I'll just pile on a bit here....

Before messing with wireless, I would do any updates to Slackware, including any kernel updates. If you use slackpkg to update, make sure you allow it to do kernel updates (uncomment the lines in /etc/slackpkg/blacklist). I would also install wicd (in /extra on your install CD/DVD) and configure it to use either wlan0 or eth1, whichever is appropriate. If you go the b43 route, you must install firmware as reed9 said, otherwise the driver doesn't work. If you go the sta/wl route, be sure to blacklist b43.


Do those actually support the older Broadcom chipsets that the sta driver does? For some reason I was under the impression that it didn't.

I see on there the BCM4313, not BCM4312, but it's worth a try.

Hello again, back for an update (or a new problem)

I tried updating kernel, from 2 different guides from 2 different sites, and both updates has led to the same problem:

At boot, I am able to choose the new kernel, and the new kernel only, but when I do, it goes on working for approximately 5-10 seconds,
then the screen goes blank. There is nothing I am able to do (to my knowledge) in that situation, and I just have to Power Off manually (with the switch).
I do not know how to boot from cd, so I have simply had to reinstall and reformat all the partitions in these 2 situations, and as I'm sure you can imagine,
it can get quite tedious.

What can be the cause of the blank screen? I know this probably belongs in another category, but seeing you have spent so much time helping me out,
I thought I'd rather let you know my status here.

Thanks! Krys

Can you point to the guides you're using? Is this something outside the normal security patch/official updates in the Slackware repository? Unless you have a clear and specific reason, there's no need to change your kernel outside of what's provided by the normal distribution channel.

Heya, reed9 ^^ The first guides I used was was:

This and this.

I encountered some issues while using the first guide, where I noticed that I had to remove "smp" from some commands to make them execute in my 64-bit system,
so when plowing through the second guide, I also avoided all usage of "smp", although it felt rather silly as I did not have the slightest clue what "smp" really
was, and I still don't.

The reason I was trying to update kernel was that several places on the net mentioned that if you're experiencing driver issues, a kernel update might be a good
idea. I had no idea it was this hard to accomplish, seeing how I successfully followed both guides without errors and it still didn't succeed.

Are you saying I do not have to upgrade kernel ever, outside of distro releases? That would really lighten my heart.

Mostly yes. For most users most of the time, there is no need to mess with the kernel. Since linux drivers are usually part of the kernel, it is true that upgrading the kernel can provide support for newer hardware that doesn't exist in an older kernel. In your case, however, that is not necessary, since support for your card has existed for a while. And the wl driver isn't part of the kernel, anyway. The b43 driver has partially supported your card since kernel 2.6.33, if you were going that route.

SMP = symmetric multiprocessing

1 members found this post helpful.

IT WORKS!

I was starting to wonder if the day would never come. Thank you all so much for staying with me in this =)

I made after today's fresh reinstall of Slackware 13.1, using the commands mentioned in this post, but I was blocked by the unability of
entering my network's security key, which obviously wicd was able to handle.

I mentioned earlier having some issues with wicd. Those problems never went away (with that version). I had installed wicd from slackbuilds.org,
the same way as I install all other packages with SlackBuild, but the wicd-version from SlackBuild, despite having a more modern gui and smoother effects,
did not work in any way, it saved none of my preferences, found no networks, not even my wired. So I uninstalled the slackbuilds-wicd and installed the wicd
from the slackware dvd's extra section, and that did the trick ^_^

I also mentioned my WiFi physical switch being "broken" (not turning on or off at press), but that also solved itself after doing the commands given
in these posts.

Freaking good work guys, I was about to lose faith here for a moment, wouldn't have made it without you

Best regards,
Krys