Hi I’m new to suse and am trying to install the correct drivers and firmware for my Broadcom bcm4306 chip set. I’m attempting to follow the following web page for directions:
b43 - Linux Wireless
However, I’m having a hard time figuring out how exactly to write the code for opensuse 11.0.
If someone would please rewrite the code so I can simply copy and paste it into the terminal I would really appreciate it!
The web page reads the following:
You are using the b43-legacy driver
If you are using the b43legacy driver, follow these instructions.
Use version 011 of b43-fwcutter.
Download, extract the b43-fwcutter tarball and build it:
wget http://bu3sch.de/b43/fwcutter/b43-fwcutter-011.tar.bz2
tar xjf b43-fwcutter-011.tar.bz2
cd b43-fwcutter-011
make
cd …
Use version 3.130.20.0 of Broadcom’s proprietary driver.
Download and extract the firmware from this driver:
export FIRMWARE_INSTALL_DIR="/lib/firmware"
wget http://downloads.openwrt.org/sources/wl_apsta-3.130.20.0.o
sudo ./b43-fwcutter-011/b43-fwcutter -w “$FIRMWARE_INSTALL_DIR” wl_apsta-3.130.20.0.o
Note that you must adjust the FIRMWARE_INSTALL_DIR path to your distribution. The standard place where firmware is installed to is /lib/firmware. However some distributions put firmware in a different place."
rlondre wrote:
> Hi I’m new to suse and am trying to install the correct drivers and
> firmware for my Broadcom bcm4306 chip set. I’m attempting to follow the
> following web page for directions:
> ‘b43 - Linux Wireless’
> (http://wireless.kernel.org/en/users/Drivers/b43#fw-b43legacy)
> However, I’m having a hard time figuring out how exactly to write the
> code for opensuse 11.0.
> If someone would please rewrite the code so I can simply copy and paste
> it into the terminal I would really appreciate it!
The code does not need rewriting for openSUSE 11.0. Copied directly, it would
work; however, the code you need is already in 11.0. I’m surprised you didn’t
see this fix by reading this Forum, particularly the sticky entitled “Additional
Wireless Bits”. The bottom line is that you should open a terminal and enter the
following command:
sudo /usr/sbin/install_bcm43xx_firmware
That script will do exactly what the code you were “trying” to get translated.
If you do not have Internet access while running Linux, but only have it when
booting another OS, or on another computer, then the sticky has a way to do
these operations after downloading the critical file from another OS.
Larry
Sorry Larry I did see that post, however, it seemed too simple and thus far my experience with linux has been anything but simple. Not to criticize SUSE or any linux distro, I personally have a lot to learn.
Larry I also want to thank you, your one line worked.
Next, can anyone help me with WPA or WEP support? I can connect to the internet through my router when I have wireless security disabled, however with either WEP or WPA security enabled I cannot connect. I check use wireless security, select security type, enter the key, eventually save and connect but no connection. Any good threads or step by step instructions?
Yes, you do have a lot to learn. This is the first time I’ve had a one-line
solution rejected without trying as it is too simple. Of course, the script
behind that one line is pretty complicated. In Linux, one of the reasons we use
the command-line interface is because the shells provide a really powerful
programming language - unlike Windows.
To figure out your problem with encrypted networks you will need to examine (as
root) the file /var/log/NetworkManager. As penance for not believing that a
one-line solution would work, I’m not going to explain how to do that. You get
to learn some more.
Larry
Here is the log but I’m not sure what I’m looking for. Note that I currently have my wireless security disabled. Should I enable it and then check this log? Or could you give me a hint as to what to look for. This is a lot of output sorry.
Jul 26 19:10:07 linux NetworkManager: <info> starting…
Jul 26 19:10:07 linux NetworkManager: <info> Found radio killswitch /org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/dell_wlan_switch
Jul 26 19:10:07 linux NetworkManager: <info> eth0: Device is fully-supported using driver ‘e100’.
Jul 26 19:10:07 linux NetworkManager: <info> Found new Ethernet device ‘eth0’.
Jul 26 19:10:07 linux NetworkManager: <info> (eth0): exported as /org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/net_00_0d_56_7d_2c_56
Jul 26 19:10:07 linux NetworkManager: <info> wlan0: Device is fully-supported using driver ‘b43-pci-bridge’.
Jul 26 19:10:07 linux NetworkManager: <info> wlan0: driver supports SSID scans (scan_capa 0x01).
Jul 26 19:10:07 linux NetworkManager: <info> Found new wireless (802.11) device ‘wlan0’.
Jul 26 19:10:07 linux NetworkManager: <info> (wlan0): exported as /org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/net_00_90_4b_6b_a2_a7
Jul 26 19:10:07 linux NetworkManager: <info> Trying to start the supplicant…
Jul 26 19:10:07 linux NetworkManager: <info> Trying to start the system settings daemon…
Jul 26 19:10:11 linux NetworkManager: <WARN> nm_signal_handler(): Caught signal 15, shutting down normally.
Jul 26 19:10:11 linux NetworkManager: <info> (eth0): now unmanaged
Jul 26 19:10:11 linux NetworkManager: <info> (wlan0): now unmanaged
Jul 26 19:10:12 linux NetworkManager: <info> starting…
Jul 26 19:10:12 linux NetworkManager: <info> Found radio killswitch /org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/dell_wlan_switch
Jul 26 19:10:12 linux NetworkManager: <info> eth0: Device is fully-supported using driver ‘e100’.
Jul 26 19:10:12 linux NetworkManager: <info> Found new Ethernet device ‘eth0’.
Jul 26 19:10:12 linux NetworkManager: <info> (eth0): exported as /org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/net_00_0d_56_7d_2c_56
Jul 26 19:10:12 linux NetworkManager: <info> wlan0: Device is fully-supported using driver ‘b43-pci-bridge’.
Jul 26 19:10:12 linux NetworkManager: <info> wlan0: driver supports SSID scans (scan_capa 0x01).
Jul 26 19:10:12 linux NetworkManager: <info> Found new wireless (802.11) device ‘wlan0’.
Jul 26 19:10:12 linux NetworkManager: <info> (wlan0): exported as /org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/net_00_90_4b_6b_a2_a7
Jul 26 19:10:16 linux NetworkManager: <info> (eth0): device state change: 1 → 2
Jul 26 19:10:16 linux NetworkManager: <info> (eth0): bringing up device.
Jul 26 19:10:16 linux NetworkManager: <info> (eth0): preparing device.
Jul 26 19:10:16 linux NetworkManager: <info> (eth0): deactivating device.
Jul 26 19:10:16 linux NetworkManager: <info> (wlan0): device state change: 1 → 2
Jul 26 19:10:16 linux NetworkManager: <info> (wlan0): bringing up device.
Jul 26 19:10:16 linux NetworkManager: <WARN> nm_device_hw_bring_up(): (wlan0): device not up after timeout!
Jul 26 19:10:16 linux NetworkManager: <info> (wlan0): deactivating device.
Jul 26 19:10:16 linux NetworkManager: <info> (eth0): carrier now ON (device state 2)
Jul 26 19:10:16 linux NetworkManager: <info> (eth0): device state change: 2 → 3
Jul 26 19:10:16 linux NetworkManager: <info> (wlan0): device state change: 2 → 3
Jul 26 19:10:16 linux NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth0) starting connection ‘System eth0’
Jul 26 19:10:16 linux NetworkManager: <info> (eth0): device state change: 3 → 4
Hey,
Another newbie sorry I managed to install the firmware fine but I have a pavillion dv9605ea and I don’t think it worked. I’ve had some experience with Linux on this laptop before with fedora 7 from linux format which is where I got my SUSE 11.0 distro.
After giving up on the drivers nightmare I had i went back to Windows Vista the rolled back to XP and within a couple of months Im back here trying my hardest to understand how this works!
Any help would be most apreciated
(I have the specs from the HP webite but they fail to mention what wireless card I have)
few q’s
1 ) what have you tried so far ?
2 ) any error messages ?
to find out your device,type,in a console,lspci -v.
Andy
Thanks andy it worked fine originally I just didn’t restart to let the settings save. Im getting on ok now but ill be sure to look for more help here when im stuck 
Cool, glad you’re up & running,now enjoy
Andy
I tried installing an XP driver manually using for my broadcom device before I tried the auto script that is mentioned above. The last of the output is here:
“b43 firmware successfully installed.
b43legacy firmware successfully installed.”
This didn’t work. I removed the ndiswrapper “driver” I manually tried because that is what worked in Mandriva 2008. I definitely like openSuSE 11 for laptop use since it has a battery monitor among other things. I just don’t know what to do now. The external wireless switch is to the “enabled” position and the LED is still orange. In Yast2 the wireless card is recognized as “BCM94311MCG wlan mini-PCI” in case there is some small detail I missed since it is nearing my bedtime. BTW the hardline ethernet card works fine but is the only way to connect to a network. Thanks in advance.
If I understood your posting correctly, ndiswrapper is no longer loading. Please
check the output of the command ‘lsmod’ to verify. Also check for the presence
of ‘ssb’ and ‘b43’ in the lsmod output.
If you have the correct modules loaded, then configure the wireless using YaST.
If you are using NetworkManager to control your devices, then you will also need
to add a connection using the kicker applet.
Larry
I checked the lsmod output, I found no b34 or ssb modules. I did see ndiswrapper and it has this output regarding:
“ndiswrapper 199316 0”
I assume that no mods are loaded for the ndiswrapper and it is not being used. I’m not sure why the ndiswrapper didn’t work using the same .inf file that I used in Mandriva 2008, though I admit I don’t have intimate knowledge of either. Any advice on the ssb and/or b34 modules? I would assume (rather risky) that the legacy script should have installed them though not sure. Thanks again.
azelliot246 wrote:
> I checked the lsmod output, I found no b34 or ssb modules. I did see
> ndiswrapper and it has this output regarding:
> “ndiswrapper 199316 0”
> I assume that no mods are loaded for the ndiswrapper and it is not
> being used. I’m not sure why the ndiswrapper didn’t work using the same
> .inf file that I used in Mandriva 2008, though I admit I don’t have
> intimate knowledge of either. Any advice on the ssb and/or b34 modules?
> I would assume (rather risky) that the legacy script should have
> installed them though not sure. Thanks again.
Somewhere in your setup, ssb must be blacklisted. Check the file
/etc/modprobe.d/blacklist. In any case, ssb is not loading, and ndiswrapper is.
The .inf file just describes a Windows driver. If one worked with Mandriva, it
would work with openSUSE. To be sure, you should unload the driver from
ndiswrapper. I don’t use it and I don’t know what command to use, but I know
there must be one.
What “legacy” script are you talking about? If you mean
/usr/sbin/install_bcm43xx_firmware, it just installs the firmware as the name
implies. The drivers (ssb and b43) come as part of the kernel and do not need to
be installed, you just have to revert whatever you did that keeps ssb (the main
driver) from loading.
Larry
Since I hadn’t copied any personal files over I found it easier to simply do a fresh install and run the script mentioned above and everything works like a charm. Thanks. I seem to have just screwed things up with the ndiswrapper.