openSUSE 11 and bcm43xx-fwcutter/ndiswrapper?

janoholm · June 21, 2008, 11:50am

Thanks Cookdav for seeing that!

I had used Yast->Configured Update and after that Update, and only one secure- and 5 updates went in. I was confused, because I read, that there was hundredres of updates to RC1.

Now my laptop is updating from a cable-conn. Do you think I shall try the b43legacy-driver again? Because the ndiswrapper-solution is not without problems:confused: I have to do several of the advices written on the opensuse/ndiswrapper-page:

load ndiswrapper module from /etc/sysconfig/kernel
use ifup instead of NM
tried to switch of encrypt

Jan

cookdav · June 21, 2008, 2:08pm

I don’t have that device, and even tho I’m a real ndiswrapper-lover,
I’d recommend you try the native drivers first.

My 2-cents…

Dave*

mikxi · June 21, 2008, 3:23pm

Hi Guys, I have been trying to get my broadcom card working by following this thread but having probs with wget. I want to try networkmanager but cant find it anywhere and cannot invoke it from the terminal. So far, suse 11 is not working well on this lappy, (acer 7520). The display is rendering very slowly so a line typed into the terminal is taking several seconds to render. This is making it heavy going, but maybe if I can sort the wireless, I can then move onto the display problem.

Any help appreciated.

user · June 21, 2008, 8:06pm

cookdav wrote:
> janoholm;1822120 Wrote:
>> Thanks Cookdav for seeing that!
>> Do you think I shall try the b43legacy-driver again? Because the
>> ndiswrapper-solution is not without problems:confused: I have to do
>> several of the advices written on the opensuse/ndiswrapper-page:
>> - load ndiswrapper module from /etc/sysconfig/kernel
>> - use ifup instead of NM
>> - tried to switch of encrypt
>>
>> Jan
>
> I don’t have that device, and even tho I’m a real ndiswrapper-lover,
> I’d recommend you try the native drivers first.
>
> **

You should use NM and b43legacy, rather than ndiswrapper.

I did the conversion of bcm43xx to create b43legacy, thus I know it
works. There are some problems for Ubuntu users that have rfkill
switches, but I’m not aware of any with openSUSE kernels. The main
reason not to use ndiswrapper is that I am now working with the
reverse engineering team that is writing the specifications for
extending b43 to work with the latest Broadcom devices. In that work,
I see how little error checking that Broadcom does relative to the
open-source Linux driver. I have not done any RE on the Windows
driver, but I would expect the same philosophy. Of course, any
undetected error leads to a “Blue Screen of Death” on Windows, and an
equally messy crash in Linux. To add further insult, no Linux
developer will even look at any crash from the “tainted” kernel that
results from loading a non-GPLed driver. Once you run arbitrary code
at the inner-most level, all bets are off.

To help understand why you are having a problem, please post the output of

sudo iwlist scan
ifconfig
iwconfig
dmesg | grep ssb
dmesg | grep b43

Larry

mikxi · June 21, 2008, 9:52pm

Hi Larry, I know you are not trying to help me but I did what you suggested:

mike@linux-i4x0:~> su
Password:
linux-i4x0:/home/mike # iwlist scan
lo        Interface doesn't support scanning.

eth0      Interface doesn't support scanning.

irda0     Interface doesn't support scanning.

wmaster0  Interface doesn't support scanning.

wlan0     Interface doesn't support scanning : Network is down

linux-i4x0:/home/mike # ifconfig
eth0      Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr 00:1D:72:01:CE:5C
          inet addr:192.168.1.64  Bcast:192.168.1.255  Mask:255.255.255.0
          inet6 addr: fe80::21d:72ff:fe01:ce5c/64 Scope:Link
          UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1
          RX packets:1948 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:1562 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000
          RX bytes:1985912 (1.8 Mb)  TX bytes:215111 (210.0 Kb)
          Interrupt:16

irda0     Link encap:IrLAP  HWaddr 0a:91:e6:e8
          UP RUNNING NOARP  MTU:2048  Metric:1
          RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:8
          RX bytes:0 (0.0 b)  TX bytes:0 (0.0 b)

lo        Link encap:Local Loopback
          inet addr:127.0.0.1  Mask:255.0.0.0
          inet6 addr: ::1/128 Scope:Host
          UP LOOPBACK RUNNING  MTU:16436  Metric:1
          RX packets:32 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:32 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:0
          RX bytes:2056 (2.0 Kb)  TX bytes:2056 (2.0 Kb)

linux-i4x0:/home/mike # iwconfig
lo        no wireless extensions.

eth0      no wireless extensions.

irda0     no wireless extensions.

wmaster0  no wireless extensions.

wlan0     IEEE 802.11g  ESSID:""
          Mode:Managed  Channel:0  Access Point: Not-Associated
          Tx-Power=0 dBm
          Retry min limit:7   RTS thr:off   Fragment thr=2352 B
          Encryption key:off
          Link Quality:0  Signal level:0  Noise level:0
          Rx invalid nwid:0  Rx invalid crypt:0  Rx invalid frag:0
          Tx excessive retries:0  Invalid misc:0   Missed beacon:0

linux-i4x0:/home/mike # dmesg | grep ssb
ssb: Sonics Silicon Backplane found on PCI device 0000:05:00.0
linux-i4x0:/home/mike # dmesg | grep b43
b43-phy0: Broadcom 4311 WLAN found
input: b43-phy0 as /devices/virtual/input/input10
b43-phy0 ERROR: Firmware file "b43/ucode5.fw" not found or load failed.
b43-phy0 ERROR: You must go to http://linuxwireless.org/en/users/Drivers/b43#devicefirmware and download the latest firmware (version 4).
input: b43-phy0 as /devices/virtual/input/input11
b43-phy0 ERROR: Firmware file "b43/ucode5.fw" not found or load failed.
b43-phy0 ERROR: You must go to http://linuxwireless.org/en/users/Drivers/b43#devicefirmware and download the latest firmware (version 4).
linux-i4x0:/home/mike #

I followed the instructions in the last bit but could not find version 4. In fact, none of this makes any sense to me.

user · June 21, 2008, 10:28pm

mikxi wrote:
> Hi Larry, I know you are not trying to help me but I did what you
> suggested:
>
>
> Code:
> --------------------
> mike@linux-i4x0:~> su
> Password:
> linux-i4x0:/home/mike # iwlist scan
> lo Interface doesn’t support scanning.
>
> eth0 Interface doesn’t support scanning.
>
> irda0 Interface doesn’t support scanning.
>
> wmaster0 Interface doesn’t support scanning.
>
> wlan0 Interface doesn’t support scanning : Network is down
>
> linux-i4x0:/home/mike # ifconfig
> eth0 Link encap:Ethernet HWaddr 00:1D:72:01:CE:5C
> inet addr:192.168.1.64 Bcast:192.168.1.255 Mask:255.255.255.0
> inet6 addr: fe80::21d:72ff:fe01:ce5c/64 Scope:Link
> UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1
> RX packets:1948 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
> TX packets:1562 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
> collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000
> RX bytes:1985912 (1.8 Mb) TX bytes:215111 (210.0 Kb)
> Interrupt:16
>
> irda0 Link encap:IrLAP HWaddr 0a:91:e6:e8
> UP RUNNING NOARP MTU:2048 Metric:1
> RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
> TX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
> collisions:0 txqueuelen:8
> RX bytes:0 (0.0 b) TX bytes:0 (0.0 b)
>
> lo Link encap:Local Loopback
> inet addr:127.0.0.1 Mask:255.0.0.0
> inet6 addr: ::1/128 Scope:Host
> UP LOOPBACK RUNNING MTU:16436 Metric:1
> RX packets:32 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
> TX packets:32 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
> collisions:0 txqueuelen:0
> RX bytes:2056 (2.0 Kb) TX bytes:2056 (2.0 Kb)
>
> linux-i4x0:/home/mike # iwconfig
> lo no wireless extensions.
>
> eth0 no wireless extensions.
>
> irda0 no wireless extensions.
>
> wmaster0 no wireless extensions.
>
> wlan0 IEEE 802.11g ESSID:""
> Mode:Managed Channel:0 Access Point: Not-Associated
> Tx-Power=0 dBm
> Retry min limit:7 RTS thr:off Fragment thr=2352 B
> Encryption key:off
> Link Quality:0 Signal level:0 Noise level:0
> Rx invalid nwid:0 Rx invalid crypt:0 Rx invalid frag:0
> Tx excessive retries:0 Invalid misc:0 Missed beacon:0
>
> linux-i4x0:/home/mike # dmesg | grep ssb
> ssb: Sonics Silicon Backplane found on PCI device 0000:05:00.0
> linux-i4x0:/home/mike # dmesg | grep b43
> b43-phy0: Broadcom 4311 WLAN found
> input: b43-phy0 as /devices/virtual/input/input10
> b43-phy0 ERROR: Firmware file “b43/ucode5.fw” not found or load failed.
> b43-phy0 ERROR: You must go to http://linuxwireless.org/en/users/Drivers/b43#devicefirmware and download the latest firmware (version 4).
> input: b43-phy0 as /devices/virtual/input/input11
> b43-phy0 ERROR: Firmware file “b43/ucode5.fw” not found or load failed.
> b43-phy0 ERROR: You must go to http://linuxwireless.org/en/users/Drivers/b43#devicefirmware and download the latest firmware (version 4).
> linux-i4x0:/home/mike #
> --------------------
>
>
> I followed the instructions in the last bit but could not find version
> 4. In fact, none of this makes any sense to me.

You need to do the part under the section labeled “You are using the
b43 driver from linux-2.6.25 or newer” as this is what you are doing
with 11.0. Version 4 firmware is used for the devices that need b43.
Version 3 is strictly for the older bcm43xx driver, and for the
b43legacy driver used by 802.11b devices and the earliest BCM4306 cards.

The kernel message won’t mention an alternative because it is only
valid for openSUSE, but you can enter the command

sudo /usr/sbin/install_bcm43xx_firmware

in a console window. This script will install the correct firmware as
long as you have a network connection.

Larry

mikxi · June 22, 2008, 1:01am

Wow, thanks Larry, that sorted it in 2 minutes! I have spent most of the day trying to get the wireless working. There is so much stuff out there it is hard to find the right solution.

I really admire you guys who work on this stuff. I just ran iwconfig and it tells me I have a link level of 93/100 and a bit rate of 54 mb/s. I am currently running Mandriva as my primary OS but will move to suse 11 if I can sort out the video problem. I ended up using ndiswrapper on Mandriva because the bcm driver I used only gave a low link level with sporadic connection and a speed of 24 mb/s. Probably using the wrong driver?

Anyway, thanks again for making it so easy.
Cheers, Mike.

user · June 22, 2008, 1:24am

mikxi wrote:
> Larry Finger;1822549 Wrote:
>> The kernel message won’t mention an alternative because it is only
>> valid for openSUSE, but you can enter the command
>>
>> sudo /usr/sbin/install_bcm43xx_firmware
>>
>> in a console window. This script will install the correct firmware as
>> long as you have a network connection.
>>
>> Larry
>
> Wow, thanks Larry, that sorted it in 2 minutes! I have spent most of
> the day trying to get the wireless working. There is so much stuff out
> there it is hard to find the right solution.
>
> I really admire you guys who work on this stuff. I just ran iwconfig
> and it tells me I have a link level of 93/100 and a bit rate of 54
> mb/s. I am currently running Mandriva as my primary OS but will move
> to suse 11 if I can sort out the video problem. I ended up using
> ndiswrapper on Mandriva because the bcm driver I used only gave a low
> link level with sporadic connection and a speed of 24 mb/s. Probably
> using the wrong driver?
>
> Anyway, thanks again for making it so easy.

You are welcome.

The speed difference is the result of many improvements to the
open-source driver since kernels 2.6.23. There are many more coming.
For instance, open-source firmware is working for read operations for
some PHY revisions. Once it is fully operational, the distros will be
able to include usable firmware on their CD, and all of this will be
only an ugly set of memories.

Larry

mikxi · June 22, 2008, 1:45am

That sounds great.
Incidently, I rebooted a couple times since my last post and checked iwconfig, and strangely, each time I rebooted, the bit rate changed, first to 36 mb/s and this time it is only showing 12 mb/s. Can you shed any light on this?

Cheers, mike

user · June 22, 2008, 2:59am

mikxi wrote:
> That sounds great.
> Incidently, I rebooted a couple times since my last post and checked
> iwconfig, and strangely, each time I rebooted, the bit rate changed,
> first to 36 mb/s and this time it is only showing 12 mb/s. Can you shed
> any light on this?

It starts at 1 Mbs and will adjust the speed using an algorithm
implemented in mac80211. I don’t know the details, but it will
increase the rate such that the error rate is tolerable.

Larry

user · June 22, 2008, 3:44pm

I tried using bcm43 on my broadcom (which I know works from ubuntu and fedora), but it’s not showing up in networkmanager.

Well, it’s still trying to use ssb, when I have bcm43xx installed.

The blue light (on) is on after I installed bcm43xx, but I can’t use it.


:~> dmesg | grep b43
b43-phy0: Broadcom 4311 WLAN found
input: b43-phy0 as /devices/virtual/input/input11
b43-phy0: Loading firmware version 410.2160 (2007-05-26 15:32:10)
Registered led device: b43-phy0::tx
Registered led device: b43-phy0::rx
Registered led device: b43-phy0::radio
b43-phy0: Radio hardware status changed to DISABLED
b43-phy0 ERROR: PHY transmission error

Though, nothing actually happened. Running:

 # modprobe bcm43xx
FATAL: Module bcm43xx not found.

What should I do?

user · June 22, 2008, 4:51pm

trident523 wrote:
> I tried using bcm43 on my broadcom (which I know works from ubuntu and
> fedora), but it’s not showing up in networkmanager.
>
> Well, it’s still trying to use ssb, when I have bcm43xx installed.

It should use ssb. The 11.0 standard kernel does not have bcm43xx
configured. Yes, the code for bcm43xx is in the 2.6.25 kernel, but it
has been removed from 2.6.26. With the new scheme, ssb is the driver
for the PCI section of the device. Once it loads, it determines the
revision level of the 802.11 core of the device and loads either b43
or b43legacy depending on what you have. Your system uses b43.

>
> The blue light (on) is on after I installed bcm43xx, but I can’t use
> it.

How did you install bcm43xx?

>
> Code:
> --------------------
>
> :~> dmesg | grep b43
> b43-phy0: Broadcom 4311 WLAN found
> input: b43-phy0 as /devices/virtual/input/input11
> b43-phy0: Loading firmware version 410.2160 (2007-05-26 15:32:10)
> Registered led device: b43-phy0::tx
> Registered led device: b43-phy0::rx
> Registered led device: b43-phy0::radio
> b43-phy0: Radio hardware status changed to DISABLED
> b43-phy0 ERROR: PHY transmission error

As long as you get only one of the PHY transmission errors, you can
ignore it. That has been fixed in 2.6.26, but it isn’t important. The
“Radio hardware status changed to DISABLED” message says that your
radio enable switch is off. That cannot be set by the driver - only by
the switch.

> --------------------
>
>
> Though, nothing actually happened. Running:
>
> Code:
> --------------------
> # modprobe bcm43xx
> FATAL: Module bcm43xx not found.

As stated earlier, that module is not built.

> --------------------
>
>
> What should I do?

Turn on the radio enable switch. Otherwise, I see nothing wrong. What
do the commands below show?

ifconfig
iwconfig
sudo iwlist s

Larry

janoholm · June 22, 2008, 8:19pm

Hope that Larry will take a look on out from my old BCM4301/03:)
I tried to go back to the bc43legacy-driver after upgrade of my 11.0 RC1.

As I can read the error, it also seems like the wireless-bottom should be pressed. But if I do that, the “iwlist wlan0 scan” dont find my wireless network. The LED ligth is blue always, even when I push the bottom.

From last time I poste my output I have switched from WPA-PSK and to WEP on the router, hooping the b43legacy-driver better handle that.

Here is the current output:
uname -a:
Linux linux-l1bn 2.6.25.4-10-pae #1 SMP 2008-05-28 16:25:04 +0200 i686 athlon i386 GNU/Linux

lspci |grep BCM:
02:02.0 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4303 802.11b Wireless LAN Controller (rev 02)
iwconfig wlan0:
wlan0 IEEE 802.11b ESSID:“Greven”
Mode:Managed Frequency:2.452 GHz Access Point: 00:0C:84:01:69:38
Tx-Power=27 dBm
Retry min limit:7 RTS thr:off Fragment thr=2352 B
Encryption key:E235-4855-11
Link Quality:0 Signal level:0 Noise level:0
Rx invalid nwid:0 Rx invalid crypt:0 Rx invalid frag:0
Tx excessive retries:0 Invalid misc:0 Missed beacon:0

iwlist wlan0 scan:
wlan0 Scan completed :
Cell 01 - Address: 00:0C:84:01:69:38
ESSID:“Greven”
Mode:Master
Channel:9
Frequency:2.452 GHz (Channel 9)
Quality=61/100 Signal level=-51 dBm Noise level=-45 dBm
Encryption key:on
Bit Rates:1 Mb/s; 2 Mb/s; 5.5 Mb/s; 11 Mb/s
Extra:tsf=000000017b1871f3

dmesg | grep b43:
b43legacy-phy0: Broadcom 4301 WLAN found
input: b43legacy-phy0 as /devices/virtual/input/input9
b43legacy-phy0: Loading firmware version 0x127, patch level 14 (2005-04-18 02:36:27)
Registered led device: b43legacy-phy0:tx
Registered led device: b43legacy-phy0:rx
Registered led device: b43legacy-phy0:radio
b43legacy-phy0: Radio hardware status changed to DISABLED
input: b43legacy-phy0 as /devices/virtual/input/input10
b43legacy-phy0: Loading firmware version 0x127, patch level 14 (2005-04-18 02:36:27)
Registered led device: b43legacy-phy0:tx
Registered led device: b43legacy-phy0:rx
Registered led device: b43legacy-phy0:radio
b43legacy-phy0: Radio hardware status changed to DISABLED
b43legacy-phy0: Radio turned on by software
b43legacy-phy0: The hardware RF-kill button still turns the radio physically off. Press the button to turn it on.

cat /var/log/messages |grep b43legacy-phy0 |tail:
Jun 22 19:39:14 linux-l1bn kernel: Registered led device: b43legacy-phy0:radio
Jun 22 19:39:14 linux-l1bn kernel: b43legacy-phy0: Radio hardware status changed to DISABLED
Jun 22 19:50:15 linux-l1bn kernel: input: b43legacy-phy0 as /devices/virtual/input/input10
Jun 22 19:50:15 linux-l1bn kernel: b43legacy-phy0: Loading firmware version 0x127, patch level 14 (2005-04-18 02:36:27)
Jun 22 19:50:15 linux-l1bn kernel: Registered led device: b43legacy-phy0:tx
Jun 22 19:50:15 linux-l1bn kernel: Registered led device: b43legacy-phy0:rx
Jun 22 19:50:15 linux-l1bn kernel: Registered led device: b43legacy-phy0:radio
Jun 22 19:50:16 linux-l1bn kernel: b43legacy-phy0: Radio hardware status changed to DISABLED
Jun 22 19:50:56 linux-l1bn kernel: b43legacy-phy0: Radio turned on by software
Jun 22 19:50:56 linux-l1bn kernel: b43legacy-phy0: The hardware RF-kill button still turns the radio physically off. Press the button to turn it on.

cat /var/log/messages |grep wlan0 |tail:
Jun 22 19:50:15 linux-l1bn kernel: wlan0: Initial auth_alg=0
Jun 22 19:50:15 linux-l1bn kernel: wlan0: authenticate with AP 00:0c:84:01:69:38
Jun 22 19:50:15 linux-l1bn kernel: wlan0: authenticate with AP 00:0c:84:01:69:38
Jun 22 19:50:15 linux-l1bn ifup-dhcp: wlan0 (DHCP)
Jun 22 19:50:15 linux-l1bn dhcpcd[6086]: wlan0: dhcpcd 3.2.3 starting
Jun 22 19:50:15 linux-l1bn dhcpcd[6086]: wlan0: hardware address = 00:90:4b:57:ce:15
Jun 22 19:50:15 linux-l1bn dhcpcd[6086]: wlan0: DUID = 00:01:00:01:0f:ed:bc:1d:00:02:3f:24:32:4f
Jun 22 19:50:15 linux-l1bn dhcpcd[6086]: wlan0: broadcasting for a lease
Jun 22 19:50:15 linux-l1bn kernel: wlan0: authenticate with AP 00:0c:84:01:69:38
Jun 22 19:50:16 linux-l1bn kernel: wlan0: authentication with AP 00:0c:84:01:69:38 timed out

janoholm · June 22, 2008, 9:10pm

After reading this thread more carefully I understand that ssb is important concerning the b43/b43legacy-driver complex.

Larry ask for output from ssb, and I can see some error there. I dont know if that is important, but here it is:

dmesg | grep ssb:
ssb: Sonics Silicon Backplane found on PCI device 0000:02:02.0
b44 ssb0:1: Problem fetching invariants of chip, aborting.
b44: probe of ssb0:1 failed with error -22

Jan

user · June 22, 2008, 9:26pm

@Larry:

… Believe it or not, it started to work after disabling and enabling it a few times.

Now, it just won’t accept any WEP password. Going to try no security, but I do need WEP.

user · June 22, 2008, 9:44pm

After some rebooting and prodding, it started to work. Turns out, the light has nothing to do with it being actually enabled, as I had to slide the switch again to connect.

user · June 22, 2008, 9:51pm

trident523 wrote:
> @Larry:
>
> … Believe it or not, it started to work after disabling and enabling
> it a few times.
>
> Now, it just won’t accept any WEP password. Going to try no security,
> but I do need WEP.

How are you trying to do WEP? Are you using a passphrase or a hex key?
Are you aware that there are several methods for converting between
a WEP passphrase and a key? If your AP uses a different method, then
it will fail.

Larry

user · June 23, 2008, 2:06am

Hello there. I am a 100% Linux newbie. Yes, scary, I know. I’ve actually been attempting to run different distros of Linux for about 7 or 8 years now, but something always impedes me.

Today I installed openSUSE 11. My previous attempt was with openSUSE 10.3. What stopped me with 10.3 was the Broadcom ndiswrapper mess. There were so many conflicting instructions, and nothing seemed to work. Now I see with version 11 things have been simplified.

Please keep in mind, I am a total newbie. A lot of the posts in this thread go way over my head. I need to experience and use Linux so they will stop going over my head. Please try to explain things for a dullard who’s only been pointing and clicking on Windows and OS X most of his life.

I am using an HP Pavillion dv6000 laptop.

What I’ve done so far:

I followed quickshade’s instructions to the letter:

use the B43 driver as mentioned above, I was using Ndiswrapper because it worked, but now that I switched I’m happy to say that b43 works and is way faster for me, plus skips the “configuring” step now. Once you install fwcutter run these comands to get wireless.
Quote:
Use version 4.150.10.5 of Broadcom’s proprietary driver.
Download and extract the firmware from this driver tarball:

export FIRMWARE_INSTALL_DIR="/lib/firmware"
wget http://mirror2.openwrt.org/sources/b...0.10.5.tar.bz2
tar xjf broadcom-wl-4.150.10.5.tar.bz2
cd broadcom-wl-4.150.10.5/driver
sudo …/…/b43-fwcutter-011/b43-fwcutter -w “$FIRMWARE_INSTALL_DIR” wl_apsta_mimo.o

It’s that last step where things go wrong:

sudo …/…/b43-fwcutter-011/b43-fwcutter -w “$FIRMWARE_INSTALL_DIR” wl_apsta_mimo.o

After executing this command I receive an error:

sudo: …/…/b43-fwcutter-011/b43-fwcutter: command not found

And now I’m stuck. I really need the wireless to work or else there’s no point in having Linux on this machine. I really do want to learn Linux though so I beg someone PLEASE, break this down for an idiot.

user · June 23, 2008, 3:29am

Littlenatey wrote:
> Hello there. I am a 100% Linux newbie. Yes, scary, I know. I’ve actually
> been attempting to run different distros of Linux for about 7 or 8 years
> now, but something always impedes me.
>
> Today I installed openSUSE 11. My previous attempt was with openSUSE
> 10.3. What stopped me with 10.3 was the Broadcom ndiswrapper mess.
> There were so many conflicting instructions, and nothing seemed to
> work. Now I see with version 11 things have been simplified.
>
> Please keep in mind, I am a total newbie. A lot of the posts in this
> thread go way over my head. I need to experience and use Linux so they
> will stop going over my head. Please try to explain things for a
> dullard who’s only been pointing and clicking on Windows and OS X most
> of his life.
>
> I am using an HP Pavillion dv6000 laptop.
>
> What I’ve done so far:
>
> I followed quickshade’s instructions to the letter:
>
>> use the B43 driver as mentioned above, I was using Ndiswrapper because
>> it worked, but now that I switched I’m happy to say that b43 works and
>> is way faster for me, plus skips the “configuring” step now. Once you
>> install fwcutter run these comands to get wireless.
>> Quote:
>> Use version 4.150.10.5 of Broadcom’s proprietary driver.
>> Download and extract the firmware from this driver tarball:
>>
>> export FIRMWARE_INSTALL_DIR="/lib/firmware"
>> wget http://mirror2.openwrt.org/sources/b...0.10.5.tar.bz2
>> tar xjf broadcom-wl-4.150.10.5.tar.bz2
>> cd broadcom-wl-4.150.10.5/driver
>> sudo …/…/b43-fwcutter-011/b43-fwcutter -w “$FIRMWARE_INSTALL_DIR”
>> wl_apsta_mimo.o
>
> It’s that last step where things go wrong:
>
>> sudo …/…/b43-fwcutter-011/b43-fwcutter -w “$FIRMWARE_INSTALL_DIR”
>> wl_apsta_mimo.o
>
> After executing this command I receive an error:
>
>> sudo: …/…/b43-fwcutter-011/b43-fwcutter: command not found
>
> And now I’m stuck. I really need the wireless to work or else there’s
> no point in having Linux on this machine. I really do want to learn
> Linux though so I beg someone PLEASE, break this down for an idiot.

You are getting the error because you did only one of the two steps
required, or the first part failed because you don’t have the gcc
compiler installed. It doesn’t really matter. Open a terminal and
enter the command:

sudo /usr/sbin/install_bcm43xx_firmware

This script does the essential parts of the prescription you found at
linux-wireless; however, it is special for openSUSE, whereas the other
instructions are for all distros.

Larry

user · June 23, 2008, 4:04am

Thank you so VERY VERY much! Worked like a charm!