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Newbie - Cannot find Network - wifi

Archived thread 1000367 from Networking & Wireless. Markdown source: Networking_&_Wireless/thread_1000367_Newbie_-_Cannot_find_Network_-_wifi.md

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#1

Hi, I hope this is enough information to find some help. I cannot find any way of making a wireless connection.

When I run lshw -C network I get this result:

*-network DISABLED description: Ethernet interface product: SiS900 PCI Fast Ethernet vendor: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] physical id: 4 bus info: pci@0000:00:04.0 logical name: eth0 version: 91 serial: 00:0f:1f:a6:6f:b0 width: 32 bits clock: 33MHz capabilities: bus_master cap_list ethernet physical configuration: broadcast=yes driver=sis900 driverversion=v1.08.10 Apr. 2 2006 latency=173 maxlatency=11 mingnt=52 module=sis900 multicast=yes *-network description: Network controller product: BCM4318 [AirForce One 54g] 802.11g Wireless LAN Controller vendor: Broadcom Corporation physical id: 0 bus info: pci@0000:02:00.0 version: 02 width: 32 bits clock: 33MHz capabilities: bus_master configuration: driver=b43-pci-bridge latency=64 module=ssb *-network:0 DISABLED description: Wireless interface physical id: 1 logical name: wlan0 serial: 00:14:bf:23:51:f6 capabilities: ethernet physical wireless configuration: broadcast=yes multicast=yes wireless=IEEE 802.11bg *-network:1 DISABLED description: Ethernet interface physical id: 2 logical name: pan0 serial: 92:88:7e:4b:f6:de capabilities: ethernet physical configuration: broadcast=yes driver=bridge driverversion=2.3 firmware=N/A multicast=yes

And when I run lspci I can tell that I am running:

Network controller [0280]: broadcom corporation BCM4318 [Airforce One 54g] 802.11 Wireless LAN controller [14e:4318] (rev 02) Subsystem: Linksys Device [1737:0049]

Any ideas on how I can get this working?

Many thanks,

#2

also, I think this information might be helpful. 

evan@evan-laptop:~$ iwconfig
lo        no wireless extensions.

eth0      no wireless extensions.

wmaster0  no wireless extensions.

wlan0     IEEE 802.11bg  ESSID:""  
          Mode:Managed  Frequency:2.412 GHz  Access Point: Not-Associated   
          Tx-Power=0 dBm   
          Retry min limit:7   RTS thr:off   Fragment thr=2352 B   
          Power Management: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

pan0      no wireless extensions.
#3

hello

post the answer of the command line : sudo iwlist wlan0 scan

#4

I'm not the OP but I have the exact same problem in terms of my lshw says that my wireless device is disabled...

sudo iwlist wlan0 scan returns the following:

wlan0 Interface doesn't support scanning : Network is down

#5

You need to install the firmware for your card, BCM4318 [AirForce One 54g] 802.11g Wireless LAN Controller.

run

sudo apt-get install b43-fwcutter

in the terminal and when asked to obtain the firmware say yes.

Of course you'll need a wired connection to do this, if that isn't an option you should get the firmware file from here:

http://mirror2.openwrt.org/sources/broadcom-wl-4.150.10.5.tar.bz2

extract this file and get the wl_apsta_mimo.o file in the driver folder and get it into ur pc using a USB flash drive or something similar.

then you should install b43-fwcutter from the ubuntu installation CD with the same command i pasted above

and run

sudo b43-fwcutter -w /lib/firmware wl_apsta_mimo.o

assuming your in the same directory as the .o file, if not just point to the file's path.

I should mention that the Restricted Drivers Manager included in Ubuntu will also do everything for you, provided you have a working wired connection. And it's probably the easiest way for a newbie to get the card working. Just update your Ubuntu with the wired connection and it should be there to activate.

#6

Thanks for the help! I think I'm getting close.

I ran the stuff you said, and now when I go to Hardware Drivers I see Broadcom B43 wireless driver, however when I try to activate it, a progress bar pops up and disappears after 50% through the download step. (obviously, since I'm not able to get online, it's not downloading anything)

Any ideas?

Here is how things look now: 

evan@evan-laptop:~$ ifconfig
lo        Link encap:Local Loopback  
          inet addr:127.0.0.1  Mask:255.0.0.0
          inet6 addr: ::1/128 Scope:Host
          UP LOOPBACK RUNNING  MTU:16436  Metric:1
          RX packets:256 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:256 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:0 
          RX bytes:16336 (16.3 KB)  TX bytes:16336 (16.3 KB)

evan@evan-laptop:~$ iwconfig
lo        no wireless extensions.

eth0      no wireless extensions.

pan0      no wireless extensions.

wmaster0  no wireless extensions.

wlan0     IEEE 802.11bg  ESSID:""  
          Mode:Managed  Frequency:2.412 GHz  Access Point: Not-Associated   
          Tx-Power=0 dBm   
          Retry min limit:7   RTS thr:off   Fragment thr=2352 B   
          Power Management: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

evan@evan-laptop:~$ lshw -C network
WARNING: you should run this program as super-user.
  *-network DISABLED      
       description: Ethernet interface
       product: SiS900 PCI Fast Ethernet
       vendor: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS]
       physical id: 4
       bus info: pci@0000:00:04.0
       logical name: eth0
       version: 91
       serial: 00:0f:1f:a6:6f:b0
       width: 32 bits
       clock: 33MHz
       capabilities: bus_master cap_list ethernet physical
       configuration: broadcast=yes driver=sis900 driverversion=v1.08.10 Apr. 2 2006 latency=173 maxlatency=11 mingnt=52 module=sis900 multicast=yes
  *-network
       description: Network controller
       product: BCM4318 [AirForce One 54g] 802.11g Wireless LAN Controller
       vendor: Broadcom Corporation
       physical id: 0
       bus info: pci@0000:02:00.0
       version: 02
       width: 32 bits
       clock: 33MHz
       capabilities: bus_master
       configuration: driver=b43-pci-bridge latency=64 module=ssb
  *-network:0 DISABLED
       description: Ethernet interface
       physical id: 2
       logical name: pan0
       serial: f2:4d:ad:8b:6e:5b
       capabilities: ethernet physical
       configuration: broadcast=yes driver=bridge driverversion=2.3 firmware=N/A multicast=yes
  *-network:1 DISABLED
       description: Wireless interface
       physical id: 3
       logical name: wlan0
       serial: 00:14:bf:23:51:f6
       capabilities: ethernet physical wireless
       configuration: broadcast=yes multicast=yes wireless=IEEE 802.11bg
evan@evan-laptop:~$ iwconfig
lo        no wireless extensions.

eth0      no wireless extensions.

pan0      no wireless extensions.

wmaster0  no wireless extensions.

wlan0     IEEE 802.11bg  ESSID:""  
          Mode:Managed  Frequency:2.412 GHz  Access Point: Not-Associated   
          Tx-Power=0 dBm   
          Retry min limit:7   RTS thr:off   Fragment thr=2352 B   
          Power Management: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

evan@evan-laptop:~$ sudo iwlist wlan0 scan
[sudo] password for evan: 
wlan0     Interface doesn't support scanning : Network is down
#7

Can't you use a ethernet cable to make you laptop go online and run the Hardware Drivers then?

Maybe you have a desktop who uses a wired connection with a cable you can use or something?

I pretty much already said everything regarding firmware installation. If you managed to install b43-fwcutter, then all you need is that wl_apsta_mimo.o file and run the second command i wrote.

You can find more information on this here: http://www.linuxwireless.org/en/users/Drivers/b43#firmwareinstallation

#8

First, thanks again for all you help.

Okay, I plugged the onboard ethernet card into my router.

Do I need to do anything for it to show up? When I run lshw I get the same results as posted above. Do I need to fire off anything to the connection detected?

#9

NetworkManager should set up your wired connection automatically if you plugged the cable to your router. Now it's pretty much just opening the Hardware Drivers in System -> Administration and activate the Broadcom wireless adapter.