Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Broadcom Wireless Driver Fix In Karmic

This works for the Dell Mini 9/10v & Vostro A90.

Usually installing the proprietary Broadcom wireless driver in Ubuntu is handled with couple mouse clicks by the Hardware Drivers (aka jockey-gtk). But Ubuntu 9.10 Karmic Koala has shipped with a bug that makes jockey unable to recognize the card and install the driver. No worries, the fix is incredibly easy and only requires a wired internet connection.

28 - Hardware Drivers Error
- Ubuntu is unable to recognize and install the Broadcom Driver via the Hardware Drivers.

First connect to the internet via a wired connection. Then go to Synaptic Package Manager (System>Administration>Synaptic Package Manager)
30 - synaptic reload
- Click the Reload button in the upper left corner of Synaptic to refresh your repository index.

Screenshot-Synaptic Package Manager
- Then install the bcmwl-kernel-source package

OR: after connecting to the internet via a wired connection in a terminal type:
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get --reinstall install bcmwl-kernel-source

33 - jockey check
-Reboot the machine. Afterwards you will see the driver installed and working.

Enjoy the freedom!

Have a question or problem that this article doesn't cover?
Ask our Ubuntu Mini 9 Google Group for help.

55 comments:

Nitin said...

The problem I am having is that broadcom wireless drivers are recognised and installed out of the box, but I never manage to get a connection happening.

Other nearby networks are visible, and I try to connect manually, but not happening!

I have no problem with my wireless in Arch Linux though.

redDEAD said...

Nitin

Try purging and reinstalling the drivers. If that doesn't work, I see you using Arch in your future.

Anonymous said...

I have the same problem but with Ubuntu 9.04 and your fix doesn't work ("can not find bcmwl-kernel-source").

Anonymous said...

The problem with ubuntu 9.04 is the 16 kernel roll back to the 15 kernel. The 16 kernel breaks the broadcom wireless.

Paul said...

I installed UNR 9.10 this afternoon from an image I downloaded on Saturday (14th Nov). It automatically discovered and installed the wireless drivers for my mini 9. I have a wireless connection OK.

adrian said...

I can't install ubuntu(the netbook is not mine), only use it Live.
Is there any way to fix the wireless driver on the image an then burn it or something like that?

I supose not.

Thanks.

redDEAD said...

adrian,

I don't know, my focus is installing Ubuntu on the Dell Mini. TRy posting your question on the Google Group or Ubuntu forums.

Shane Robinson said...

This fix worked perfectly! Thanks a million.

Adrian said...

I finally installed ubuntu on the pendrive, that's the solution.

Now is working fine, I'm actually posting from it :)

This site is nice, thanks.

Anonymous said...

works like a charm. I am on release 9.10 (karmic). Thanks a lot.

Unknown said...

Thanks for the tip - it worked just as you suggested.

Anonymous said...

you are my hero .. thanks!

Anonymous said...

works fine ubuntu 9.10! thanks

Hector said...

Here's an easy way for those who are uneasy about using the terminal:

1. After installing Ubuntu 9.10 (normal or netbook remix), use your update manager at least 2 times. You have to click the "check" button at least once again because the first update may not get everything for you.

2. Now you can open "hardware drivers" and you will see a choice of two drivers. (There will be none showing before the updates.) Highlight STA simply because it came from Broadcom.

3. When you click "activate" the driver will be downloaded and installed for you.

4. Reboot and your wireless will be working.

5. To connect, choose your access point and enter your password. In Remix, you will have to click on "connect" once more.

redDEAD said...

rumpledleaf,

Thats a cool idea but if people are not comfortable with the terminal they can use Synaptic.

Synaptic should be every Ubuntu's users go to if they don't feel comfortable with the command line.

Ditton Wilson said...

My Mini does not have a wired connection. Is there another way that I can install bcmwl-kernel-source ? Can I download it on another computer and tranfer it USB?
I am on 9.04 but would like to go to 9.10 if I could resolve this issue.

Eric F said...

Hey, this worked great! Many, many thanks! I got Chrome, Java JDK and NetBeans installed so I'm good to go...well, for the short term at least!

Ditton Wilson said...

Ok, I found the ethernet port,it was hidden and I had no idea that this netbook had one. Not only that I am running an HP MINI!
Anyway, ethernet port found, driver install issue the same in the HP mini. I am up and running on Karmic! Yeah!

Unknown said...

Thanks for this post! I installed the driver, just as you suggest. It's now there under hardware drivers and it says "activated and currently in use". I also rebooted twice, and installed the other updates. But it still can't find any wireless signal! When I open "edit connections" and go to the wireless tab, it's empty. I know there's a working wireless signal in the room because the computer right next to the Dell is connecting, with a strong signal. Any suggestions?

redDEAD said...

Andrew,

First make sure your wifi card is on. Install aircraft manager and check to see if you wifi is actually on.

https://launchpad.net/~opensource-subakutty/+archive/ppa/+files/aircraft-manager_12.1_i386.deb
- use that url to download aircraft-manager for Karmic.

If it is on left click the network-manager icon and select Create New Wireless Network. In the box that pops up enter your network name, security type and key (if you use one).

Don't forget to donate!

Unknown said...

This is re my earlier comment, that I had installed the driver and it still wasn't working.

I had to reboot the computer WITH THE ETHERNET CABLE UNPLUGGED. Then it found the wifi connection right away and I had no trouble connecting.

Matt Blaine said...

I didn't have a wired connection available and was impatient so installed the wireless driver from broadcom using their directions:

http://www.broadcom.com/support/802.11/linux_sta.php

Then followed the directions here once I got a wireless connection.

pxpaulx said...

I feel dumb. My mini 9 won't connect to a wired connection. ethernet cable straight from the modem (not through router). It finds the signal, but then tells me it is disconnected, and I haven't a clue how to get it running. Like I said, Dumb! Some help would be great though!

MetróFolk Band said...

I have the same exact problem with my dell mini 10v. I installed the regular ubuntu 9.10 from a USB drive but i have no wired or wireless connection. This happened when I installed UNR 9.10 also. What can I do to get my wired connection working?

thanks!

Jack said...

I have found that if you get the drivers working with a persistent install on a USB stick, when you reboot it is like it forgets them again... Bit pointless if I am out and about and want wireless in 9.10 if i have to keep finding and ethernet cable. Oh and MetroFolk, you should just be able to plug in the cable and it work straight away, no messing!

Maréchal TULIP said...

I have had no success getting the driver to work on my Mini 9. The kernel package is installed, and the Broadcom STA driver appears among the list of available drivers. However, when I try to activate it (after authentication), the system pretends to "download and install" for a moment, then returns me immediately to the list of drivers... where the Broadcom driver remains unactivated. I have restarted a number of times, and I have uninstalled and reinstalled the kernel. Try as I might, I can't get that little icon to turn green... and my system won't recognize my wireless card. What should I do?

redDEAD said...

Reinstall

Anonymous said...

i have the same problem.. i have install the driver, i can see the networks, but i can't connect whatever i have done... i try to make static ip, but still not change.. any idea?

Unknown said...

Just installed 9.10 Remix for Netbooks on my Dell Mini 9. Had the problem with the wireless, followed your instructions, and all is good! Thanks!!!

Unknown said...

I bought a dell inspiron mini 10v just three days ago. Wireless worked out of the box on windows. I installed Linux next to windows. All worked except wireless.

Came across this post.
Used synaptic Package manager and followed the instruction.
Open synaptic Package manager
Refreshed,
Just typed in bcm and searched
Found "bcmwl-kernel-source" in the result
Marked it for installation
And finally clicked on "Apply"

All worked fine without any error.

Rebooted the dell mini, I had wireless connection available.

Thanks to everyone.

Gopalakrishnan Iyer said...

I was facing the same problem of the Broadcom wireless driver. After a lot of trials from other posts, i followed this one. Now im posting this connection using WiFi. Thanks :)

Unknown said...

worked like a charm, thank you for sharing.

Unknown said...

Worked exactly as you stated. I work for a local staples and I'm trying to spread the Linux love to the masses. I had a customer bring in this dell mini 9 and i showed her Ubuntu nbr. she liked it and wanted to try it but i was afraid i would have to go back to xp because i couldn't get the wifi to work. Thanks to this guide my wifi is working fine now. Thank you very much.

Malcolm said...

Dell Mini 1011, Ubuntu 9.10
I have installed bcmwl-kernel-source and enabled Broadcom STA driver in Hardare Drivers as per other posts. When I boot up a message "Wireless Networks Available" flashes up. In 9.04 I was able to right mouse on "Connection Information" from the network icon, and select the correct network. However in 9.10 the "Connection Information" option is greyed out. Has anyone any idea what to do about this one? Is there a way I can attempt a connection from the command line ?

Maha Ramayan said...

http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php?p=6077792&postcount=72

It worked for my DELL 1501

jbob said...

converting a friend whose son has dell mini 9 to linux - this worked perfectly, thank you

Hughworm said...

Great blog thanks.
I got wireless working on my dell mini 10v with 9.10 karmic by reinstalling bcmwl-kernel-source as per suggestions. But last week I ran an update of the system from update manager and now wireless is not working again. In hardware drivers the "Broadcom STA proprietary wireless driver" is "Activated but not currently in use".
Retrying the same fix achieves nothing.

Cesar said...

Thanks, works fine now

Unknown said...

I've been trying to get the wireless connection working on my Dell Inspiron 1545 for two days --lots of advice available on-line but (for a newbie like me) impenetrable.
Your solution worked fine! A million thanks.

Unknown said...

Thank you, oh thank you!!! I have goofing around with installing Ubuntu 9.10 on my HP mini 110 for the last 2 months. Because I can't stand to give up when I can't figure Linux out, I had the good fortune to find your solution. It works like a dream, better than I thought it would to tell the truth. Great article, bro!

bibek said...

millons of thanks i have posting this comment after just restarting my dell studio 1537..

Chris said...

I had been contemplating installing the netbook remix on my mini 9 for a few weeks but didn't take the plunge until I found your solution to the wireless problem. Everything worked exactly as you said and I am up and running perfectly.

Thanks so much!!!

Chris

José said...

i'm on a computer with a damaged wired port.. i did the download of the package from another computer and installed. I can see the proprietary driver but when i click activate nothing happens... Is there a way of doing this without a plugged cable?

RedCrabby said...

Thanks for the guide.I failed to get the wireless driver on first reboot. But it really work after i do a second reboot... thanks for the good work

Unknown said...

This worked 100% when i entered the 2 commands in the terminal thanks for the information

MarcBarriere said...

Fantastic, it works on Dell Inspiron 1525 with Ubuntu 10-04!!! Thank you!

Harris Photography said...

Hmmm - I don't have a wired connection available. Is there a way to download the drivers and install them from a cd or thumbdrive?

Eddie Wimberley said...

THANK YOU!!! WORKED LIKE A CHARM!

Shallow Sally said...

I followed your instructions and have a wireless connection, but when trying to surf firefox or midori, I get a "Server Not Found" error.
Any suggestions?

Unknown said...

I followed the same steps. i can see the available wireless networks.Thanks for this. i can enter security key also to connect to wireless network but it is not connecting to wireless network. It is keep on asking me the security key. I am sure that i entered right security key..
I am using HP pavilion dv4 laptop. Belkin wireless router and ubuntu version is10.10....
I am new to linux and have been struggling to connect my laptop to internet with ubuntu....
Anyone please help me out.

Unknown said...

I followed the same steps. i can see the available wireless networks.Thanks for this. i can enter security key also to connect to wireless network but it is not connecting to wireless network. It is keep on asking me the security key. I am sure that i entered right security key..
I am using HP pavilion dv4 laptop. Belkin wireless router and ubuntu version is10.10....
I am new to linux and have been struggling to connect my laptop to internet with ubuntu....
Anyone please help me out.

redDEAD said...

RajuPenumatsa,

I wish I could help you, but you are asking questions about a computer I don't own and a version of a Ubuntu I don't run. Try posting your question in the Ubuntu forums.

Unknown said...

Thanks redDEAD,
this time luck favored me... I restarted my laptop....surprisingly worked fine. Thanks for your suggestions. This blog cleared my problem. Even i started exploring ubuntu.thanks a lot to you guys.

gopal said...

Thanks a lot. It worked flawlessly on Dell inspirion 1420 with Lucid lynx 10.04 from external HDD.

Moacyr Rodrigues said...

thanks, works like a charm

moadoors@moadoors-laptop:~$ lspci -nn |grep Bro
12:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Broadcom Corporation BCM4313 802.11b/g LP-PHY [14e4:4727] (rev 01)
moadoors@moadoors-laptop:~$ uname -a
Linux moadoors-laptop 2.6.35-22-generic-pae #35-Ubuntu SMP Sat Oct 16 22:16:51 UTC 2010 i686 GNU/Linux
moadoors@moadoors-laptop:~$