Offline install of b43-fwcutter and firmware for Broadcom Wireless cards

[Mark Greaves (PCNetSpec)]

Yup it's an LPPHY (low power card) .. normally you'd just need to install firmware-b43-lpphy-installer but with you having done an offline install of the firmware, I can't guarantee what will happen.

But let's try it anyway:

Code: [Select]

sudo apt-get install firmware-b43-lpphy-installer

then reboot to test.

What model of HP laptop is this ?

[tiansial]

I just installed the b43-lpphy firmware, gonna report soon.
The notebook is an old HP 6720s.

[Mark Greaves (PCNetSpec)]

Please let us know how it goes

If you ever decide you want to get the wired connection working .. according to this (old) bug report:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux-source-2.6.22/+bug/151887

Updating the BIOS seems to fix the issue on your HP 6270s

As does the kernel boot parameter pci=noacpi
But this parameter may also have undesired consequences .. so the BIOS update is a better solution.

but temporarily using that kernel boot parameter may be handy for us to get your wireless fixed if the LPPHY firmware doesn't fix the issue.

[tiansial]

Already tried both. Neither the boot parameter or the latest bios worked for me :\
I flashed this one: http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareDescription.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&prodTypeId=321957&prodSeriesId=3442832&prodNameId=3442833&swEnvOID=1093&swLang=8&mode=2&taskId=135&swItem=ob-66972-1

[tiansial]

I guess it needs to be specifically F04 version, but it seems a bad idea to downgrade bios :\

[Mark Greaves (PCNetSpec)]

Ahh well .. not a problem if wireless keeps working .. how's it going ?

[tiansial]

So far so good!

[AveragGuy]

So that exercise results in a kernel panic when I attempt to activate the driver from Additional Drivers screen.  I also saw in the article that this would work for the 4318, but the description in the AD screen doesn't mention that part.

[mary]

Hello to all!! I'm new here in the forum and I have the problem that when the center appears, the install button is disabled so I can't click it!! What can I do?? Please help me!!

[Mark Greaves (PCNetSpec)]

Can people please let us know which version and architecture of Ubuntu you are using .. eg. 12.04 32bit .. so I can re-test these instructions.

These instructions are quite old now, and I haven't tested them with recent versions.

--

[mary]

12.4 32bit!!! You found it!! haha

[Mark Greaves (PCNetSpec)]

mary .. I take it you mean when you click on the b43-fwcutter.deb and patch.deb files, software centre opens but the install button is greyed out ?

If so .. here's another way to install those 2 packages .. create a folder on your desktop called b43 .. copy both the b43-fwcutter.deb and patch.deb files into it.

Now open a terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T), and run these commands in sequence:

Code: [Select]

cd ~/Desktop/b43

then

Code: [Select]

sudo dpkg -i *.deb

That will install those 2 packages .. then carry on with the original tutorial.

[mary]

I have only found the deb file and I didn't continue to the others because of the grayed install button of the center. Let me see if these things you just said work. And thank you soooo much for the direct answer!!!

[mary]

I mean the first deb file only, sorry. Let me see.

[Mark Greaves (PCNetSpec)]

OK, new instructions for an offline install of b43-fwcutter and firmware for Broadcom Wireless cards in Ubuntu 12.04
(patch.deb is no longer necessary .. and there's new firmware linked below)

With the 12.04 LiveCD inserted ..

Create a new directory on your desktop called b43offline

Now navigate onto your Ubuntu 12.04 LiveCD, and go to pool > main > b > b43-fwcutter directory

Copy the b43-fwcutter_xxx-x_xxxx.deb file to the b43offline directory you just created on your desktop.

If you don't have a LiveCD .. you can download the b43-fwcutter_xxx-x_xxxx.deb file for your architecture from one of the mirrors at this link:
http://packages.ubuntu.com/precise/utils/b43-fwcutter
and place it in the b43offline directory you created on your desktop)

Once you have the b43-fwcutter_xxx-x_xxxx.deb file in the b43offline directory on your desktop .. open a terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T) and run:

Code: [Select]

cd ~/Desktop/b43offline

then

Code: [Select]

sudo dpkg -i b43-fwcutter*

On another PC with internet access .. download these 2 (firmware) files:-
http://mirror2.openwrt.org/sources/broadcom-wl-5.10.56.27.3_mipsel.tar.bz2
and
http://downloads.openwrt.org/sources/wl_apsta-3.130.20.0.o

and copy them both to the b43offline directory you created on the Ubuntu desktop.

Open a terminal, and run these commands in sequence:

Code: [Select]

cd ~/Desktop/b43offline

then

Code: [Select]

tar -xjvf broadcom-wl-5.10.56.27.3_mipsel.tar.bz2

then

Code: [Select]

sudo b43-fwcutter -w /lib/firmware broadcom-wl-5.10.56.27.3/driver/wl_apsta/wl_prebuilt.o

then

Code: [Select]

sudo b43-fwcutter -w /lib/firmware wl_apsta-3.130.20.0.o

then

Code: [Select]

sudo chmod 755 /lib/firmware/b43

then

Code: [Select]

sudo chmod 755 /lib/firmware/b43legacy

then

Code: [Select]

sudo modprobe -r b43

(don't worry if that command fails .. just carry on below
then

Code: [Select]

sudo modprobe b43

Wireless adapters that use the b43 drivers should now spring to life

If that doesn't work .. try changing to the b43legacy driver with:

Code: [Select]

sudo modprobe -r b43

then

Code: [Select]

sudo modprobe b43legacy

Once it's working .. feel free to save/move/delete the b43offline directory from your desktop


(unmodified) Source:-
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/WifiDocs/Driver/bcm43xx

--