How to get Wireless Internet on my Compaq Mini 311c 1020SA from my Windows Network

AvicusUK · #1 3rd August 2010, 05:37 PM

Hi, there.

I'm new to Fedora, I used to have Ubuntu 10 and found that some software I required would not work properly so I decided to Fedora under recommendation from a friend.

I really like it but when I installed Fedora 13 on my Netbook I found it difficult to set up my wireless connection

. Any suggestions. I'm not a very technical person towards Linux, unfortunately so I would really appreciate the help.

Thanks in advance

Miguel

stoat · #2 3rd August 2010, 09:31 PM

Ubuntu may have proprietary wireless drivers that Fedora doesn't have. So, like many of us, you may need to install something to make your wireless device work in Fedora. If you think you're up to something like that, then I'm sure someone will help you. You should start by attempting to identify the chipset of the wireless adapter. That usually answers the question of what to do next. If your adapter is using the PCI bus, then this terminal command usually identifies the chipset...

Code:

lspci

You can post that result here if you like. Or, if it revealed nothing about the wireless hardware, then this may reveal the PCI-ID number if it's using the Universal Serial Bus...

Code:

lsusb

AvicusUK · #3 3rd August 2010, 10:10 PM

Hi,

after using the lspci code I got this about my wireless hardware

Network Controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4312 802.11b/g LP-PHY (rev 01)

Pardon my ignorance but I have no idea what it means

stoat · #4 3rd August 2010, 10:50 PM

It means that Fedora does not have everything it needs for it to work. That chipset is very well known around here. It is easy to get it going in Fedora, but you have to do some things to make it happen.

Some versions of that chipset work with the b43 kernel module that comes with Fedora's kernels. But it needs firmware that we have to acquire elsewhere and install. However, some versions of the BCM4312 do not work with the b43 driver. I think your best chances of success are not with b43, therefore I recommend that you not bother attempting to install firmware for it....

All versions of the BCM4312 chipset work with the Broadcom 802.11 STA Linux driver (aka simply as broadcom-wl). It can be compiled from source, but the most popular way to use it is to install the pre-compiled version available at RPM Fusion. IMO, your best chance of success is with broadcom-wl. If you agree and want to try it, you first need to say whether or not you can connect to the Internet in Fedora with a wired NIC connection for this computer to do its own downloads in Fedora. After that is known, I am willing to post the next step if you like.

P.S.: If you answer saying that you do not have a wired Internet connection for this computer to do its own downloads in Fedora, then also post the result of this to identify your running kernel...

Code:

uname -r

AvicusUK · #5 4th August 2010, 02:53 AM

the uname -r result is

2.6.33.6-147.2.4.fc13.1686.PAE

stoat · #6 4th August 2010, 03:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AvicusUK

the uname -r result is

2.6.33.6-147.2.4.fc13.1686.PAE

I guess that means that you don't have an Internet connection. Then use another computer to navigate back to this thread and download the three files from these links...

broadcom-wl-5.60.48.36-1.fc13.noarch.rpm
kmod-wl-2.6.33.6-147.2.4.fc13.i686.PAE-5.60.48.36-1.fc13.10.i686.rpm
kmod-wl-PAE-5.60.48.36-1.fc13.10.i686.rpm

Somehow transfer them to the wireless computer, open a terminal, change directories to where the files are located, and manually install them...

Code:

su
rpm -ivh *.rpm

Then reboot and check the NetworkManager panel applet icon for available networks (left-click the icon) and try to connect. From here on, it works just like Network Connections in Windows, IMO. Anyway, if it works, remember to install the RPM Fusion repos so that the broadcom-wl stuff stays up-to-date...

http://rpmfusion.org/Configuration

Volans · #7 2nd June 2011, 12:30 AM

Hello,

Just like AvicusUK, I am configuring Fedora 15 on a friend's Compaq Mini 311C 1120SP and just like with him, my Wireless network didn't work. After I installed Fedora, I was getting the message "Missing Firmware". So, I found this topic and followed the instructions:

1 - Enabled RPM fusion
2 - Installed the three packages described here (broadcom-wl, kmod-wl and kmod-wl-PAE)
3 - Rebooted the system.

At first it didn't work. Then after a reboot or two (for other motives other than wireless), it started to work for no reason. The wireless card started working and I could see and connect to several networks.

Yesterday, also for no reason it stopped working again and since then I have no WIFI. I already tried to uninstall and reinstall all the packaged, didn't work.

Have no idea why this is. Why it starts working and stops when "it feels like it". :P

Here's some data:

uname -r = 2.6.38.6-26.rc1.fc15.i686.PAE
lspci = Network controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4312 802.11b/g LP-PHY (rev 01)

If I make 'service network restart', I get 'Restarting network (via systemctl): Job failed. See system logs and 'systemctl status' for details. - FAILED'

If I make 'systemctl', I get two lines with errors: 'akmods.service loaded failed failed LSB: Builds and install new kmods from akmod packages' and 'network.service loaded failed failed LSB: Bring up/down networking'

Does anybody have an idea of what I can do about this?

Thanks in advance!