Broadcom 4312 wireless driver help needed

Hello. I am unable to figure out how to enable OpenSUSE 12.3 to recognize my Broadcom wireless adapter. Relative noob (somewhat familiar with CLI but not a lot of experience)

Here’s my lspci output:**

linux-bkih:~ # lspci
00:00.0 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] RS780 Host Bridge
00:01.0 PCI bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] RS780/RS880 PCI to PCI bridge (int gfx)
00:04.0 PCI bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] RS780/RS880 PCI to PCI bridge (PCIE port 0)
00:05.0 PCI bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] RS780/RS880 PCI to PCI bridge (PCIE port 1)
00:11.0 SATA controller: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] nee ATI SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 SATA Controller [AHCI mode]
00:12.0 USB controller: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] nee ATI SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 USB OHCI0 Controller
00:12.1 USB controller: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] nee ATI SB7x0 USB OHCI1 Controller
00:12.2 USB controller: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] nee ATI SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 USB EHCI Controller
00:14.0 SMBus: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] nee ATI SBx00 SMBus Controller (rev 3c)
00:14.2 Audio device: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] nee ATI SBx00 Azalia (Intel HDA)
00:14.3 ISA bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] nee ATI SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 LPC host controller
00:14.4 PCI bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] nee ATI SBx00 PCI to PCI Bridge
00:18.0 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] HyperTransport Technology Configuration
00:18.1 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] Address Map
00:18.2 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] DRAM Controller
00:18.3 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] Miscellaneous Control
01:05.0 VGA compatible controller: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] nee ATI RS780M/RS780MN [Mobility Radeon HD 3200 Graphics]
02:00.0 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4312 802.11b/g LP-PHY (rev 01)
08:00.0 Ethernet controller: Atheros Communications Inc. AR8132 Fast Ethernet (rev c0)**

Any help is most appreciated.

Thanks.

If you don’t have a wired connection. I PM’d you

If you have a wired connection. Open a terminal and do:

sudo /usr/sbin/install_bcm43xx_firmware

Then reboot

I have a Broadcom 4313 controller and I always make sure to install the kernel-firmware package when I install openSUSE. If I don’t my wireless don’t work. What is the difference between installing install_bcm43xx_firmware and kernel-firmware? And why isn’t the kernel-firmware package included by default?

Regards, Micke.

To add to the confusion, kernel-firmware is installed by default in, at least, Gnome and Xfce from the 64-bit DVD, but not from the 32-bit DVD. So of two persons with exactly the same hardware the one on 64-bit will come up with a working system while the one on 32-bit will understand nada. And the difference is enourmus, just take a look at the folder /lib/firmware. Anyone here with experience from the Live CDs?

On 03/22/2013 06:46 AM, hank se wrote:
>
> thermopyle;2539329 Wrote:
>> I have a Broadcom 4313 controller and I always make sure to install the
>> kernel-firmware package when I install openSUSE. If I don’t my wireless
>> don’t work. What is the difference between installing
>> install_bcm43xx_firmware and kernel-firmware? And why isn’t the
>> kernel-firmware package included by default?
>>
>>
>> Regards, Micke.
>
> To add to the confusion, kernel-firmware is installed by default in, at
> least, Gnome and Xfce from the 64-bit DVD, but not from the 32-bit DVD.
> So of two persons with exactly the same hardware the one on 64-bit will
> come up with a working system while the one on 32-bit will understand
> nada. And the difference is enourmus, just take a look at the folder
> /lib/firmware. Anyone here with experience from the Live CDs?

To add further confusion, the kernel-firmware package is not sufficient to make
b43 work with Broadcom hardware. Why? Because Broadcom refuses to grant the
rights to redistribute their firmware - they say it is for legal reasons! That
is why the utility b43-fwcutter and the script install_bcm43xx_firmware are
distributed by openSUSE. The latter downloads the file that can be distributed
and fwcutter extracts the necessary firmware from that downloaded file.

Ir your Broadcom hardware uses driver bcmsmac, then the firmware is in the
kernel-firmware package because that driver is written by Broadcom, and they
allow redistribution of that firmware. The irony of the differences in these two
cases are why I hate lawyers.

You don’t really mean that, you can hate a lawyer and one day you might even love one.

Anyway thanks for the information, yes I have the 4313 and it uses the bcmsmac driver, but this doesn’t change my point that there shouldn’t be a difference between 32- and 64-bit when it comes to installing kernel-firmware, especially considering the amount of firmware contained in /lib/firmware.

There are two packages named broadcom-wl and broadcom-wl-kmp-desktop, which can be found in the packman repository. This is the proprietary Driver from Broadcom.
It works very well on my thinkpad E535 with my Broadcom 4313, 4312 is also supported.

What should work:
in YAST:
-add Packman repository

  • search and install broadcom-wl and broadcom-wl-kmp-desktop packages
    -delete old wlan configuration in Network Configuration (switch back to classical config method with ifup/ifdown - Yast will tell you)
    -create / add new Interface wlan0 with Hardware-> Driver wl .
    -Chosse Activate at startup
    -reboot
    -Switch to Network Manager in Network Settings

as root in console:
linux-sxw1:/ # lsmod | grep wl
wl 2573568 0
and
linux-sxw1:/ # lsmod | grep tkip
lib80211_crypt_tkip 17663 0

to see if the driver and encrytption module is loaded (done automatically by broadcom-wl)

in Network Manager GUI (started by WLAN Icon right down in Taskbar).
you should see your SSID, Enter your Passphrase and Encryption method.
-reboot and check if your wlan connection goes up , otherwise double-check Encryption and/or Passphrase
you’re done! Hope this works for you. The driver works very stable and has good sensitivity .