# bcm43xx enable problem

## Linkx

Hi,

I am using a Fujitsu Siemens AMILO A1655G notebook with a Broadcom Wireless NIC. It is based on the bcm4318 chipset... I am using an AMD64 platform Gentoo; I've both tried ndiswrapper as well as bcm43xx-fwcutter with the wl_apsta.o firmware.

The firmware loads succesfully. This is what happens if I try to set it up using bcm43xx (softmac, ieee80211 and wep are all modules):

```

modprobe bcm43xx

```

lsmod (reduced to relevant modules):

```

Module                  Size  Used by

bcm43xx               418752  0

ieee80211softmac       27840  1 bcm43xx

ieee80211              42408  2 bcm43xx,ieee80211softmac

ieee80211_crypt         7232  1 ieee80211

```

dmesg:

```

ieee80211_crypt: registered algorithm 'NULL'

ieee80211: 802.11 data/management/control stack, git-1.1.7

ieee80211: Copyright (C) 2004-2005 Intel Corporation <jketreno@linux.intel.com>

ACPI: PCI Interrupt 0000:00:14.2[A] -> GSI 16 (level, low) -> IRQ 201

bcm43xx driver

ACPI: PCI Interrupt 0000:08:0a.0[A] -> GSI 19 (level, low) -> IRQ 209

bcm43xx: Chip ID 0x4318, rev 0x2

bcm43xx: Number of cores: 4

bcm43xx: Core 0: ID 0x800, rev 0xd, vendor 0x4243, enabled

bcm43xx: Core 1: ID 0x812, rev 0x9, vendor 0x4243, enabled

bcm43xx: Core 2: ID 0x804, rev 0xc, vendor 0x4243, enabled

bcm43xx: Core 3: ID 0x80d, rev 0x7, vendor 0x4243, enabled

bcm43xx: PHY connected

bcm43xx: Detected PHY: Version: 3, Type 2, Revision 7

bcm43xx: Detected Radio: ID: 8205017f (Manuf: 17f Ver: 2050 Rev: 8)

bcm43xx: Radio turned off

bcm43xx: Radio turned off

```

now let's init eth1 (ifconfig eth1 up); now for the new dmesg replys:

```

bcm43xx: Radio turned on

bcm43xx: ASSERTION FAILED (radio_attenuation < 10) at: drivers/net/wireless/bcm43xx/bcm43xx_phy.c:1485:bcm43xx_find_lopair()

bcm43xx: ASSERTION FAILED (radio_attenuation < 10) at: drivers/net/wireless/bcm43xx/bcm43xx_phy.c:1485:bcm43xx_find_lopair()

bcm43xx: ASSERTION FAILED (radio_attenuation < 10) at: drivers/net/wireless/bcm43xx/bcm43xx_phy.c:1485:bcm43xx_find_lopair()

bcm43xx: Chip initialized

bcm43xx: DMA initialized

bcm43xx: 80211 cores initialized

bcm43xx: Keys cleared

bcm43xx: ASSERTION FAILED (radio_attenuation < 10) at: drivers/net/wireless/bcm43xx/bcm43xx_phy.c:1485:bcm43xx_find_lopair()

```

Well, well.. assertion failed doesn't look too good.. but let's go on trying (encryption disabled for test reasons):

```

iwlist eth1 scan

```

```

eth1      No scan results

```

Not good (essid is published!).. anyway, continue:

```

iwconfig eth1 channel 13

iwconfig eth1 essid "FutureGateway"

```

no new dmesg values but iwconfig says:

```

eth1      IEEE 802.11b/g  ESSID:"FutureGateway"  Nickname:"Broadcom 4318"

          Mode:Managed  Frequency=2.484 GHz  Access Point: Invalid

          Bit Rate=11 Mb/s   Tx-Power=18 dBm

          RTS thr:off   Fragment thr:off

          Encryption key:off

          Link Quality:0  Signal level:0  Noise level:0

          Rx invalid nwid:0  Rx invalid crypt:0  Rx invalid frag:0

          Tx excessive retries:0  Invalid misc:0   Missed beacon:0

```

Doesn't sound well at all.. Access Point: Invalid

and "dhcpcd eth1" returns a timeout

doesn't seem to work.. my suspection:

the notebook has a button above the keyboard to activate the Wireless connection.. a LED is lighting while it's active..

on Linux neither with ndiswrapper nor with bcm43xx it lights up... on Windows an application called PM.EXE (Power Manager) is listening to this button.. I guess it is sending some command to the Wi-Fi adapter and I am missing this command..

the following commands did not work in my tests (maybe I need additional modules as WEP encryption also failed ("Operation not supported")...

```

localhost ~ # iwconfig eth1 power on

Error for wireless request "Set Power Management" (8B2D) :

    GET failed on device eth1 ; Operation not supported.

```

txpower on works.. but doesn't do anything.. do I need a special software (I can emerge via normal LAN).. or do I need to activate a special module.. thx.

----------

## Appleman1234

Try ifconfig eth1 up  :Smile: 

Appleman1234  :Smile: 

----------

## jasperbg

 *Appleman1234 wrote:*   

> Try ifconfig eth1 up 

 

Did you even read his post?

----------

## thomasmue

Hi,

I had the same problem with a Broadcom 4306 Chipset in a Dell Latitude D505 Notebook. My primary OS is Windows XP (as the Notebook is from my employer   :Laughing:  ), and I boot gentoo off a USB disc. I had shut down the radio while running XP. So the solution for me was simple: Boot XP, turn radio on, reboot in gentoo, and it works.

Best regards

Thomas

----------

## laugh

Using Dell Inspiron 1300, broadcom, bcm4318 chipset, tried ndiswrapper and bcm43xx-fwcutter, same error line (ASSERTION FAILED etc). I also get "MAC suspend failed" and "FATAL ERROR: BCM43xx_IRQ_XMIT_ERROR" along with that. Using  2.6.17 gentoo sources.

----------

## speak2000

Maybe I'm just retarded or something, but I can't find bcm43xx in the kernel menuconfig. What is it under?

(Seems that since I did emerge --sync (or perhaps emerge world), wireless has died. )

I used to use ndiswrapper and wpa_supplicant, but at this point, I can't seem to get the wireless device to show up anywhere. 

ndiswrapper claims the driver is installed and "hardware present"

modprobe ndiswrapper returns nothing (so I'd assume its working)

However, If I try /etc/init.d/net.wlan0 start, I get:

```
# /etc/init.d/net.wlan0 start

 * Starting wlan0

 *   Bringing up wlan0

 *     dhcp

 *       wlan0 does not exist                                             [ !! ]

```

lspci does find the device.

The only crap thats in dmesg related to wireless is:

```
ieee80211: 802.11 data/management/control stack, git-1.1.7

ieee80211: Copyright (C) 2004-2005 Intel Corporation <jketreno@linux.intel.com>

ieee80211_crypt: registered algorithm 'NULL'

ieee80211_crypt: registered algorithm 'WEP'

ieee80211_crypt: registered algorithm 'CCMP'

ieee80211_crypt: registered algorithm 'TKIP'

```

Since its intel, I'm gonna try disabling this thing in config and see what happens..

----------

## speak2000

Ok, after disabling Networking>Generic IEEE 802.11 Networking Stack I was able to get my old bcmwl5a driver to work and get back on wireless.

(yay!) Hope this helps someone.

----------

## laugh

previously i was trying to use bcm43xx-fwcutter, ndiswrapper with xp drivers, ndiswrapper with drivers listed on their page for my chipset.  none worked.

now, at last i used drivers from http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=197102&highlight=bcm4318 and, it works perfect for me now. ndiswrapper+wpa_supplicant on gentoo sources 2.6.17r2.

----------

## Appleman1234

jasperbg:I did read his post.

I have a bcm4318, and it works with bcm43xx in Gentoo.

The driver is beta and has some issues, but the developers are working on it.

First you need udev 0.9.4, no more and no less

The steps you must do are

1.modprobe -r bcm43xx ; modprobe bcm43xx

2. iwconfig bcm43xx networkinterface (eg eth0, eth1, eth2 etc) essid Essid here key key here (you can leave out key if not using encryption)

3. ifconfig  bcm43xx networkinterface (eg eth0, eth1, eth2 etc) up (this is the step he missed / didn't do in correct order, which is why iwconfig says invalid, the device can't associate unless the network interface is up)

4. dmesg (not really necessary but good as a check). If you don't get SoftMAC: associated!, then repeat above steps until you do, or move closer to router and repeat above steps

5. dhcpcd -d  bcm43xx networkinterface (eg eth0, eth1, eth2 etc)  & . Voila your wireless works.

Ndiswrapper does work but only in some situations, in other situations it to fails to associate.

As mentioned on bcm43xx forums and IRC, this order of commands is very important.

jasperbg: And I was lead to believe the Gentoo forums were excellent and yet you attack me.

----------

## ChickensDontFly

I have the same/similar card and ndiswrapper works great. I haven't been in a situation yet where it fails to associate. The wireless on/off button even works. 

To anyone who decides to use ndiswrapper on 64 bit processor, make sure you get the 64-bit windows driver.

----------

## Flakeygator

 *speak2000 wrote:*   

> Ok, after disabling Networking>Generic IEEE 802.11 Networking Stack I was able to get my old bcmwl5a driver to work and get back on wireless.
> 
> (yay!) Hope this helps someone.

 

It has helped me halfway thnx

after updating the kernel to 2.6.17-r8 my ndiswrapper -l showed the driver installed

 I forgot to rebuild ndiswrapper gnarl after upgrade

I blame it on swampgas lol

so I rebuild ndiswrapper

used the Fn+ F2 button

iwconfig

and it works again!!!!! thnx

hope this helps someone 2

----------

