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Old 07-01-2020, 12:34 PM   #1
newlinuxuser1425
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Question Unable to access wifi using any linux OS on a macbook air late 2016


I tried installing multiple linux OS (Ubuntu, fedora, tails os, manjaro etc.) on my macbook air late 2016 but I am facing the issue with wifi in all the operating systems. I am not able to access wifi. Can anybody help me if this is a hardware issue or a software issue.
 
Old 07-01-2020, 12:46 PM   #2
newlinuxuser1425
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test
 
Old 07-01-2020, 01:40 PM   #3
TB0ne
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Quote:
Originally Posted by newlinuxuser1425 View Post
I tried installing multiple linux OS (Ubuntu, fedora, tails os, manjaro etc.) on my macbook air late 2016 but I am facing the issue with wifi in all the operating systems. I am not able to access wifi. Can anybody help me if this is a hardware issue or a software issue.
...and...
Quote:
Originally Posted by newlinuxuser1425
test
You mention several different versions of Linux, along with an 'etc.'...without knowing which one you're installing, how you're installing it, or what you've done/tried and what message(s)/error(s) you're seeing, there is nothing we can help with.

Are you actually doing the install, or are you running live to test?
 
Old 07-01-2020, 04:33 PM   #4
jefro
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Some issue on the site I am quoting so I didn't want to link to it.

Or if you have a supported usb nic then you can just fix the broadcom driver issue.

"How to Enable Wi-Fi on MacBook, Mac Mini, MacBook Air for Ubuntu/Linux OS

By default older Mac computer models have driver issues with the Broadcom Wi-Fi chip. Most instructions online (such as this one from the official Ubuntu docs @ https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Macmini5-1/Precise) suggest to use sudo apt-get and install these packages from the PPA.

BUT you don't have Internet so you can't use apt-get! Instead you can use a different computer to download the packages, then transfer them over.

In the instructions below, you will need to replace sid in the download URL's with the proper version of Debian your version of Ubuntu/Linux is using. To find which version you should use, you can view the chart at https://askubuntu.com/questions/4454...ased-on#445496. If you're using jessie for example, then replace all sid with jessie in the links below.

Download b43-fwcutter @ https://packages.debian.org/sid/b43-fwcutter (replace "sid" in the URL as needed -- scroll down to "Download" section and choose based off your architecture, and then select a mirror/FTP link to download from on the next page that appears).
Download firmware-b43-installer @ https://packages.debian.org/sid/firmware-b43-installer (repeat same note as above)
Download webfs @ https://packages.debian.org/sid/webfs (repeat same note as above)
Download http://www.lwfinger.com/b43-firmware...00.138.tar.bz2 (e.g. using wget http://www.lwfinger.com/b43-firmware...00.138.tar.bz2)
Save these downloaded files to flash storage and then insert flash storage into your Ubuntu/Linux machine.
Copy the files from the flash storage to your Ubuntu/Linux machine's desktop.
Open a terminal and run the command echo '127.0.0.1 www.lwfinger.com' | sudo tee --append /etc/hosts
Run the command sudo dpkg -i ~/Desktop/webfs.deb (replace webfs.deb with the webfs deb file name)
Run the command sudo mkdir -p /var/www/b43-firmware
Run the command sudo mv ~/Desktop/broadcom-wl-5.100.138.tar.bz2 /var/www/b43-firmware/
Run the command sudo sed -i -e 's/web_root="\/var\/www\/html"/web_root="\/var\/www"/' /etc/webfsd.conf
Run the command sudo sed -i -e 's/web_port=""/web_port="80"/' /etc/webfsd.conf
Restart the web server sudo /etc/init.d/webfs restart (you may need to use sudo systemctl restart webfs if your system uses systemd)
Run the command sudo dpkg -i ~/Desktop/b43-fwcutter.deb (replace b43-fwcutter.deb with the b43-fwcutter deb file name)
Run the command sudo dpkg -i ~/Desktop/firmware-b43-installer.deb (replace firmware-b43-installer.deb with the firmware-b43-installer deb file name)
Run the command echo 'blacklist ndiswrapper' | sudo tee --append /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf
Run the command echo 'SUSPEND_MODULES="b43 bcma"' | sudo tee ---append /etc/pm/config.d/modules
Run sudo reboot and then check if you can connect to Wi-Fi.
See https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Ma...ro8-2#Wireless for other instructions, such as enabling Sensors. Also see https://askubuntu.com/questions/3345...-dv6000#667832 for reference.
Remove webfs and the temp dir by typing sudo apt-get remove -y webfs and sudo rm -rf /var/www/b43-firmware/ on your Ubuntu/Linux machine afterwards."
 
Old 07-02-2020, 12:48 AM   #5
newlinuxuser1425
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TB0ne View Post
...and...

You mention several different versions of Linux, along with an 'etc.'...without knowing which one you're installing, how you're installing it, or what you've done/tried and what message(s)/error(s) you're seeing, there is nothing we can help with.

Are you actually doing the install, or are you running live to test?
1. tried running live OS to test
2. Never installed it on the system, due to wifi issue
3. I see no error, just no option to access wifi
 
Old 07-02-2020, 07:40 AM   #6
TB0ne
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Quote:
Originally Posted by newlinuxuser1425 View Post
1. tried running live OS to test
2. Never installed it on the system, due to wifi issue
3. I see no error, just no option to access wifi
..and you STILL don't answer most of the questions asked:
  • Version/distro of Linux?
  • What you're doing to 'access wifi'
  • Desktop environment
We can't guess, and without details there's nothing we can even guess at. If you're still running OSX, look at what kind of wifi card you have (with what chipset), and post it back here, and answer the questions asked. There are limits to what you can do with a live version, so installing new firmware may not be something you can do running live, but CAN be easily done when you do an installation.
 
  


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