BCMxx help

dellthinker · 07-14-2010, 09:06 AM

Hi all, I just got myself a Dell Inspiron 1440. And decided to install my favorite distro Debian. I got the installation to go with no issue and all seems to be working fine. However the wireless isn't working. NetworkManager doesnt even detect a wireless card. I followed the instructions here and installed the b43-fwcutter and then issued the modprobe b43 and modprobe b43legacy commands. Then I issued the iwconfig command and this was the output.

Code:

debian:~# iwconfig
lo        no wireless extensions.

eth0      no wireless extensions.

It doesn't even list eth1. What have I done wrong? Any suggestions are appreciated. Thanx in advance.

P.S.

Code:

debian:~# lspci | grep BCM
0c:00.0 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4312 802.11b/g (rev 01)

Just thought I'd add that before someone asked me to.

Dutch Master · 07-14-2010, 09:24 AM

Did you install the firmware itself? Have you added the eth1 interface to the /etc/network/interfaces file?

snowday · 07-14-2010, 09:34 AM

Are you sure b43 is the correct module for your specific card? I also have BCM4312 and seem to have better luck with the wl module.

Some good reading material:
http://wiki.debian.org/bcm43xx
http://wiki.debian.org/wl

dellthinker · 07-14-2010, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dutch Master

Did you install the firmware itself?

I followed the instruction from this site up until the point where I had to do the iwconfig command.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dutch Master

Have you added the eth1 interface to the /etc/network/interfaces file?

No I have not, I didn't know that I would have to do that manually. This is what mine looks like.

Code:

# The loopback network interface
auto lo
iface lo inet loopback

# The primary network interface
allow-hotplug eth0
iface eth0 inet dhcp

What should it look like?

snowpine: That site is the very same site I got my instruction from.

dellthinker · 07-14-2010, 10:18 AM

I've been doing some research and found out about some file located /etc/udev/rules.d/70-persistent-net.rules. So I looked in mine and found out that only my eth0 is added.

Code:

# PCI device 0x10ec:0x8136 (r8169)
SUBSYSTEM=="net", ACTION=="add", DRIVERS=="?*", ATTR{address}=="a4:ba:db:d7:d8:a7", ATTR{dev_id}=="0x0", ATTR{type}=="1", KERNEL=="eth*", NAME="eth0"

I'm going to safely assume that this is why my wireless card is only detected and not being used. Can someone offer some advice as to how I should go about adding it?

dellthinker · 07-14-2010, 12:58 PM

I've resolved this issue with my wireless card.

craigevil · 07-14-2010, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dellthinker

I've resolved this issue with my wireless card.

it would be nice if you explained how.

dellthinker · 07-14-2010, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by craigevil

it would be nice if you explained how.

Followed the direction from this site.

jheaton5 · 07-14-2010, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by snowpine

Are you sure b43 is the correct module for your specific card? I also have BCM4312 and seem to have better luck with the wl module.

Some good reading material:
http://wiki.debian.org/bcm43xx
http://wiki.debian.org/wl

I also have the BCM4312 and use the wl driver. b43 does not support BCM4312