# broadcom-sta installed and loaded, but not working

## xaon

Hi guys

i am running " 3.12.21-gentoo-r1", and have broadcom-sta installed, and loaded, but it doesn't seems to work. iwconfig is complaining about  "no wireless extensions", and i can't not find any wireless networks. did i do something wrong?

```

*  net-wireless/broadcom-sta

      Latest version available: 6.30.223.141-r2

      Latest version installed: 6.30.223.141-r2

      Size of files: 1,744 kB

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

      Description:   Broadcom's IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n hybrid Linux device driver

      License:       Broadcom

```

```

localhost ~ # lsmod

Module                  Size  Used by

wl                   4113102  0

```

```

localhost ~ # iwlist scan

eth0      Interface doesn't support scanning.

lo        Interface doesn't support scanning.

sit0      Interface doesn't support scanning.

wlan0     Interface doesn't support scanning.

```

```
03:00.0 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM43228 802.11a/b/g/n

        Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Device 850c

        Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 18

        Memory at f7d00000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16K]

        Capabilities: [40] Power Management version 3

        Capabilities: [58] Vendor Specific Information: Len=78 <?>

        Capabilities: [48] MSI: Enable- Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit+

        Capabilities: [d0] Express Endpoint, MSI 00

        Capabilities: [100] Advanced Error Reporting

        Capabilities: [13c] Virtual Channel

        Capabilities: [160] Device Serial Number 00-00-de-ff-ff-7c-dc-85

        Capabilities: [16c] Power Budgeting <?>

        Kernel driver in use: wl

```

below is part of "dmesg", everything seems to be fine?

```
[    3.693620] sd 6:0:0:0: [sdd] No Caching mode page found

[    3.693622] sd 6:0:0:0: [sdd] Assuming drive cache: write through

[    3.696250] sd 6:0:0:0: [sdd] No Caching mode page found

[    3.696251] sd 6:0:0:0: [sdd] Assuming drive cache: write through

[    3.840821]  sdd: sdd1 sdd2

[    3.846446] sd 6:0:0:0: [sdd] No Caching mode page found

[    3.846448] sd 6:0:0:0: [sdd] Assuming drive cache: write through

[    3.846450] sd 6:0:0:0: [sdd] Attached SCSI disk

[    3.949918] wl: module license 'Mixed/Proprietary' taints kernel.

[    3.949920] Disabling lock debugging due to kernel taint

[    3.978935] INFO @wl_cfg80211_attach : Registered CFG80211 phy

[    4.014099] wlan0: Broadcom BCM4359 802.11 Hybrid Wireless Controller 6.30.223.141 (r415941)

[    4.862846] udevd (1330) used greatest stack depth: 3152 bytes left

[    6.186230] EXT3-fs (sdb6): using internal journal

[    6.258746] Adding 524284k swap on /dev/sdb5.  Priority:-1 extents:1 across:524284k

[    6.272920] EXT4-fs (sdb2): mounting ext2 file system using the ext4 subsystem

[    6.276520] EXT4-fs (sdb2): mounted filesystem without journal. Opts: (null)

[    7.625496] e1000e 0000:00:19.0: irq 43 for MSI/MSI-X

[    7.725751] e1000e 0000:00:19.0: irq 43 for MSI/MSI-X

[    7.725820] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): eth0: link is not ready

[   11.364659] e1000e: eth0 NIC Link is Up 1000 Mbps Full Duplex, Flow Control: Rx/Tx

[   11.364689] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_CHANGE): eth0: link becomes ready

[   16.155437] usb 2-1.5.3: link qh1-3008/ffff880409da1480 start 0 [1/2 us]

```

----------

## khayyam

 *xaon wrote:*   

> i am running " 3.12.21-gentoo-r1", and have broadcom-sta installed, and loaded, but it doesn't seems to work. iwconfig is complaining about  "no wireless extensions", and i can't not find any wireless networks. did i do something wrong?

 

xaon ... hello again :)

Yes, you're missing CFG80211_WEXT ... the wext (wireless extensions) compatibility layer. WEXT has been replaced by NL80211/MAC80211/CFG80211 (netlink), applications (such as those included in net-wireless/wireless-tools ... iwconfig, iwlist, etc) require wext so the above needs to be enabled (or you could use net-wireless/iw which fully supports the new netlink).

EDIT: actually, I'm not sure broadcom-sta uses cfg80211 at all, so I'm not sure how correct the above is. Anyhow, "no wireless extentions" means exactly that ... you're missing some required support in the kernel (perhap WEXT_CORE)

```
# egrep '(WEXT|(MAC|CFG|NL)80211)' /usr/src/linux/.config
```

best ... khay

----------

## xaon

Hi khayyam, you are absolutely right!  i enabled

```
cfg80211 wireless extensions compatibility
```

in the kernel and it worked! i am finally able to connect to my wifi!

thanks khayyam!!

for those who may have the similar issue, have the following config in my kernel:

```
localhost linux # egrep '(WEXT|(MAC|CFG|NL)80211)' /usr/src/linux/.config

CONFIG_WEXT_CORE=y

CONFIG_WEXT_PROC=y

CONFIG_WEXT_SPY=y

CONFIG_WEXT_PRIV=y

CONFIG_CFG80211=y

# CONFIG_NL80211_TESTMODE is not set

# CONFIG_CFG80211_DEVELOPER_WARNINGS is not set

# CONFIG_CFG80211_REG_DEBUG is not set

# CONFIG_CFG80211_DEFAULT_PS is not set

# CONFIG_CFG80211_DEBUGFS is not set

# CONFIG_CFG80211_INTERNAL_REGDB is not set

CONFIG_CFG80211_WEXT=y

# CONFIG_MAC80211 is not set
```

----------

