fedora 9 bcm4328 wireless not working

[priyadarshanh]

I installed a fresh fedora 9 from my old fedora 7. I am now running kernel 2.6.27.5-37.fc9.x86_64 on my dv6449 laptop. I get the following error when I try to install ndiswrapper using yum

yum install ndiswrapper
Resolving Dependencies
--> Running transaction check
---> Package ndiswrapper.x86_64 0:1.53-2.fc9 set to be updated
--> Processing Dependency: ndiswrapper-kmod >= 1.53 for package: ndiswrapper
--> Running transaction check
---> Package kmod-ndiswrapper.x86_64 0:1.53-5.fc9.7 set to be updated
--> Processing Dependency: kmod-ndiswrapper-2.6.27.5-41.fc9.x86_64 = 1.53-5.fc9.7 for package: kmod-ndiswrapper
--> Running transaction check
---> Package kmod-ndiswrapper-2.6.27.5-41.fc9.x86_64.x86_64 0:1.53-5.fc9.7 set to be updated
--> Processing Dependency: kernel-uname-r = 2.6.27.5-41.fc9.x86_64 for package: kmod-ndiswrapper-2.6.27.5-41.fc9.x86_64
--> Finished Dependency Resolution
kmod-ndiswrapper-2.6.27.5-41.fc9.x86_64-1.53-5.fc9.7.x86_64 from rpmfusion-free-updates has depsolving problems
--> Missing Dependency: kernel-uname-r = 2.6.27.5-41.fc9.x86_64 is needed by package kmod-ndiswrapper-2.6.27.5-41.fc9.x86_64-1.53-5.fc9.7.x86_64 (rpmfusion-free-updates)
Error: Missing Dependency: kernel-uname-r = 2.6.27.5-41.fc9.x86_64 is needed by package kmod-ndiswrapper-2.6.27.5-41.fc9.x86_64-1.53-5.fc9.7.x86_64 (rpmfusion-free-updates)

===========================================
I am unable to install kernel 2.6.27.5-41.fc9.x86_64 through yum. I get an error message saying that package not found.

The system was very unstable with fedora 7. I had with great difficulty managed to make wireless work with fedora 7. I thought everything would be fine and stable with fedora 9 as the latest 10 is scheduled to be released shortly.

Is there any other method of enabling wireless?

Please help I have exams coming shortly and I desperately need to enable the wireless network to work in my lab.

Thanks for any help.
Priyadarshan

[priyadarshanh]

I am sorry I did not mention my wireless device. It is BCM4328. I tried using bcm43xx-fwcutter. It is not working.

===========
Priyadarshan

[stoat]

Hello priyadarshanh,

The rpmfusion kmod-ndiswrapper is actually a sort of group of three packages. Sometimes, you can find yourself in the situation where one of them will require a kernel newer than the one you have installed. It's all happened before (http://forums.fedoraforum.org/showthread.php?t=200092). You have two choices: 1) update your kernel, or 2) install and use the yum-allowdowngrade plugin to install the older group of kmod-ndiswrapper packages for your current kernel.

In that link that I provided above, the steps to install and use the yum-allowdowngrade plugin can be found. But Psycho and I sort of thrashed around a bit at first. If you're interested in that idea, then read the whole thread. But the procedure doesn't get clearly figured out by Psycho and me until post #9.



I am unable to install kernel 2.6.27.5-41.fc9.x86_64 through yum. I get an error message saying that package not found.Just do yum update kernel or simply yum update and the latest kernel will get installed.



I tried using bcm43xx-fwcutter. It is not working.You never had a chance with bcm43xx-fwcutter. The bcm43xx native driver may still be in use by other distros (I still use it with Debian Etch), but it was replaced by b43 in Fedora way back in version 7. There is no bcm43xx module included with Fedora since then. Not only that, but I'm not so sure that the 4328 chipset is supported by b43 (at least according to linuxwireless.org (http://linuxwireless.org/en/users/Drivers/b43) which is sort of the "home" for b43 nowadays). But it won't hurt to search the forum with "b43+BCM4328".

[priyadarshanh]

Thanks for the quick response.

I tried with b43-fwcutter. I restarted the NetworkManager but still no success.

I used the following procedure for b43-fwcutter

wget http://downloads.openwrt.org/sources/broadcom-wl-4.80.53.0.tar.bz2
tar -jxvf broadcom-wl-4.80.53.0.tar.bz2
service NetworkManager restart

The /var/log/messages show the following

==============================
Nov 26 21:34:28 bhushana NetworkManager: <info> starting...
Nov 26 21:34:28 bhushana NetworkManager: <WARN> nm_generic_enable_loopback(): error -17 returned from rtnl_addr_add():#012Sucess#012
Nov 26 21:34:28 bhushana NetworkManager: <info> eth0: driver is 'forcedeth'.
Nov 26 21:34:28 bhushana NetworkManager: <info> Found new Ethernet device 'eth0'.
Nov 26 21:34:28 bhushana NetworkManager: <info> (eth0): exported as /org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/net_00_1b_24_85_fb_72
Nov 26 21:34:28 bhushana NetworkManager: <info> (eth0): now unmanaged
Nov 26 21:34:28 bhushana NetworkManager: <info> (eth0): carrier now ON (device state 1)
===========================

In fact I am unable to use my static ethernet link with NetworkManager. I had to use "service network start" to use eth0. Why is NetworkManager not able to configure my eth0? This was never a problem in fedora 7.

I am downloading latest kernel. I will post the status as soon as I am done with it.

=========
Priyadarshan

[priyadarshanh]

I was able to down load and install ndiswrapper. After installing ndiswrapper through yum I did the following

1. Downloaded R140746.EXE from
http://ftp.us.dell.com/network/R140746.EXE

2. unzip R140746.EXE

3. ndiswrapper -i bcmwl5.inf

4. echo "blacklist bcm43xx" >> /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist
$ndiswrapper -i bcmwl5.inf
installing bcmwl5 ...
$ndiswrapper -l
bcmwl5 : driver installed
device (14E4:4328) present (alternate driver: ssb)

$ ndiswrapper -m
$modprobe ndiswrapper

I checked the /etc/modprobe.conf file. It contains the entry alias wlan0 ndiswrapper.
Everything worked without errors. But I am still not getting the wireless indicator of the laptop.

When I restart NetworkManager I get the following messages
Stopping NetworkManager daemon: [ OK ]
Setting network parameters... [ OK ]
Starting NetworkManager daemon: [ OK ]
Waiting for network... [FAILED]


===============================
What should I do now?

Thanks
Priyadarshan

[priyadarshanh]

Do I need to make an entry for ifcfg-wlan0 in the /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts directory. If so what do I have to enter in that file?

Thanks
Priyadarshan

[priyadarshanh]

I tried running ethtool -i wlan0 the output is

"Cannot get driver information: No such device"

So what did ndiswrapper do? Why don't see information about wlan0?

I am stuck now. What else should I do?

==========
Priyadarshan

[stoat]

Do I need to make an entry for ifcfg-wlan0 in the /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts directory.That's the config file for wireless connections in the Network Configuration utility. With NM, I don't create any wireless connections in the Network Configuration utility anymore. And I just checked to be sure: I don't have a wireless connection in the Network Configuration utility (system-config-network), nor do I have the file /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-wlan0. Yet I am connected now with NM and using WPA encryption.



What else should I do?I don't really know. The steps described by you in post #5 are the standard steps. But some harmless (at least reversible) things to try...
After running modprobe ndiswrapper (or rebooting), ensure that the ndiswrapper module is being loaded.../sbin/lsmod | sortNdiswrapper should be in the list, and b43 should not be. If b43 is there, you should blacklist it. Do that like you did for bcm43xx. BTW, there is no bcm43xx anymore. Remember? It does no harm to blacklist a module that doesn't exist, but it's not necessary either.


Many people also blacklist the alternate driver (ssb).


I like to run the command ndiswrapper -mi. According to ndiswrapper help, it will "write module install configuration for all devices". Now, doing that command will over-write /etc/modprobe.d/ndiswrapper and whatever is there now (probably that same alias line that's in /etc/modprobe.conf). That helped me by loading the kernel module at boot. It also helped Smando (http://forums.fedoraforum.org/showthread.php?t=202188).Just some things to think about. No promises with any of these things.

[tipaul]

Don't know if it's related to same problem on Ubuntu but i know that there is a conflit between ndiswrapper & ssb...

Normally, ndiswrapper module must be loaded before ssb:
rmmod ndiswrapper
rmmod ssb
modprobe ndiswrapper
modprobe ssb

On my (Dell Inspiron 5150) laptop i also got a b44 which is my wired network port. I had to remove b44 before ssb also... and load it back at the end...

I have some concerns about replacing Ubuntu with Fedora on my laptop... Seems that with Broadcomm wireless hardware, all distributions have problem. (Related to the company itself vs the kernel greather than 2.6.24)

[priyadarshanh]

This is the output of lspci -vvv

==============================
03:00.0 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4328 802.11a/b/g/n (rev 03)
Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Unknown device 1366
Control: I/O- Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR+ FastB2B- DisINTx-
Status: Cap+ 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B- ParErr- DEVSEL=fast >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR- INTx-
Latency: 0, Cache Line Size: 64 bytes
Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 19
Region 0: Memory at b6000000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16K]
Region 2: Memory at d0200000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [size=1M]
Capabilities: [40] Power Management version 2
Flags: PMEClk- DSI- D1+ D2+ AuxCurrent=0mA PME(D0-,D1-,D2-,D3hot-,D3cold-)
Status: D0 PME-Enable- DSel=0 DScale=2 PME-
Capabilities: [58] Vendor Specific Information <?>
Capabilities: [e8] Message Signalled Interrupts: Mask- 64bit+ Queue=0/0 Enable-
Address: 0000000000000000 Data: 0000
Capabilities: [d0] Express (v1) Endpoint, MSI 00
DevCap: MaxPayload 128 bytes, PhantFunc 0, Latency L0s <4us, L1 unlimited
ExtTag+ AttnBtn- AttnInd- PwrInd- RBE+ FLReset-
DevCtl: Report errors: Correctable- Non-Fatal- Fatal- Unsupported-
RlxdOrd- ExtTag- PhantFunc- AuxPwr- NoSnoop-
MaxPayload 128 bytes, MaxReadReq 128 bytes
DevSta: CorrErr+ UncorrErr- FatalErr- UnsuppReq+ AuxPwr- TransPend-
LnkCap: Port #0, Speed 2.5GT/s, Width x1, ASPM L0s, Latency L0 <4us, L1 <64us
ClockPM- Suprise+ LLActRep- BwNot-
LnkCtl: ASPM Disabled; RCB 64 bytes Disabled- Retrain- CommClk+
ExtSynch- ClockPM- AutWidDis- BWInt- AutBWInt-
LnkSta: Speed 2.5GT/s, Width x1, TrErr- Train- SlotClk+ DLActive- BWMgmt- ABWMgmt-
Capabilities: [100] Advanced Error Reporting <?>
Capabilities: [13c] Virtual Channel <?>
Capabilities: [160] Device Serial Number 1a-00-89-ff-ff-73-6b-73
Capabilities: [16c] Power Budgeting <?>
Kernel driver in use: b43-pci-bridge
Kernel modules: ssb
================================

As a side effect I managed to make NetworkManager to work with static ip address of eth0. I clicked on the "Controlled by Network Manager"box inside System-->Administration-->Network for eth0.

I have tried static address for wlan0 using System-->Administration-->Network tool. When I restart the network I get the message
"ndiswrapper device wlan0 does not seem to be present, delaying initialization."

But as seen above lspci -vvv shows that the wireless device has been detected. I guess that I just need to mention the exact device alias.

Question is how do I get the exact wireless device?

"alias wlan0 ndiswrapper" is NOT working.
"alias wlan1 b43" is also NOT working.


Please provide some input.
==============
Priyadarshan

[tipaul]

lspci only report the devices in your system... It doesn't tell if it's correctly detected by a module/driver...

And you seem to have an ndiswrapper trouble like i mentionned in my previous message...

Best way to see is that lsmod won't list your ndiswrapper module...

[priyadarshanh]

SUCCESS AT LAST. Thanks to stoat's suggestion.

I blacklisted b43. I guess this was the culprit. I saw it in lsmod.

Now the lspci -vvv shows that kernel driver is ndiswrapper (last but one line)
=========================
03:00.0 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4328 802.11a/b/g/n (rev 03)
Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Unknown device 1366
Control: I/O- Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR+ FastB2B- DisINTx-
Status: Cap+ 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B- ParErr- DEVSEL=fast >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR- INTx-
Latency: 0, Cache Line Size: 64 bytes
Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 19
Region 0: Memory at b6000000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16K]
Region 2: Memory at d0200000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [size=1M]
Capabilities: [40] Power Management version 2
Flags: PMEClk- DSI- D1+ D2+ AuxCurrent=0mA PME(D0-,D1-,D2-,D3hot-,D3cold-)
Status: D0 PME-Enable- DSel=0 DScale=2 PME-
Capabilities: [58] Vendor Specific Information <?>
Capabilities: [e8] Message Signalled Interrupts: Mask- 64bit+ Queue=0/0 Enable-
Address: 0000000000000000 Data: 0000
Capabilities: [d0] Express (v1) Endpoint, MSI 00
DevCap: MaxPayload 128 bytes, PhantFunc 0, Latency L0s <4us, L1 unlimited
ExtTag+ AttnBtn+ AttnInd+ PwrInd- RBE+ FLReset-
DevCtl: Report errors: Correctable- Non-Fatal- Fatal- Unsupported-
RlxdOrd- ExtTag- PhantFunc- AuxPwr- NoSnoop-
MaxPayload 128 bytes, MaxReadReq 128 bytes
DevSta: CorrErr+ UncorrErr- FatalErr- UnsuppReq+ AuxPwr- TransPend-
LnkCap: Port #0, Speed 2.5GT/s, Width x1, ASPM L0s, Latency L0 <4us, L1 <64us
ClockPM+ Suprise+ LLActRep- BwNot-
LnkCtl: ASPM L0s L1 Enabled; RCB 64 bytes Disabled- Retrain- CommClk+
ExtSynch- ClockPM- AutWidDis- BWInt- AutBWInt-
LnkSta: Speed 2.5GT/s, Width x1, TrErr- Train- SlotClk+ DLActive- BWMgmt- ABWMgmt-
Capabilities: [100] Advanced Error Reporting <?>
Capabilities: [13c] Virtual Channel <?>
Capabilities: [160] Device Serial Number 1a-00-89-ff-ff-73-6b-73
Capabilities: [16c] Power Budgeting <?>
Kernel driver in use: ndiswrapper
Kernel modules: ssb
============================

I configured it to use static ip using the NM icon.

I am using BUFFALO Air Station in my hostel room. Any idea on how to configure it to give DHCP address? I need the laptop to get automatic address from my lab when I go there tomorrow.

Thankyou Again. I can relax a bit now.

=============
Priyadarshan

[priyadarshanh]

lspci only report the devices in your system... It doesn't tell if it's correctly detected by a module/driver...

And you seem to have an ndiswrapper trouble like i mentionned in my previous message...

Best way to see is that lsmod won't list your ndiswrapper module...

Right now ndiswrapper is working with b43 blacklisted.I will reverse this and see if b43 also works.

Question: How does on identify the alias for wlan0 or for any other device given that some driver like b43 or ndiswrapper has been loaded?

Thanks
Priyadarshan

[priyadarshanh]

I will check if b43 alone works tomorrow and post the results.

It is 1:00am here. I will catch up with sleep now.

Thanks to Fedora Forum I wouldn't have been able to solve this problem alone.

Priyadarshan

[stoat]

Right now ndiswrapper is working with b43 blacklisted.Normally b43 will not load if ndiswrapper is being used, and therefore usually does not need to be blacklisted. Actually, you may have caused that to happen with this...

"alias wlan1 b43" is also NOT working.The next time you install, you may find that b43 does not load if you omit that step (or even now if you remove that alias).



...I will reverse this and see if b43 also works.Okay, if you must. Or if you're just curious and have to know. But if ndiswrapper is working, I would discourage you from changing anything now. I find them (ndiswrapper and b43) to be roughly equivalent. I do prefer b43, but it's mostly related to update issues with those kmod packages (not performance).



P.S.: For the record, here is a summary of what I believe were the only relevant steps today (mostly yours from post #5)...
Download and unzip R140746.EXE from http://ftp.us.dell.com/network/R140746.EXE.
ndiswrapper -i bcmwl5.inf
ndiswrapper -m
echo "alias wlan0 ndiswrapper" >> /etc/modprobe.conf

NOTE: Or ndiswrapper -mi could be tried in place of (not in addition to) the last two steps.


Reboot and establish connection using the NM tray icon.

[priyadarshanh]

I have removed b43 from blacklist. I have also removed the "alias wlan1 b43" entry from modprobe.conf. ndiswrapper and wlan are working fine!

I checked the website for b43 driver supported bcm43xx devices. bcm4328 is not in the supported list yet.
See
http://linuxwireless.org/en/users/Drivers/b43?action=show&redirect=en%2Fusers%2FDrivers%2Fbcm43xx#supported

for list of b43 supported bcm43xx devices.

As ndiswrapper is working fine I will not fiddle with it for the time being.

I guess the main problems were :

1. That my config files were pointing to repositories which are not updated regularly. When I changed that I was able to use "yum install ndiwrapper" and everything went smooth.

2. I had to enable the "Controlled by NetworkManager" option through System-->Administration-->Network.

3. ndiswrapper was clashing with b43 driver. I had to remove b43 manually.

Question is "why was b43 loaded?". Was it because of the line "alias wlan1 b43"? Or does b43 load automatically of laptops with broadcom wireless?

[stoat]

Question is "why was b43 loaded?". Was it because of the line "alias wlan1 b43"? Or does b43 load automatically of laptops with broadcom wireless?Well, some people think that nowadays the b43 kernel module will not be loaded if ndiswrapper is being used. So I have to believe that the module was loaded because of the alias line mentioning b43 that you added when you were trying various things earlier. Even the old ndiswrapper installation instructions (which vanished from the Internet when ndiswrapper went to the sourceforge site), used to say that adding an ndiswrapper alias for wlan0 in /etc/modprobe.conf should be done to make the ndiswrapper module load in Fedora. So, it stands to reason (in my mind, anyway) that the same effect could occur from a b43 alias. But I think the /sbin/lsmod step is always something that should be checked anyway. Just to be sure.