# Can't find any broadcom options in the kernel

## robintw

Hi all,

I am trying to configure my kernel so I can use the b43 or the bcm43xx drivers - but I can't find the options in my kernel. Apparently they are under Device Drivers->Network Device Support->Wireless LAN (which also seems the logical place) but they don't seem to be there! There are 12 options there - for various different drivers - but nothing mentions Broadcom.

Am I doing something really stupid? I can't seem to figure out what's wrong. I'm using kernel linux-2.6.24-gentoo-r4.

Any ideas?

Robin

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## bunder

i tried looking for it too...  if you press / and search for bcm, it does show up as being under wireless devices, but you're right, its not listed.   :Confused: 

this was on 2.6.18-r6, btw.

cheers

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## robintw

Thanks. I've found it using the search. However, I still can't seem to select it to turn it on. How do I do this once I've found it via search? It seems to just give me a text listing of what it's found - with no way to select them.

Robin

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## bunder

 *robintw wrote:*   

> Thanks. I've found it using the search. However, I still can't seem to select it to turn it on. How do I do this once I've found it via search? It seems to just give me a text listing of what it's found - with no way to select them.
> 
> Robin

 

[[edited upon request - don't do what i said if you read what was previously here]]

cheers

edit: moved from n+s to k+h.   :Cool: 

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## robintw

The scary thing is...when I search .config for BCM the only thing that turns up is some kind of DVB card...

Any more ideas? It's pretty frustrating that I can't turn this kernel option on - as it means I basically can't use my wireless!

Thanks for the help so far,

Robin

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## robintw

Update: I've installed the latest kernel through portage - 2.6.24-r7 - and the same thing seems to be happening. I can't find it in menuconfig (or xconfig) and I can't find it in .config.

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## NeddySeagoon

robintw,

The menuconfig seach shows:-

```
  │ Symbol: B43 [=n]                                                                                          │  

  │ Prompt: Broadcom 43xx wireless support (mac80211 stack)                                                   │  

  │   Defined at drivers/net/wireless/b43/Kconfig:1                                                           │  

  │   Depends on: NETDEVICES && !S390 && SSB_POSSIBLE && MAC80211 && WLAN_80211                               │  

  │   Location:                                                                                               │  

  │     -> Device Drivers                                                                                     │  

  │       -> Network device support (NETDEVICES [=y])                                                         │  

  │         -> Wireless LAN                                                                                   │  

  │           -> Wireless LAN (IEEE 802.11) (WLAN_80211 [=y])                                                 │  

  │   Selects: SSB && FW_LOADER && HW_RANDOM                                                                  │  
```

The B43 option will be hidden until all the dependancies are satisfied.

Never ever edit your kernel config file without using one of the tools provided by the kernel make.

Many memuconfig options set several flags in the config file and you get some very strange hard to diagnose kernel issues when you manage to set an illegal kernel config.

As you can see from the above setting the B43 option forces on SSB && FW_LOADER && HW_RANDOM. You would probably have missed that editing the config by hand.

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## robintw

Hi,

Thanks for the response. I won't edit .config by hand then!

How do I satisfy those dependencies? I'm not sure exactly which options in menuconfig to enable to get those options...

Any ideas?

I've enabled the generic 802.11 Wireless Networking option, and I would expect that to enable most of what is needed.

Cheers,

Robin

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## swimmer

Did you by any chance check "Prompt for development and/or incomplete code/drivers" in "General Setup"?

HTH

swimmer

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## robintw

Hi,

Thanks for the suggestion. I've just checked that and it's switched on - which I assume is the position it is meant to be in.

Robin

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## robintw

I've solved this!

I found some other options which needed turning on.

Networking->Wireless->Wireless Extensions

Networking->Wireless->Generic IEEE 802.11 Networking Stack (mac80211)

Networking->Wireless->Generic IEEE 802.11 Networking Stack

Then the b43 can be turned on under:

Device Drivers->Network Device Support->Wireless LAN

Thanks for all the help people,

Robin

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