0
[ 1534.663611] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 0, Code: 0, Value: 0
[ 1534.755005] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 4, Code: 4, Value: 31
[ 1534.755021] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 1, Code: 31, Value: 1
[ 1534.755030] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 0, Code: 0, Value: 0
[ 1534.839004] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 4, Code: 4, Value: 31
[ 1534.839015] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 1, Code: 31, Value: 0
[ 1534.839020] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 0, Code: 0, Value: 0
[ 1534.899826] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 4, Code: 4, Value: 37
[ 1534.899840] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 1, Code: 37, Value: 1
[ 1534.899849] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 0, Code: 0, Value: 0
[ 1534.973643] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 4, Code: 4, Value: 37
[ 1534.973654] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 1, Code: 37, Value: 0
[ 1534.973659] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 0, Code: 0, Value: 0
[ 1535.100323] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 4, Code: 4, Value: 23
[ 1535.100340] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 1, Code: 23, Value: 1
[ 1535.100350] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 0, Code: 0, Value: 0
[ 1535.169772] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 4, Code: 4, Value: 23
[ 1535.169789] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 1, Code: 23, Value: 0
[ 1535.169798] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 0, Code: 0, Value: 0
[ 1535.270889] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 4, Code: 4, Value: 49
[ 1535.270905] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 1, Code: 49, Value: 1
[ 1535.270914] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 0, Code: 0, Value: 0
[ 1535.345574] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 4, Code: 4, Value: 49
[ 1535.345592] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 1, Code: 49, Value: 0
[ 1535.345602] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 0, Code: 0, Value: 0
[ 1535.368197] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 4, Code: 4, Value: 34
[ 1535.368212] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input4, Type: 1, Code: 34, Value: 1

Run "dmesg | grep b43" and print the result. I suspect it's complaining about firmware.

I ran it just as you said and nothing showed up on screen.

OK, let's try this again. What did you use for the "|" symbol? It's a shifted backslash key, right above the enter key on most keyboards. I can't believe there's nothing in dmesg about b43. Unless. OK, run this "lsmod | grep b43". Anything from that? If not, run "sudo modprobe b43" and then rerun both the other commands.

Yes I used the pipe symbol or the forward slash key under backspace. Anyway, I reran dmesg | grep b and it brought up the entire dmesg report. b43 is not in this report at all. Same thing with lsmod | grep b43. Now when I ran sudo modprobe b43 I got the following warning:

WARNING: All config files need .conf: /etc/modprobe.d/ndiswrapper, it will be ignored in a future release.
WARNING: All config files nee .conf: /etc/modprobe.d/a, it will be ignored in a future release.

Here is the latest

justin80@justin80-laptop:/etc/modprobe.d$ lsmod | grep b43
b43 122200 0
mac80211 181140 1 b43
cfg80211 93052 2 b43,mac80211
led_class 4096 1 b43
ssb 35524 1 b43

and

justin80@justin80-laptop:/etc/modprobe.d$ dmesg | grep b43
[ 4039.160325] b43-phy0: Broadcom 4318 WLAN found (core revision 9)
[ 4039.404074] b43 ssb0:0: firmware: requesting b43/ucode5.fw
[ 4039.477940] b43 ssb0:0: firmware: requesting b43/pcm5.fw
[ 4039.493876] b43 ssb0:0: firmware: requesting b43/b0g0initvals5.fw
[ 4039.503065] b43 ssb0:0: firmware: requesting b43/b0g0bsinitvals5.fw
[ 4039.628056] b43-phy0: Loading firmware version 410.2160 (2007-05-26 15:32:10)
[ 4039.676788] Registered led device: b43-phy0::tx
[ 4039.676836] Registered led device: b43-phy0::rx
[ 4039.676877] Registered led device: b43-phy0::radio
[ 4039.708488] b43-phy0: Radio hardware status changed to DISABLED

Are you saying that you first used ndiswrapper to load the driver? Oh, duh, that's probably what ndisgtk is. You need to uninstall that, and I can't even suggest how. The b43 driver is in the kernel these days. But, it says it's loaded in lsmod, so what's the problem again? Run iwconfig again and perhaps "/sbin/iwlist scan".

BTW this "\" is a backslash and this "/" is a forward slash.

The problem is that the card isn't turning on in the system so that the drivers can see it. I guess that what the last line in the dmesg stated that the phy0 was disabled. I need to get the card to come on so that the drivers can take. I'll attempt to run what you've suggested to see if that will help.

BTW I usually just call those buttons pipe & ?. A whole lot easier to remember than which one is backslash/forwardslash.

Here is the sbin/iwlist scan results:
justin80@justin80-laptop:/sbin$ iwlist scan
lo Interface doesn't support scanning.

eth0 Interface doesn't support scanning.

wmaster0 Interface doesn't support scanning.

wlan0 Failed to read scan data : Network is down


and the second iwconfig scan:
justin80@justin80-laptop:/sbin$ iwconfig
lo no wireless extensions.

eth0 no wireless extensions.

wmaster0 no wireless extensions.

wlan0 IEEE 802.11bg ESSID:""
Mode:Managed Frequency:2.412 GHz Access Point: Not-Associated
Tx-Power=off
Retry long limit:7 RTS thr:off Fragment thr:off
Power Management:off
Link Quality:0 Signal level:0 Noise level:0
Rx invalid nwid:0 Rx invalid crypt:0 Rx invalid frag:0
Tx excessive retries:0 Invalid misc:0 Missed beacon:0

justin80@justin80-laptop:/sbin$

Now I know the internal wifi card works cause it worked when I had Windows 7 on the laptop just 3 days ago.

Google says to try to use the hardware button to turn the card on and then reboot. It also says to remove the ndiswrapper package and reboot. I'd try both. :)

Oh, and now you know that the driver has access to the card because you can see it in the iwlist output.

Hey I don't know what you showed me but it worked. I can finally connect via wifi in Ubuntu. Thank you for helping me out on this. I was about to go nuts. I've also learned some new command tricks too. Again thank you for your help.

I think the magic probably happened when I had you type "sudo modprobe b43". :) Anyway, if I've helped, please press the little thanks button.

are you telling me you posted this saying it was Ubuntu I missed that I need my eyes checked system- enable hardware it would have shown the bcm driver to install. the whole time this is what I see the b43 is in the kernel but the firmware is not distributed you have to request it Ubuntu has it in there litlle gui system hard ware
for the next time Next, navigate to System -> Administration -> Hardware Drivers enable it
it if your on a hard wire it will download it and install the firmware.