# Broadcom Corporation BCM4318, Acer Aspire 5000 Series

## UnNaturalHigh

After I recently purchased my Acer Aspire 5002 and sexed it up with Gentoo. I ran into a problem trying to get my wireless working. 

0000:00:0b.0 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4318 [AirForce One 54g] 802.11g Wireless LAN Controller (rev 02)

I have tried using ndiswrapper which doesn't seem to work and I have also tried to install the acer_acpi modules but I get the error:

FATAL: Error inserting acer_acpi (/lib/modules/2.6.13-gentoo-r3/extra/acer_acpi.ko): No such device

If anyone could suggest anything that would be great!

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## EternalNewbye

I can try to help you with ndiswapper : at what stage of the installation or runtime does it stop working ? What error message(s) do you get ?

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## borec

I have the same laptop and similar problem. The ndiswrapper is working for me but I still can't connect:

 *uname wrote:*   

> Linux 2.6.13-gentoo-r3 #2 x86_64 AMD Turion(tm) 64 Mobile Technology ML-30 AuthenticAMD GNU/Linux

 

 *cat /usr/src/linux/.config | grep WIRELESS wrote:*   

> CONFIG_NET_WIRELESS=y

 

 *lsmod wrote:*   

> Module                  Size  Used by
> 
> ndiswrapper           197768  0

 

 *ndiswrapper -l wrote:*   

> Installed ndis drivers:
> 
> bcmwl5  driver present, hardware present

 

 */etc/init.d/net.wlan0 start wrote:*   

>  * Starting wlan0
> 
>  *   Configuring wireless network for wlan0
> 
>  *   Failed to configure wireless for wlan0  

 

 *cat /etc/conf.d/net wrote:*   

> 
> 
> # This blank configuration will automatically use DHCP for any net.*
> 
> # scripts in /etc/init.d.  To create a more complete configuration,
> ...

 

 *iwconfig wlan0 wrote:*   

> wlan0     IEEE 802.11g  ESSID:off/any  Nickname:"m20"
> 
>           Mode:Managed  Frequency:2.412 GHz  Access Point: 00:00:00:00:00:00
> 
>           Bit Rate=54 Mb/s   Tx-Power:25 dBm
> ...

 

 *ifconfig wlan0 wrote:*   

> wlan0     Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr 00:0E:9B:C5:C0:C5
> 
>           BROADCAST MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1
> 
>           RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
> ...

 

 *iwlist wlan0 scan wrote:*   

> wlan0     No scan results

 

Now this is odd:

 *Quote:*   

> borec # iwconfig wlan0
> 
> wlan0     IEEE 802.11g  ESSID:off/any  Nickname:"asd"
> 
>           Mode:Managed  Frequency:2.412 GHz  Access Point: 00:00:00:00:00:00
> ...

 

I can't change the AP neither. Any clue?

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## EternalNewbye

I am not an expert, but I can try to help.

First of all, are you SURE that the drivers you are using are 64b ? If not, I found one that's 64b for Broadcom chips on linuxant site (sorry but I am too lazy to find the exact URL right now).

Some things you may want to try :

- doing "iwconfig wlan0 commit" after trying to change essid

- Are you sure you are connecting to a DHCP access point ? For most home networks with more than one comp, it's not the case. *Quote:*   

>  *cat /etc/conf.d/ wrote:*   
> 
> ...
> 
> iface_wlan0="dhcp"
> ...

 

- Did you try to go "ifconfig wlan0 up" ?

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## GMFTatsujin

My Acer laptop (and most other models, if I understand this correctly) have a software-activated acpi switch that turns the wireless radio on and off.  You can have the interface configured correctly but without power to the radio, you get nothing.

Fortunately, some clever duck came up with a kernel module called acer_acpi.  Google it, download the module, compile and install.

The entire process went like this for me (from notes taken as I bashed my head against the wall with this):

1. Download and unzip the Broadcomm drivers.

2. Emerge ndiswrapper and install the driver inf file.

3. rc-update add ndiswrapper default

4. Modprobe ndiswrapper

5. Verify correct loading of module with dmesg -- should see wlan0 load up with various device stats and encryption modes available.

6. Download and install acer_acpi.  Modprobe it into place.

7. Turn the wireless radio on with:  echo "enabled : 1" > /proc/acpi/acer/wireless

8.  Verify with dmesg that the radio is on.

9. Emerge wireless-tools if you haven't already.

10. iwlist wlan0 scanning   --  should reveal nearby essids.    

11. iwconfig wlan0 essid YOUR_ESSID

12. ifconfig wlan0 up

13. dhcpdc wlan0

This worked on my Acer Travelmate 4400 in 64-bit mode.  I had to get the right 64-bit Broadcomm drivers from the Acer site, both otherwise, it works great.

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## jkhax0r

I use ndiswrapper with an internal broadcom card in my Compaq Presario 2100.  I have had similar situation where the ESSID never shows up even after I try to configure it.  In the ndiswrapper FAQ somewhere, i found the problem.  It will not update the essid in iwconfig until it has established a connection to the AP or something.  Well, in order to get it to make the changes, I do

```

iwconfig wlan0 mode managed key open 1234567890 essid MyAP

```

This makes it establish even though the key is not even the right one.  You can also try "key restricted 1234567890" although i don't know what the difference between open and restricted is. Of course try the key to.  I only have the problem setting the ESSID if the ESSID has encryption.  Otherwise its usually not a problem.

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## borec

I tried with acer_acpi:

 *modprobe acer_acpi wrote:*   

> FATAL: Error inserting acer_acpi (/lib/modules/2.6.14-gentoo-r2/extra/acer_acpi.ko): No such device

 

dmesg shows:

 *dmesg wrote:*   

> acer_acpi: Acer Laptop ACPI Extras version 0.3
> 
> acer_acpi: No WMI interface, unable to load.

 

acer_acpi FAQ tells something about not supported acpi bios. Well, when I'll find some free time I will try some DSDT, so far thanks for all.

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## Adrien

Hi!   :Smile: 

Not to be negative, but I don't think you're going anywhere with such a crapy chipset (Broadcom)

I have a BCM4306 on my laptop, it "runs" only with ndiswrapper, which is tricky/funny stuff and a LOT of wifi features are not supported. You might have to buy a better wifi card...   :Rolling Eyes: 

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## frekvent

Hi!

I dont know if you've already solved your problems, but if you haven't;

Check my guide of installing gentoo on Acer 35xx and 5xxx laptops at

http://gentoo-wiki.com/HARDWARE_Acer_Aspire_5024

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## Gentoo-Ed

What I needed to do after all my iwconfig wlan0 commands was "iwconfig wlan0 commit" following with bringing up my card with "ifconfig wlan0 up" and then assigning "dhcpcd wlan0". It's a different card but also a broadcom chipset. (i only need to get it in my sartup, see my own post)

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## borec

 *Gentoo-Ed wrote:*   

> What I needed to do after all my iwconfig wlan0 commands was "iwconfig wlan0 commit" following with bringing up my card with "ifconfig wlan0 up" and then assigning "dhcpcd wlan0". It's a different card but also a broadcom chipset. (i only need to get it in my sartup, see my own post)

 

FINALLY it works! Thank you so much Gentoo-Ed  :Very Happy: 

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## Gentoo-Ed

Welcome

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## borec

Heh, it was working... until reboot  :Confused:  After that I couldn't find out what was the order of commands but I finally got it:

```
modprobe ndiswrapper

iwconfig wlan0 commit

iwconfig wlan0 commit

iwconfig wlan0 wlan0 essid MySSID channel <MyChannel> key open <MyWEPKey> commit

iwconfig wlan0 wlan0 essid MySSID channel <MyChannel> key open <MyWEPKey> commit

ifconfig wlan0 up

dhcpcd wlan0
```

I don't realy know if doing 'iwconfig wlan0 commit' twice and 'ifconfig wlan0 up' is necessary but it works and I don't care about it  :Wink: 

SOLVED  :Very Happy: 

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## MajinJoko

Hi guys!

I've an Asus laptop with bcm4318 wifi card.

I've the same problem you have:

trying /etc/init.d/net.wlan0 start return

```
* Starting wlan0 

* Configuring wireless network for wlan0 

* Failed to configure wireless for wlan0
```

The scriptmodprobe ndiswrapper 

iwconfig wlan0 commit 

iwconfig wlan0 wlan0 essid MySSID channel <MyChannel> key open <MyWEPKey> commit 

ifconfig wlan0 up 

dhcpcd wlan0

works well, but I'd like best to use the init script.. any idea?

(I'm using ndiswrapper 1.9, can't emerge 1.7 for an error, but trying to install a different version.. maybe it can solve..)

Thanks,

MajinJoko

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