HOWTO Use Broadcom Wireless Cards in Fedora 16 without internet connection

[verpankaj2]

Hi there
I am new to Linux. I tried to install Fedora 16 on my HP Pavilion tx2530ea laptop. My Broadcom Wireless Card did not work straight away. As my house owner does not allow me to use the wire to his router, so I tried to install the driver manually without internet.
First I tried to follow the instruction given by “stoat on HOWTO Use Broadcom Wireless Cards in Fedora 14/15/16 at website “forums.fedoraforum.org/showthread.php?t=239922.” I used command “lspci”and find out the chipset in laptop is “BCM4322” then I download the b43-fwcutter-015.tar.bz2 , broadcom-wl-5.100.138.tar.bz2 through another sony laptop with wifi and tried to install them on HP laptop but all in vain.

Then I tried Broadcom website “broadcom.com/docs/linux_sta/README.txt” to install the driver but find out that I do not have the proper tools, packages, header files and libraries to build a standard kernel module install on the laptop.

As my HP laptop can not use wifi thus I tried to install kernel-headers and kernel-PAE-devel by mounting iso file by using instruction on website “ cyberciti.biz/tips/redhat-centos-fedora-linux-setup-repo.html” again all in vain.

So could any one please help me out, how can I enable my Broadcom wireless card on HP tx2530ea laptop which does not have internet connection but I can use my sony laptop to download any software which is needed for the process.
Regards

[bbfuller]

Hello verpankaj2

I guess you are in a circular situation here.

The 4322 broadcom chipset seems to work without having to install anything in the latest kernel from Fedora. That includes a new wireless driver called:

brcmsmac

however, to get the new kernel that includes it you first have to be on the internet.

It looks like you will have to get the broadcom-wl driver, which can be done on one machine and then its files transferred to another machine.

Try this. Run:

uname -r

in a terminal to identify your running kernel.

Then:

On any machine with internet access go to:

http://mirror.liberty.edu/pub/rpmfusion/nonfree/fedora/releases/16/Everything/i386/os/

That assumes your system is unchanged since install and is 32 bit. If you have 64 bit you can navigate from there to the x86_64 folder.

Download three packages:

kmod-wl-5.100.82.112-1.fc16.i686.rpm

kmod-wl-3.1.0-7.fc16.i686-5.100.82.112-1.fc16.i686.rpm

broadcom-wl-5.100.82.112-1.fc16.noarch.rpm

Note how the middle of those three packages is specific to the kernel you identified earlier. The part highlighted red.

Transfer them to a folder on your machine where there are no other rpm's stored.

Let's assume that is your Downloads folder.

Use the command:

su -

in a terminal to gain root privileges over the whole machine and give your root password when prompted. Note that's a space and a minus sign after the su.

Use the "cd" command to change into that folder. On this machine that would be:

cd /home/bbfuller/Downloads

Change that path to suit your machine.

There is a space between the cd and the forward slash.

Issue the command:

rpm -ivh *.rpm

and the three packages should install.

Reboot the machine and see if you have wireless then.

We may yet have more work to do but let's not complicate things unless it doesn't work.

Post back if you have questions or problems.

[verpankaj2]

Hi bbfuller
Thank you very much for responding to my thread. I did follow the instruction given by you and downloaded the three packages mentioned by you by my sony laptop and put them into my HP laptop in Downloads folder.
kmod-wl-5.100.82.112-1.fc16.i686.rpm

kmod-wl-3.1.0-7.fc16.i686-5.100.82.112-1.fc16.i686.rpm

broadcom-wl-5.100.82.112-1.fc16.noarch.rpm

Then I followed the commands given by you, here are the results


[pankaj@localhost ~]$ uname -r
3.1.0-7.fc16.x86_64
[pankaj@localhost ~]$ su -
Password:
[root@localhost ~]# cd /home/pankaj/Downloads
[root@localhost Downloads]# ls
broadcom-wl-5.100.82.112-1.fc16.noarch.rpm
kmod-wl-3.1.0-7.fc16.i686-5.100.82.112-1.fc16.i686.rpm
kmod-wl-5.100.82.112-1.fc16.i686.rpm
[root@localhost Downloads]# rpm -ivh *.rpm
warning: broadcom-wl-5.100.82.112-1.fc16.noarch.rpm: Header V3 RSA/SHA256 Signature, key ID 952f3af8: NOKEY
error: Failed dependencies:
kernel-uname-r = 3.1.0-7.fc16.i686 is needed by kmod-wl-3.1.0-7.fc16.i686-5.100.82.112-1.fc16.i686

Then I restarted the laptop still wifi not working.

[bbfuller]

Hello verpankaj2

In my original post I said:

That assumes your system is unchanged since install and is 32 bit. If you have 64 bit you can navigate from there to the x86_64 folder.

You have an x86_64 kernel as identified by the output from "uname -r", but you have downloaded the 32bit files.

To be clearer, go here:

http://mirror.liberty.edu/pub/rpmfusion/nonfree/fedora/releases/16/Everything/x86_64/os/

to the 64 bit repository and download the files again for the correct architecture.

Remove the 32bit files (i686) from you folder, replace them with the new ones and try it again.

It should work then.

[verpankaj2]

Hi bbfuller
Thank you very much …………………….Its working now. I went to the website suggested by you again and tried to find x86_64 bit folder and downloaded x86_64bit packages.

broadcom-wl-5.100.82.112-1.fc16.noarch.rpm
kmod-wl-3.1.0-7.fc16.i686-5.100.82.112-1.fc16.x86_64.rpm
kmod-wl-5.100.82.112-1.fc16.x86_64.rpm

then I used the commands again

[pankaj@localhost ~]$ su -
Password:
[root@localhost ~]# cd /home/pankaj/Downloads
[root@localhost Downloads]# ls
broadcom-wl-5.100.82.112-1.fc16.noarch.rpm
kmod-wl-3.1.0-7.fc16.x86_64-5.100.82.112-1.fc16.x86_64.rpm
kmod-wl-5.100.82.112-1.fc16.x86_64.rpm
[root@localhost Downloads]# rpm -ivh *.rpm
warning: broadcom-wl-5.100.82.112-1.fc16.noarch.rpm: Header V3 RSA/SHA256 Signature, key ID 952f3af8: NOKEY
Preparing... ########################################### [100%]
1:kmod-wl-3.1.0-7.fc16.x8######################################### ## [ 33%]
2:broadcom-wl ########################################### [ 67%]
3:kmod-wl ########################################### [100%]
[root@localhost Downloads]#


And I knew it should work now. So after restarting blue wifi light was up inseted of red (yehey…..:-))
Thanks a lot
Regards

[bbfuller]

Hello verpankaj2

Glad it works now.

It's just possible that if you do an update to the system it will stop working again because of the new driver in the kernel that I referred to earlier.

Don't forget Fedora keeps previous kernels to a maximum of three, so you can always opt to boot from one of those earlier ones at the boot menu if it happens. That'll give us time to sort it out.

[stoat]

Yeah, I'm glad, too. But just for the record, you did NOT learn to do the following from my Broadcom wireless HOWTO...

First I tried to follow the instruction given by “stoat on HOWTO Use Broadcom Wireless Cards in Fedora 14/15/16 at website “forums.fedoraforum.org/showthread.php?t=239922.” I used command “lspci”and find out the chipset in laptop is “BCM4322” then I download the b43-fwcutter-015.tar.bz2 , broadcom-wl-5.100.138.tar.bz2 through another sony laptop with wifi and tried to install them on HP laptop but all in vain.

You may have hatched that idea while your eyes where pointed at the HOWTO, but it does not say to do such things for that chipset.

[auroraflame]

to make sure that the broadcom wireless card always work after update, add free and non free RPM Fusion repo to your fedora installation and do 'yum install kmod-wl'
How to Add RPM Fusion Repo

[bbfuller]

Hello auroraflame

That may be over confusing the issue.

Don't forget what I said in post #2. There is a new driver in the kernel that will appear when this system is updated, for this particular chipset. It can make kmod-wl unnecessary for the 4322 series.

It "may" be that when "verpankaj2" updates that system we will need to talk about blacklisting "broadcom-wl" altogether.

[auroraflame]

hello bbfuller,
thx for the correction

----------------------
in the meantime, maybe you can help ?
http://forums.fedoraforum.org/showthread.php?t=273284
thx in advance

[verpankaj2]

Hello bbfuller
you were right as soon as i updated my system my wi-fi has stopped working. Is there any way i can get arround with situation to get it working again.
Regards

[stoat]

Reboot with the previous kernel.
Go to RPM Fusion and install their repos.
Update again.
Reboot into the new kernel and try the wireless.

P.S.: An alternate idea is to install their akmod version of the driver. It will create the kmods for new kernels automatically.

[bbfuller]

This interests me because, as I said earlier, my 4322 has begun to work without intervention following the inclusion of the:

brcmsmac

driver in the most recent kernels.

Before you go to the trouble of installing rpmfusion and/or akmod-wl, it may be interesting to blacklist the broadcom-wl driver, or uninstall it.

My 4322 transfers data faster than any of my wireless cards using the " brcmsmac" driver, and faster than it ever has using "wl".

lspci -k

Should quickly show you if the " brcmsmac" driver is recognising your card.

[verpankaj2]

Hi Stoat and bbfuller
First of all thank you both for responding to my problem. I logged into new kernel and tried both commands "lsmod" and "lspci -k" here are the outcome of both commands.

[pankaj@localhost ~]$ uname -r
3.1.4-1.fc16.x86_64
[pankaj@localhost ~]$ lsmod
Module Size Used by
ses 5533 0
enclosure 7028 1 ses
ppdev 7360 0
parport_pc 19600 0
lp 9581 0
parport 32310 3 ppdev,parport_pc,lp
fuse 61671 5
ebtable_nat 1967 0
ebtables 21732 1 ebtable_nat
ipt_MASQUERADE 2248 3
iptable_nat 4687 1
nf_nat 18606 2 ipt_MASQUERADE,iptable_nat
xt_CHECKSUM 1277 1
iptable_mangle 1663 1
8021q 16999 0
tun 14111 1
bridge 72375 0
fcoe 18934 0
libfcoe 30308 1 fcoe
libfc 86810 2 fcoe,libfcoe
lockd 70080 0
scsi_transport_fc 42905 2 fcoe,libfc
scsi_tgt 10503 1 scsi_transport_fc
garp 6091 1 8021q
stp 1927 2 bridge,garp
llc 4754 3 bridge,garp,stp
ip6t_REJECT 4008 2
nf_conntrack_ipv4 8310 5 iptable_nat,nf_nat
nf_conntrack_ipv6 7714 1
nf_defrag_ipv4 1513 1 nf_conntrack_ipv4
nf_defrag_ipv6 9115 1 nf_conntrack_ipv6
ip6table_filter 1655 1
xt_state 1306 3
nf_conntrack 67597 6 ipt_MASQUERADE,iptable_nat,nf_nat,nf_conntrack_ipv 4,nf_conntrack_ipv6,xt_state
ip6_tables 16776 1 ip6table_filter
binfmt_misc 6983 1
uvcvideo 56989 0
videodev 78689 1 uvcvideo
media 11511 2 uvcvideo,videodev
ir_lirc_codec 4214 0
lirc_dev 12904 1 ir_lirc_codec
virtio_net 12856 0
ir_mce_kbd_decoder 4208 0
ir_sony_decoder 2109 0
wacom 29462 0
kvm_amd 45640 0
rc_rc6_mce 1470 0
v4l2_compat_ioctl32 7665 1 videodev
ir_jvc_decoder 2218 0
snd_hda_codec_si3054 3752 1
kvm 328030 1 kvm_amd
ir_rc6_decoder 2682 0
snd_hda_codec_realtek 312967 1
ir_rc5_decoder 2138 0
ir_nec_decoder 2570 0
ene_ir 13826 0
rc_core 17136 10 ir_lirc_codec,ir_mce_kbd_decoder,ir_sony_decoder,r c_rc6_mce,ir_jvc_decoder,ir_rc6_decoder,ir_rc5_dec oder,ir_nec_decoder,ene_ir
r8169 40493 0
snd_hda_intel 24072 2
snd_hda_codec 85462 3 snd_hda_codec_si3054,snd_hda_codec_realtek,snd_hda _intel
sp5100_tco 5261 0
mii 4335 1 r8169
shpchp 24554 0
hp_wmi 8103 0
i2c_piix4 10502 0
sunrpc 201219 2 lockd
joydev 9567 0
snd_hwdep 6264 1 snd_hda_codec
sparse_keymap 3358 1 hp_wmi
rfkill 16336 2 hp_wmi
snd_seq 52186 0
k10temp 3295 0
microcode 18539 0
uinput 7230 0
snd_seq_device 5941 1 snd_seq
snd_pcm 78498 3 snd_hda_codec_si3054,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec
snd_timer 19372 2 snd_seq,snd_pcm
snd 63124 13 snd_hda_codec_si3054,snd_hda_codec_realtek,snd_hda _intel,snd_hda_codec,snd_hwdep,snd_seq,snd_seq_dev ice,snd_pcm,snd_timer
soundcore 6267 1 snd
snd_page_alloc 7311 2 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm
uas 7775 0
ums_realtek 7073 0
pata_acpi 3419 0
ata_generic 3587 0
usb_storage 45966 2 ums_realtek
pata_atiixp 4165 0
video 12388 0
wmi 9049 1 hp_wmi
radeon 691761 3
ttm 55029 1 radeon
drm_kms_helper 26490 1 radeon
drm 194476 5 radeon,ttm,drm_kms_helper
i2c_algo_bit 4958 1 radeon
i2c_core 25728 6 videodev,i2c_piix4,radeon,drm_kms_helper,drm,i2c_a lgo_bit


[pankaj@localhost ~]$ lspci -k
00:00.0 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] RS780 Host Bridge
Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device 30f1
00:01.0 PCI bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] RS780/RS880 PCI to PCI bridge (int gfx)
Kernel modules: shpchp
00:04.0 PCI bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] RS780 PCI to PCI bridge (PCIE port 0)
Kernel driver in use: pcieport
Kernel modules: shpchp
00:05.0 PCI bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] RS780 PCI to PCI bridge (PCIE port 1)
Kernel driver in use: pcieport
Kernel modules: shpchp
00:06.0 PCI bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] RS780 PCI to PCI bridge (PCIE port 2)
Kernel driver in use: pcieport
Kernel modules: shpchp
00:11.0 SATA controller: ATI Technologies Inc SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 SATA Controller [AHCI mode]
Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device 30f1
Kernel driver in use: ahci
00:12.0 USB Controller: ATI Technologies Inc SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 USB OHCI0 Controller
Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device 30f1
Kernel driver in use: ohci_hcd
00:12.1 USB Controller: ATI Technologies Inc SB7x0 USB OHCI1 Controller
Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device 30f1
Kernel driver in use: ohci_hcd
00:12.2 USB Controller: ATI Technologies Inc SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 USB EHCI Controller
Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device 30f1
Kernel driver in use: ehci_hcd
00:13.0 USB Controller: ATI Technologies Inc SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 USB OHCI0 Controller
Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device 30f1
Kernel driver in use: ohci_hcd
00:13.1 USB Controller: ATI Technologies Inc SB7x0 USB OHCI1 Controller
Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device 30f1
Kernel driver in use: ohci_hcd
00:13.2 USB Controller: ATI Technologies Inc SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 USB EHCI Controller
Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device 30f1
Kernel driver in use: ehci_hcd
00:14.0 SMBus: ATI Technologies Inc SBx00 SMBus Controller (rev 3a)
Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device 30f1
Kernel driver in use: piix4_smbus
Kernel modules: sp5100_tco, i2c-piix4
00:14.1 IDE interface: ATI Technologies Inc SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 IDE Controller
Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device 30f1
Kernel driver in use: pata_atiixp
Kernel modules: ata_generic, pata_acpi, pata_atiixp
00:14.2 Audio device: ATI Technologies Inc SBx00 Azalia (Intel HDA)
Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device 30f1
Kernel driver in use: snd_hda_intel
Kernel modules: snd-hda-intel
00:14.3 ISA bridge: ATI Technologies Inc SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 LPC host controller
Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device 30f1
00:14.4 PCI bridge: ATI Technologies Inc SBx00 PCI to PCI Bridge
00:14.5 USB Controller: ATI Technologies Inc SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 USB OHCI2 Controller
Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device 30f1
Kernel driver in use: ohci_hcd
00:18.0 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Family 11h Processor HyperTransport Configuration (rev 40)
00:18.1 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Family 11h Processor Address Map
00:18.2 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Family 11h Processor DRAM Controller
00:18.3 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Family 11h Processor Miscellaneous Control
Kernel driver in use: k10temp
Kernel modules: k10temp
00:18.4 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Family 11h Processor Link Control
01:05.0 VGA compatible controller: ATI Technologies Inc RS780M/RS780MN [Radeon HD 3200 Graphics]
Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device 30f1
Kernel driver in use: radeon
Kernel modules: radeon
08:00.0 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4322 802.11a/b/g/n Wireless LAN Controller (rev 01)
Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device 1380
Kernel modules: ssb
09:00.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168B PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet controller (rev 02)
Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device 30f1
Kernel driver in use: r8169
Kernel modules: r8169
[pankaj@localhost ~]$

Hope it will make clear what went wrong after updates
Regards

---------- Post added at 11:14 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:36 AM ----------

Hello friends
I think the problem is sorted once again. I logged into previous kernel and followed the instruction given by Stoat and updated system through "Add/Remove Software" once again. It did install wl drivers and wifi is working again. Thank you both Stoat and bbfuller once again.
Regards

[bbfuller]

Hello verpankaj2

On this machine:

02:00.0 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM43225 802.11b/g/n (rev 01)
Subsystem: Foxconn International, Inc. Device e021
Kernel driver in use: brcmsmac
Kernel modules: brcmsmac

I suppose there are a few possibilities.

Your 4322 is not supported by the "brcmsmac" driver in the latest kernels.

Your 4322 is supported, but the "brcmsmac" driver is blacklisted.

You may want to take a look inside the files located in "/etc/modprobe.d" and see if any of them contain a reference to blacklisting the brcmsmac.

If your 4322 is not going to be supported then you need to follow "stoats" suggestions.

The kmod that we downloaded earlier is specific to a particular kernel and it comes from a different repository. You do in any case, need to install the rpmfusion repository for updates to happen, but sometimes the new kmod is not available for a few days after the new kernel.

If you tap "down arrow" enough times as the computer starts, you will be presented with a boot menu that allows you to choose an earlier kernel to boot from. If you do that, wireless should start again and give you the opportunity to google rpmfusion and install the repositories and update again.

As I said though, sometimes there is a delay in providing the kmod which can catch you out.

The idea of installing "akmod-wl" is that it generates a new module for the card each time you reboot after installing a new kernel

The reason we didn't do it first time is that it requires lots of extra packages to make it work and that is difficult to get right without a working internet connection in the first place.

I'd try and see if the "brcmsmac" works in the first instance. If it does, it removes all possibility of future problems.

I'll be interested to hear what you find.