Problem installing Broadcom Wireless driver

escheie · 05-09-2010, 08:31 AM

I have been trying for two days to get my BCM4318 wireless card working in Slackware.

I followed the instructions from the Broadcom README file (http://www.broadcom.com/docs/linux_sta/README.txt), but I can't get past the last "make" command. It seems to be stuck on something I don't have.

Here's what happens:

Code:

root@cocoru:~/hybrid_wl# make -C /lib/modules/2.6.33.3-smp/build M=`pwd`
make: Entering directory `/usr/src/linux-2.6.33.3'
  CC [M]  /root/hybrid_wl/src/shared/linux_osl.o
In file included from /root/hybrid_wl/src/shared/linux_osl.c:19:
/root/hybrid_wl/src/include/linuxver.h:23:28: error: linux/autoconf.h: No such file or directory
make[1]: *** [/root/hybrid_wl/src/shared/linux_osl.o] Error 1
make: *** [_module_/root/hybrid_wl] Error 2
make: Leaving directory `/usr/src/linux-2.6.33.3'
root@cocoru:~/hybrid_wl# make
KBUILD_NOPEDANTIC=1 make -C /lib/modules/`uname -r`/build M=`pwd`
make[1]: Entering directory `/usr/src/linux-2.6.33.3'
  CC [M]  /root/hybrid_wl/src/shared/linux_osl.o
In file included from /root/hybrid_wl/src/shared/linux_osl.c:19:
/root/hybrid_wl/src/include/linuxver.h:23:28: error: linux/autoconf.h: No such file or directory
make[2]: *** [/root/hybrid_wl/src/shared/linux_osl.o] Error 1
make[1]: *** [_module_/root/hybrid_wl] Error 2
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/linux-2.6.33.3'
make: *** [all] Error 2
root@cocoru:~/hybrid_wl#

Any help greatly appreciated.

(BTW, I'm a relative newbie who grew bored with Ubuntu, so please forgive my ignorance.)

bgeddy · 05-09-2010, 10:39 AM

It looks like the kernel version you are using moved the header file autoconf.h. This should fix it.

In your source directory in the file hybrid_wl/src/include/linuxver.h change line 23 from "#include <linux/autoconf.h>" to "#include <generated/autoconf.h>" and rerun make clean then make.

escheie · 05-10-2010, 08:40 AM

Thanks for the advice on how to deal with the pesky autoconf.h problem! After many more hours of futzing around and trying innumerable solutions, I finally got the wicd to show the networks, and I'm on. There are, however, two problems with wicd:

1. It will not show any networks unless I first login as root and enter the 'sudo modprobe b43' command. Only then do the networks appear. I configured my router, which works fine. But--

2. Even though I checked "Automatically connect to this network" it does not do that. Which means that it shuts down or times out without warning, and shows "not connected" at the bottom, so I have to check the "connect" box again.

If you have any ideas on how to fix this, I'd be very grateful.

Again, many thanks!

(Getting up to speed on this is taking longer than I anticipated, but I'm thinking it will be worth the effort.)

bgeddy · 05-10-2010, 08:56 AM

Hi escheie - glad the compilation fix helped.

Now to your existing problems.

Quote:

1. It will not show any networks unless I first login as root and enter the 'sudo modprobe b43' command. Only then do the networks appear. I configured my router, which works fine. But--

To get a module loaded automatically at boot add an entry to the script named /etc/rc.d/rc.modules (actually a link to the real file but it'll work anyway). This loads additional modules at boot up in Slackware. Look at the existing entries to get a feel for how to word this.

Quote:

2. Even though I checked "Automatically connect to this network" it does not do that. Which means that it shuts down or times out without warning, and shows "not connected" at the bottom, so I have to check the "connect" box again.

I'm afraid I can't help here as I've never ,(well very rarely), use wicd and don't have acces to any wireless hardware to check this out with. Possibly someone more familiar with the app will pitch in.

Edit: Oh - I just noticed you are new to the forum so welcome.

lumak · 05-10-2010, 12:41 PM

You also might have more luck using the windows driver with ndiswrapper. I had numerous issues with the linux driver that was not only missing features but also did not reassign an essid in a timely manner.

escheie · 05-11-2010, 04:40 PM

Thanks! I got the module to load automatically at boot by adding an entry to /etc/rc.d/rc.modules as you suggested. WICD is not perfect because of the dropped connections, but I can live with it until I learn more.

I don't know about installing the ndiswrapper, though. It looks like a lot of work which might create conflicts with what I have already done.