What Distro of Linux will work with Broadcom BCM4312
 

I am trying to start using linux, and am new, so sorry if this is dumb. I started out trying Ubuntu, but that didn't work. After that I had tried Mint, and had several problems besides the Network Connector. Now I'm trying Fedora, but if that doesn't work is there a different Linux distro that will work?

I have the same chipset and was able to get it to work.

I had to setup the rpmfusion repo and then install kmod-wl to get it to work.

http://rpmfusion.org/

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=600097

One of the strengths of linux is it's forums. You can google Ubuntu bcm4312 or whatever and a couple thousand links usually pop up. There is a driver you need to download. The link will tell you what you need to do. Start off with a wired connection if possible...

Try knoppix dvd, can not guaranty but it comes pretty well equipped. I do not know of any distros that will work automatically without setting it up. If you do not have a lan internet connection get the dvds instead of live cds. Most live cds do not have room for the programs for extras.

Hi,

Welcome to LQ!

Not really a distribution specific problem. Most modern GNU/Linux will work with the bcm43xx chipset once properly setup. Most times you just need to get the firmware copied to the proper place: '/lib/firmware' on most.

Distro-hopping can confuse a newbie and sometimes leads to disgust. Thus failures and giving up!

Ubuntu does require the firmware to be placed properly for the bcm4312. You could search here on LQ or other forums for answers. I suggest you look here: 'Missing your Wireless Drivers?' a Ubuntu solution. The firmware at the above link are for the b43 and b43legacy drivers, (aka bcm43xx).

You should be able to use it on most GNU/Linux distributions. Lazy man's fw-cutter for bcm43xx. :)
:hattip:

For Ubuntu Linux, go under the System Menu -> Administration -> Hardware Drivers. You should get an option from there to use/enable the proprietary wireless drivers if they exist.

Now..if you're using a full install, you can just restart from here for the easy way of getting wireless to come up and actually start working. Otherwise, if it's a Live CD, you can't restart without it forgetting you enabled the driver. Open a terminal and type "iwconfig". You should see some devices that say "no wireless extentions" and one with information after it (eth1 or wlan0 or ath0). Once you know which one it is, type in "sudo ifconfig eth1 up" (replace eth1 with whatever the device name was in the last step), and give it a minute.

I've installed over 20 distros (not at the same time!) on my Dell with BCM4312, I've yet to find one where the wireless did not work once properly configured.

Broadcom requires you to download the firmware so really it does not matter which distro you choose; I'd recommend picking one that seems user-friendly to you and working through the firmware install process. :)

yes
 

newbie, check. confusion, disgust, check, check.
*random rant alert
*
*
i'm only confused why can't i find a bcmwl-kernel-source package with all the *expletive* dependencies in it, so i can get this to work. expecting your user to have an ethernet connection ready in 2012 is not only confusing, it's revolting. I'm loving the performance of lubuntu though, but it remains offline. two hours. just awful.

update: apparently all that was needed is "sudo apt-get install b43-fwcutter firmware-b43-installer" and a network connection. I couldn't figure out how to get it working without connection. still awful, but it works.

first impression: this window manager is so much better than windows xp explorer.

The new AntiX supports broadcom right out of the box.

This package should get anyone with a deb based system broadcom drivers.

http://pkgs.org/download/firmware-b43-installer

Out Of The Box distros.
 

I realize this posting is very old. But, since Google hit on it, I want to give a good update. If I got a Google hit here, others also will.

Bodhi has always brought up the Broadcom, out of the box. And, though it has been a while, it seems as if I remember a distro called something like PCLinuxOS that also brings it up out of the box. PCLOS was, last time I checked, a distro which updated from time to time which means no major problem with occasional total rebuilds. But, I have not used it in a long time.

I have done a lot of linux stuff over the years, but I never got the broadcom drivers to work as the many instructions said to do it. So, after many tries, I simply don't try any more. Life is too short. And, I see by the plaintive pleas for help, that I am not the only one.

Bodhi is a different Linux, takes some getting used to. I live in Mexico, and young friends learn Bodhi very fast, even the English version on an English keyboard. PCLOS is a more normal distro.