How in the world do I enable my wireless?

English Network/Internet
1

I’m new to linux and to OpenSUSE. I’m lost. I have been scouring these forums for over an hour and I am getting nowhere. Can someone please tell me how to enable my wireless card?

When I go to YaST2 Control Center > Network Devices > Network Settings, it SEES my card. The window says:

BCM4318 [AirForce One 54g] 802.11g Wireless LAN Controller (Not connected)
MAC : 00:14:a5:ae:5f:9c

Device Name: wlan0
Started automatically at boot
IP address assigned using DHCP

I just don’t know for the life of me how to connect it, to turn it on. I have been able to get in to work in Ubuntu and XP. I really want this to work.

Please help.
Tesgin

2

have you installed the drivers/firmware ? have a look at the stickies in the wireless section,some good info there

Andy

3

I’m going to assume that you’re using NetworkManager to handle network interfaces. And (because I don’t know if they’re different), I’m going to assume you’re using KNetworkManager as a front-end for it.

Right click on the applet.
Go to New Connection, “wlan0”
From there it should show a list of wireless networks.
click “connect and save” (and the “connect automatically” box if you so choose).

After you do that, it will show up when you right click on the applet under the “wlan0” heading just like it did on previous versions.

If my assumptions are wrong or if you’ve been there, tried that, and are offended I would think otherwise… well, sorry. Hopefully this helps.

4

Hi i just installed opensuse and have the same wireless card and am having the same problem
searching i have found that this card will run in OS
but still no luck

5

Greetings. I’m back. I’ve just not had the time in the last few weeks to work on this. I’ve spent another hour tonight, though, with no luck.

I have internet access if I use my wireless bridge (a Buffalo). I’ve downloaded and installed wifi radar successfully.

It seems to me that my problem is that my card is not enabled. In YaST2 Network Settings, it says the card is there, but is not connected.

How do I do this? jeffro-tull said to right-click on KNetworkManager. I don’t know how to access this. I don’t know how to access NetworkManager, let alone this front end. Absolutely lost.

Please help.

TB

6

I have not been involved with this thread, so I will start at the
beginning. Please humor me.

What shows when you enter the command ‘dmesg | grep b43’?

Larry

7

Thanks, Larry.

I entered the command, as you said. I got all kinds of error messages:

b43-phy0: Broadcom 4318 WLAN found
input: b43-phy0 as /devices/virtual/input/input8
b43-phy0 ERROR: Firmware file “b43/ucode5.fw” not found or load failed.
b43-phy0 ERROR: You must go to b43 - Linux Wireless and download the latest firmware (version 4).
input: b43-phy0 as /devices/virtual/input/input9
b43-phy0 ERROR: Firmware file “b43/ucode5.fw” not found or load failed.
b43-phy0 ERROR: You must go to b43 - Linux Wireless and download the latest firmware (version 4).

It repeated this several times, for input 8, input 9, etc., up to input 20.

I went to the site listed, and as instructed typed the command:
sudo /usr/sbin/install_bcm43xx_firmware

It tells me it was installed successfully:

b43 firmware successfully installed.
b43legacy firmware successfully installed.

(Still no wifi, though…)

TB

8

Now that you have the firmware installed correctly, your wireless
should be able to see your AP. To verify that, enter the command

/usr/sbin/iwlist scan

and see what shows up. At this point, be sure that your wireless
switch is on.

The next thing is to start YaST => Network Devices => Network
Settings. Under the “Global Options” tab, choose if you want
traditional ifup control, or control with NetworkManager. The latter
is easier to configure and I recommend it. After you issue the Finish
there, the NM applet should be present. If you use KDE, it will be in
the lower-right hand corner of the screen. For Gnome, it is in the
upper right-hand corner of the screen. Click on it and select the New
Connection item. In the screens that follow, describe the essid of
your AP, and the encryption details. Although the “Connect and Save”
button will be active, do not click on it until the “Next” button goes
inactive.

Once you do these, you should have a connection. If not, enter the
command ‘/sbin/lspci -nnv’ and post the section that describes your
BCM4318. Some versions of that card have a programming error in the
SPROM. It does not affect the old driver bcm43xx, but b43 will not
work with it. If your card is one of these, we have a workaround.

Larry

Larry

9

Larry,

I’m VERY close. The wi-fi card is clearly working now, and it’s a matter of configuring it for my wi-fi network.

I did as you said, switched the card on and ran /usr/sbin/iwlist scan. It saw my network and other networks nearby.

I went to Network Settings, Global Options, and selected the “control with NetworkManager” option. Clicked Finish.

I’m not seeing the NM applet. I’m using KDE. I don’t see anything. What exactly am I looking for?

I installed wi-fi radar: it is now seeing my wireless network, but I’m having no luck at all configuring it.

I am VERY close…

TB

10

The KNM applet should be in the lower right-hand corner of the screen,
next to the openSUSE update icon. When running wireless, it shows the
signal strength. If it is not running, you can start it from Start =>
Applications => System => Desktop Applet => Network Manager.

Larry