Broadcom network card doesn't connect to wireless network

[D. Schetselaar]

I have a Dell Inspiron 1501 running Linux Lite 2.0. I'm very happy with how fast it is (much better than when it was brand new running Windows Vista!). However i cannot connect to wireless LAN. It finds the network, but doesn't connect (password is correct, signal strength is excellent, power management is off, bluetooth is off, wifi works on other devices). The wireless adapter is Broadcom with BCM 4311 chipset.

I know many people have trouble with Broadcom wireless adapters, and i've tried some ' standard' stuff that seems to work in many cases but not in mine. I see that there are also some more complicated solutions around, but since I'm new to Linux it feels like I would be randomly trying without having any idea if it could help in my situation. So I'm hoping someone could give some more specific support.

What I tried (at least since the last time I reinstalled) was this https://www.freecinema2022.gq/forums/index...pic=1021.0 (reinstal, update but don't reboot, install additional driver, reboot). After that I didn't have any wireless nor ethernet anymore so I entered this in the terminal:

sudo apt-get remove --purge bcmwl-kernel-source
sudo modprobe b44
sudo apt-get install linux-firmware-nonfree
sudo modprobe -r b43 && sudo modprobe b43

Which if I understand correctly removes the wrong driver that is installed through the ' Additional drivers' procedure and installs the firmware driver for the network adapter.

This got me my ethernet back but still no wifi so i entered this in the terminal:

sudo apt-get install firmware-b43-installer

Which I think installs an open source driver for the adapter.
Now the wifi light is on and it finds wireless networks but when I try to log on it doesn't connect.

Help is much appreciated!

[rokytnji]

Just to rule out one thing

Code:

rfkill list all

[anon222]

Broadcom again

Code:

sudo apt-get update

update list of PCI IDs

Code:

sudo update-pciids

The key to finding the correct driver for any network card is what is known as the PCI ID.
You can find the PCI ID with this command:

Code:

lspci -nn -d 14e4:

The ID 14e4 is in most cases is used for a Broadcom Wireless Card.
The output will look like this:
Broadcom Corporation BCM4306 802.11bgn Wireless Network Adapter [14e4:4320] (rev 03)
You are searching for something like this [14e4:4320] (rev 03)
Purge the packages you installed and find the one you need from the list.

PCI.ID                                  14.04 LTS
-------------------------------------------------------
14e4:0576                          Special Case #1       
14e4:4301                  firmware-b43legacy-installer   
14e4:4306                  firmware-b43legacy-installer   
14e4:4306 rev 02        firmware-b43legacy-installer   
14e4:4306 rev 03        linux-firmware-nonfree     
14e4:4307                  linux-firmware-nonfree         
14e4:4311                  linux-firmware-nonfree     
14e4:4312                  linux-firmware-nonfree     
14e4:4313                  linux-firmware-nonfree       
14e4:4315                  linux-firmware-nonfree     
14e4:4315 rev 01        firmware-b43-installer     
14e4:4318                  linux-firmware-nonfree         
14e4:4318 rev 02        firmware-b43-installer         
14e4:4319                  linux-firmware-nonfree       
14e4:4320 rev 02        linux-firmware-nonfree       
14e4:4320 rev 03        linux-firmware-nonfree     
14e4:4324                  linux-firmware-nonfree     
14e4:4325                  linux-firmware-nonfree 
14e4:4328                  linux-firmware-nonfree     
14e4:4329                  bcmwl-kernel-source   
14e4:432a                  bcmwl-kernel-source   
14e4:432b                  bcmwl-kernel-source   
14e4:432c                  bcmwl-kernel-source   
14e4:432d                  bcmwl-kernel-source   
14e4:4331                  linux-firmware-nonfree     
14e4:4335                  linux-firmware-nonfree 
14e4:4353                  Special Case #1       
14e4:4357                  Special Case #1       
14e4:4358                  bcmwl-kernel-source   
14e4:4359                  bcmwl-kernel-source   
14e4:4365                  bcmwl-kernel-source
14e4:43a0                  bcmwl-kernel-source       
14e4:4727                  Special Case #1   
14e4:a962                  linux-firmware-nonfree 
---------------------------------------------------------

Special Case #1 - This device uses the driver combination bcma and brcmsmac. It shouldn't be necessary to install anything at all. Required firmware is installed by default in the package linux-firmware.

IMPORTANT NOTE - After September 2014, if you follow this answer and still you have problems installing the correct driver, please try the firmware-b43-installer package. There were some changes and some drivers will only work with this package. Remember to have a clean system before installing it:

Code:

sudo apt-get install firmware-b43-installer

After you install the correct driver, reboot.

Try to connect. If it doesn't work try the rokytnji command.
That will check if the OS has blocked the wireless card.

Code:

rfkill list all
0: acer-wireless: Wireless LAN
    Soft blocked: no
    Hard blocked: no
1: brcmwl-0: Wireless LAN
    Soft blocked: no
    Hard blocked: no

To unblock use:

Code:

rfkill unblock all

Sometimes, just turning  the WiFi switch on your laptop off and then on again (Physical switch available on laptops) works.

[waynebob]

I did a fresh install, updates, driver check and install Broadcom driver, wireless was gone before the reboot. Reboot and wired was gone as well. Did some of the stuff from D. Schetselaar and got wired back, then did the firmware b43 installer and got the wireless back. Yay. Thanks guys.
Oops, Dell Inspiron 1501.

[Scott(0)]

Thanks Misko, another great post.

[D. Schetselaar]

Thanks for your replies. I (think I) did exactly what you said, but it did not solve the problem.

PCI.ID  = 14e4:4312

Then I did:
rfkill list all
the card was not blocked.

Then i did:
sudo apt-get remove --purge linux-firmware-nonfree
sudo apt-get remove --purge firmware-b43-installer

to remove the packages that I previously installed.

Then I did:
sudo apt-get install linux-firmware-nonfree
Reboot
Didn't work

So next I did:
sudo apt-get remove --purge linux-firmware-nonfree  (is this what you mean by starting with a clean system?)
sudo apt-get install firmware-b43-installer

reboot

Now it said: wifi disabled by hardware switch (or something like that) so i pressed fn f2 and the wifi light came on, it finds the network, but still doesn't connect

rfkill list all shows that the card is not blocked.

Anything else I can do?

[anon222]

To see which driver is being used:

Code:

lsmod | grep -e wl -e brcm -e b43

If you are using  propriatary 'wl' driver

Code:

sudo apt-get purge bcmwl-kernel-source

and reboot

[D. Schetselaar]

Thanks for the help. I'm using a usb network adapter now and that works fine. When I have some spare time, I will try your suggestion misko_2083

[mrmksm]

Had similar problem with dell inspiron 2200, lost WiFi when I updated. (Found this on a post). On a Linux lite, while connected with hard wired for internet, click "Menu" - "system" - "install/remove software". Once in, check "ALL" at top left, then enter in search for "firmware-b43-installer", when it comes up, check the box to "mark for installation", then "OK" if asked, then click "apply, at top. When it is finished, disconnect hard wire, ya should be wireless! It worked instantly for me.
Hope that works for ya also. Good Luck

[Scott(0)]

Hi Mrmksm. Good information and thanks for sharing. 
~Scott