Kernel 2.6.20 and bcm43xx module

xxAlk3XKidXx · 02-26-2007, 07:25 PM

I have never used the bcm43xx module to run a broadcom chipset wireless card and have a few quick questions:

If I do a 'modprobe bcm43xx' as root, is that all I need to do to get my 'ethX' interface to show up?

Is there anymore configuration needed?

At boot up I get this when the wireless card is found:

Code:

bcm43xx driver
bcm43xx: Chip ID 0x4311, rev 0x1
bcm43xx: Number of cores: 4
bcm43xx: Core 0: ID 0x800, rev 0x11, vendor 0x4243
bcm43xx: Core 1: ID 0x812, rev 0xa, vendor 0x4243
bcm43xx: Core 2: ID 0x817, rev 0x3, vendor 0x4243
bcm43xx: Core 3: ID 0x820, rev 0x1, vendor 0x4243
bcm43xx: PHY connected
bcm43xx: Detected PHY: Version: 4, Type 2, Revision 8
bcm43xx: Detected Radio: ID: 2205017f (Manuf: 17f Ver: 2050 Rev: 2)
bcm43xx: Radio turned off
bcm43xx: Radio turned off
bcm43xx: set security called, .active_key = 0, .level = 1, .enabled = 1, .encrypt = 1, .auth_mode = 0
bcm43xx: PHY connected
bcm43xx driver
bcm43xx driver
bcm43xx driver
bcm43xx: Chip ID 0x4311, rev 0x1
bcm43xx: Number of cores: 4
bcm43xx: Core 0: ID 0x800, rev 0x11, vendor 0x4243
bcm43xx: Core 1: ID 0x812, rev 0xa, vendor 0x4243
bcm43xx: Core 2: ID 0x817, rev 0x3, vendor 0x4243
bcm43xx: Core 3: ID 0x820, rev 0x1, vendor 0x4243
bcm43xx: PHY connected
bcm43xx: Detected PHY: Version: 4, Type 2, Revision 8
bcm43xx: Detected Radio: ID: 2205017f (Manuf: 17f Ver: 2050 Rev: 2)
bcm43xx: Radio turned off
bcm43xx: Radio turned off
bcm43xx: set security called, .active_key = 0, .level = 1, .enabled = 1, .encrypt = 1, .auth_mode = 0
bcm43xx: PHY connected
bcm43xx: Microcode rev 0x13f, pl 0x66 (2005-10-15  22:46:19)
bcm43xx: set security called, .active_key = 0, .level = 1, .enabled = 1, .encrypt = 1, .auth_mode = 0
bcm43xx: Microcode rev 0x13f, pl 0x66 (2005-10-15  22:46:19)
bcm43xx: Microcode rev 0x13f, pl 0x66 (2005-10-15  22:46:19)
bcm43xx: Microcode rev 0x13f, pl 0x66 (2005-10-15  22:46:19)
bcm43xx: Microcode rev 0x13f, pl 0x66 (2005-10-15  22:46:19)

Does 'Radio turned off' mean I need to do something more to get the card active?

I have never used a broadcom based wireless card with native linux drivers and always used Nidswrapper. I found a few bits of information on this topic on google, but none seem to apply to this. They all talk about setting up this chipset with ndiswrapper and not as a native driver. This is all new to me.

Thanks ahead of time!

Alk3

xxAlk3XKidXx · 02-26-2007, 11:29 PM

In my search for a solution, I found these links/docs...

Patches for bcm43xx:
Index of /kernel/patches/2.6.20

Which should I use?

Also: "The real fix for BCM4311 and BCM4312"
https://lists.berlios.de/pipermail/b...ry/003867.html

Am I on to something? Suggestions?

Alk3

xxAlk3XKidXx · 02-27-2007, 09:01 PM

I have the firmware, the NIC shows up as wlan0- and ndiswrapper isn't installed. I try to connect to an AP and I try to enter the essid and its a no go. My AP name is "ByteMe" and I can only enter in lowercase and up to 5 characters, so: "bytem"

What is my problem? The driver is loaded and the hardware is recognized, what else is there?

Alk3

heartwork · 03-01-2007, 11:01 AM

to get my card running (2.6.18 kernel) i had to blacklist bcm43xx and use ndiswrapper with the driver from the list on the ndiswrapper site. not qutie sure if this is what you were aiming to do but its the only way i could get mine to work.

xxAlk3XKidXx · 03-01-2007, 11:26 AM

Thanks for your reply, but if I was going to use ndiswrapper I would not be posting about this issue. I have ndiswrapper working on it right now and I have the card working natively. I have a small problem left and that is it. I am having a problem setting my ssid in order to connect to my WLAN. I am also on the debian laptop mailing list and here is my latest post:

Quote:

I did what was suggested and checked out my BIOS and my WiFI was already enabled. BTW. I have a Dell Inspiron E1505 running Debian Etch. I have a 2.6.20 custom kernel with the bcm43xx module support. As far as I can tell, when I boot the module is loaded and the output of iwconfig only shows eth0 and lo interfaces with now wireless extensions. When I do a 'modporbe bcm43xx' the wlan0 interfaces appears and seems to work. I am confused though, because when I do and 'iwconfig wlan0 essid <ap name>' it doesn't work. Here is the output when I tried to configure iwconfig essid:
+++++++++++++++++
# iwconfig wlan0 essid "byteme"
# iwconfig
lo no wireless extensions.

eth0 no wireless extensions.

wlan0 IEEE 802.11b/g ESSID:"b" Nickname:"Broadcom 4311"
Mode:Managed Access Point: Invalid
RTS thr: off Fragment thr: off
Encryption key: off
Link Quality=0/100 Signal level=-256 dBm Noise level=-256 dBm
Rx invalid nwid: 0 Rx invalid crypt: 0 Rx invalid frag: 0
Tx excessive retries: 0 Invalid misc: 0 Missed beacon: 0
+++++++++++++++++
It only lets me use 5 characters and lowercase for my AP name. My ap essid is actually "ByteMe"
+++++++++++++++++
# iwconfig wlan0 essid "bytem"
# iwconfig
lo no wireless extensions.

eth0 no wireless extensions.

wlan0 IEEE 802.11b/g ESSID:"bytem" Nickname:"Broadcom 4311"
Mode:Managed Access Point: Invalid
RTS thr: off Fragment thr: off
Encryption key: off
Link Quality=0/100 Signal level=-256 dBm Noise level=-256 dBm
Rx invalid nwid: 0 Rx invalid crypt: 0 Rx invalid frag: 0
Tx excessive retries: 0 Invalid misc: 0 Missed beacon: 0
+++++++++++++++++
I dont understand. do I need to rename my AP essid to lesser/lowercase characters?

So you can see I am almost done and I just need to work out this small problem. Can anyone help?

xxAlk3XKidXx · 03-01-2007, 11:39 PM

bump. I am subscribed to the Debian laptop mailing list and seem to be drawing blanks from it. No one seems to know what the issue is...

Anyone have an idea!?!?!?