[SOLVED] Wlan?

[brent.]

i am very new to debian i just installed it, before that i was a windows xp user. i have a broadcom WLAN adaptor that came with my computer, and i have the .exe file from the compaq website (the adaptor does not work since i installed debian. i know that debian doesn't accept .exe files, and i need to know how to get my WLAN working. i also cannot install any .deb packages, for when i double click on them, archive manager says that the archive type is not supported. PLEASE HELP!

[reed9]

Please post the output of

lspci -vnn
lsmod

There are two possible solutions for getting the card to work. There is a non-free driver released by broadcom for some cards, and there is a free driver which is included in Debian, but requires extra non-free firmware. The above command will help us identify for card and determine which you need.

Do you have access to a wired network connection? It will make it much easier if so.

More info:
wl - Debian Wiki
bcm43xx - Debian Wiki

[brent.]

the output of lspci -vnn is:
00:00.0 Host bridge [0600]: nVidia Corporation nForce3 Host Bridge [10de:00d1] (rev a4)
Flags: bus master, 66MHz, fast devsel, latency 0
Memory at f0000000 (32-bit, prefetchable) [size=128M]
Capabilities: <access denied>
Kernel driver in use: agpgart-amd64
Kernel modules: amd64-agp

00:01.0 ISA bridge [0601]: nVidia Corporation nForce3 LPC Bridge [10de:00d0] (rev a6)
Subsystem: nVidia Corporation Device [10de:0c80]
Flags: bus master, 66MHz, fast devsel, latency 0

00:01.1 SMBus [0c05]: nVidia Corporation nForce3 SMBus [10de:00d4] (rev a4)
Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device [103c:006d]
Flags: 66MHz, fast devsel, IRQ 10
I/O ports at 2040 [size=64]
I/O ports at 2000 [size=64]
Capabilities: <access denied>
Kernel driver in use: nForce2_smbus
Kernel modules: i2c-nforce2

00:02.0 USB Controller [0c03]: nVidia Corporation nForce3 USB 1.1 [10de:00d7] (rev a5) (prog-if 10 [OHCI])
Subsystem: nVidia Corporation Device [10de:0c80]
Flags: bus master, 66MHz, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 21
Memory at e8000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K]
Capabilities: <access denied>
Kernel driver in use: ohci_hcd
Kernel modules: ohci-hcd

00:02.1 USB Controller [0c03]: nVidia Corporation nForce3 USB 1.1 [10de:00d7] (rev a5) (prog-if 10 [OHCI])
Subsystem: nVidia Corporation Device [10de:0c80]
Flags: bus master, 66MHz, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 20
Memory at e8001000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K]
Capabilities: <access denied>
Kernel driver in use: ohci_hcd
Kernel modules: ohci-hcd

00:02.2 USB Controller [0c03]: nVidia Corporation nForce3 USB 2.0 [10de:00d8] (rev a2) (prog-if 20 [EHCI])
Subsystem: nVidia Corporation Device [10de:0c80]
Flags: bus master, 66MHz, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 22
Memory at e8004000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=256]
Capabilities: <access denied>
Kernel driver in use: ehci_hcd
Kernel modules: ehci-hcd

00:06.0 Multimedia audio controller [0401]: nVidia Corporation nForce3 Audio [10de:00da] (rev a2)
Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device [103c:006d]
Flags: bus master, 66MHz, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 21
I/O ports at 1400 [size=256]
I/O ports at 1c00 [size=128]
Memory at e8002000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K]
Capabilities: <access denied>
Kernel driver in use: Intel ICH
Kernel modules: snd-intel8x0

00:06.1 Modem [0703]: nVidia Corporation nForce3 Audio [10de:00d9] (rev a2) (prog-if 00 [Generic])
Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device [103c:006d]
Flags: bus master, 66MHz, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 22
I/O ports at 1800 [size=256]
I/O ports at 1c80 [size=128]
Memory at e8003000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K]
Capabilities: <access denied>
Kernel driver in use: Intel ICH Modem
Kernel modules: snd-intel8x0m

00:08.0 IDE interface [0101]: nVidia Corporation nForce3 IDE [10de:00d5] (rev a5) (prog-if 8a [Master SecP PriP])
Subsystem: nVidia Corporation Device [10de:0c80]
Flags: bus master, 66MHz, fast devsel, latency 0
[virtual] Memory at 000001f0 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [disabled] [size=8]
[virtual] Memory at 000003f0 (type 3, non-prefetchable) [disabled] [size=1]
[virtual] Memory at 00000170 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [disabled] [size=8]
[virtual] Memory at 00000370 (type 3, non-prefetchable) [disabled] [size=1]
I/O ports at 2080 [size=16]
Capabilities: <access denied>
Kernel driver in use: AMD_IDE
Kernel modules: amd74xx

00:0a.0 PCI bridge [0604]: nVidia Corporation nForce3 PCI Bridge [10de:00dd] (rev a2) (prog-if 00 [Normal decode])
Flags: bus master, 66MHz, fast devsel, latency 0
Bus: primary=00, secondary=02, subordinate=0a, sec-latency=128
I/O behind bridge: 00003000-00007fff
Memory behind bridge: e8100000-e97fffff
Kernel modules: shpchp

00:0b.0 PCI bridge [0604]: nVidia Corporation nForce3 AGP Bridge [10de:00d2] (rev a4) (prog-if 00 [Normal decode])
Flags: bus master, 66MHz, medium devsel, latency 16
Bus: primary=00, secondary=01, subordinate=01, sec-latency=10
Memory behind bridge: ea000000-eaffffff
Prefetchable memory behind bridge: f8000000-fc0fffff
Kernel modules: shpchp

00:18.0 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] HyperTransport Technology Configuration [1022:1100]
Flags: fast devsel
Capabilities: <access denied>

00:18.1 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] Address Map [1022:1101]
Flags: fast devsel

00:18.2 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] DRAM Controller [1022:1102]
Flags: fast devsel

00:18.3 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] Miscellaneous Control [1022:1103]
Flags: fast devsel
Kernel driver in use: k8temp
Kernel modules: k8temp

01:00.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: nVidia Corporation NV17 [GeForce4 420 Go 32M] [10de:0176] (rev a3) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device [103c:006d]
Flags: bus master, 66MHz, medium devsel, latency 64, IRQ 11
Memory at ea000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16M]
Memory at f8000000 (32-bit, prefetchable) [size=64M]
Memory at fc000000 (32-bit, prefetchable) [size=512K]
[virtual] Expansion ROM at fc080000 [disabled] [size=128K]
Capabilities: <access denied>
Kernel modules: nvidiafb

02:01.0 Ethernet controller [0200]: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ [10ec:8139] (rev 10)
Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device [103c:006b]
Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 64, IRQ 18
I/O ports at 7000 [size=256]
Memory at e8104000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=256]
Capabilities: <access denied>
Kernel driver in use: 8139too
Kernel modules: 8139too, 8139cp

02:02.0 Network controller [0280]: Broadcom Corporation BCM4306 802.11b/g Wireless LAN Controller [14e4:4320] (rev 03)
Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Broadcom 802.11b/g WLAN [103c:12f4]
Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 64, IRQ 17
Memory at e8100000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=8K]
Kernel driver in use: b43-pci-bridge
Kernel modules: ssb

02:04.0 CardBus bridge [0607]: Texas Instruments PCI1620 PC Card Controller [104c:ac54] (rev 01)
Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device [103c:006d]
Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 168, IRQ 19
Memory at e8102000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K]
Bus: primary=02, secondary=03, subordinate=06, sec-latency=176
Memory window 0: e8400000-e87ff000 (prefetchable)
Memory window 1: e8800000-e8bff000
I/O window 0: 00003000-000030ff
I/O window 1: 00003400-000034ff
16-bit legacy interface ports at 0001
Kernel driver in use: yenta_cardbus
Kernel modules: yenta_socket

02:04.1 CardBus bridge [0607]: Texas Instruments PCI1620 PC Card Controller [104c:ac54] (rev 01)
Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device [103c:006d]
Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 168, IRQ 18
Memory at e8103000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K]
Bus: primary=02, secondary=07, subordinate=0a, sec-latency=176
Memory window 0: e9000000-e93ff000 (prefetchable)
Memory window 1: e8c00000-e8fff000
I/O window 0: 00003800-000038ff
I/O window 1: 00003c00-00003cff
16-bit legacy interface ports at 0001
Kernel driver in use: yenta_cardbus
Kernel modules: yenta_socket

02:04.2 System peripheral [0880]: Texas Instruments PCI1620 Firmware Loading Function [104c:8201] (rev 01)
Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device [103c:006d]
Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 64
I/O ports at 7400 [size=64]
Capabilities: <access denied>



output of lsmod:
Module Size Used by
nls_utf8 1760 1
isofs 28196 1
zlib_inflate 14144 1 isofs
udf 67780 0
nls_base 6820 3 nls_utf8,isofs,udf
crc_itu_t 2080 1 udf
rfkill_input 3520 0
rfcomm 28272 0
l2cap 17248 5 rfcomm
bluetooth 44996 4 rfcomm,l2cap
ppdev 6468 0
lp 8164 0
ipv6 235396 14
powernow_k8 12036 0
cpufreq_powersave 1856 0
cpufreq_ondemand 6476 1
cpufreq_userspace 3172 0
cpufreq_conservative 5960 0
cpufreq_stats 3776 0
freq_table 4224 3 powernow_k8,cpufreq_ondemand,cpufreq_stats
loop 12748 0
joydev 8480 0
arc4 1824 2
ecb 2624 2
crypto_blkcipher 15236 1 ecb
b43 110716 0
rfkill 5652 2 rfkill_input,b43
parport_pc 22500 1
parport 30988 3 ppdev,lp,parport_pc
rng_core 3940 1 b43
mac80211 139808 1 b43
cfg80211 21608 1 mac80211
led_class 3908 1 b43
input_polldev 3752 1 b43
yenta_socket 20620 2
rsrc_nonstatic 9504 1 yenta_socket
pcspkr 2432 0
psmouse 32336 0
serio_raw 4740 0
k8temp 4064 0
shpchp 25528 0
pci_hotplug 23460 1 shpchp
video 16464 0
output 2912 1 video
snd_intel8x0m 12492 0
battery 10180 0
container 3456 0
ac 4196 0
snd_intel8x0 26268 1
snd_ac97_codec 88452 2 snd_intel8x0m,snd_intel8x0
ac97_bus 1728 1 snd_ac97_codec
snd_pcm 62660 3 snd_intel8x0m,snd_intel8x0,snd_ac97_codec
snd_seq 41456 0
snd_timer 17800 2 snd_pcm,snd_seq
snd_seq_device 6380 1 snd_seq
snd 45636 9 snd_intel8x0m,snd_intel8x0,snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm, snd_seq,snd_timer,snd_seq_device
soundcore 6368 1 snd
wmi 6440 0
snd_page_alloc 7816 3 snd_intel8x0m,snd_intel8x0,snd_pcm
button 6096 0
i2c_nforce2 5536 0
i2c_core 19828 1 i2c_nforce2
amd64_agp 8772 1
agpgart 28808 1 amd64_agp
evdev 8000 6
ext3 105576 1
jbd 39476 1 ext3
mbcache 7108 1 ext3
ide_cd_mod 27684 1
cdrom 30176 1 ide_cd_mod
ide_disk 10496 3
ide_pci_generic 3908 0 [permanent]
8139cp 16800 0
amd74xx 7752 0 [permanent]
ide_core 96168 4 ide_cd_mod,ide_disk,ide_pci_generic,amd74xx
ssb 33476 1 b43
pcmcia 29548 2 b43,ssb
pcmcia_core 31892 5 b43,yenta_socket,rsrc_nonstatic,ssb,pcmcia
firmware_class 6816 2 b43,pcmcia
8139too 20384 0
mii 4896 2 8139cp,8139too
ata_generic 4676 0
libata 140448 1 ata_generic
scsi_mod 129548 1 libata
dock 8304 1 libata
ehci_hcd 28428 0
ohci_hcd 18500 0
usbcore 118192 3 ehci_hcd,ohci_hcd
thermal 15228 0
processor 32576 3 powernow_k8,thermal
fan 4196 0
thermal_sys 10856 4 video,thermal,processor,fan

[brent.]

i also do have a wired connection. i am plugged into my wireless box i got from the cable company

[reed9]

Ok, you just need the firmware for the card. Do

su -c 'apt-get install b43-fwcutter'

And you should be good to go.

[brent.]

i got:
brent@B426:~$ su -c 'apt-get install b43-fwcutter'
Password:
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
E: Couldn't find package b43-fwcutter

[reed9]

It's in the contrib section, which is probably not enabled by default.

Edit your sources.list to add contrib.

su -c 'nano /etc/apt/sources.list'

Look for a line that looks like

deb http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/ lenny main

and append contrib to the end

deb http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/ lenny main contrib

Do

su -c 'apt-get update'

Then install as above.

Here is an easy sources.list generator you can use.
Debian Sources List Generator

[brent.]

thank you. at sources.list, i have both
deb security.debian.org/ lenny/updates main
and
deb volatile.debian.org/debian-volatile lenny/volatile main
which one do i add contrib to?

[reed9]

You should have more than just those two. Can you post the contents of the file?

Alternately, you can just make it look like so

###### Debian Main Repos
deb http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/ lenny main contrib non-free 
deb-src http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/ lenny main contrib non-free 

###### Debian Update Repos
deb http://security.debian.org/ lenny/updates main contrib non-free 
deb http://volatile.debian.org/debian-volatile lenny/volatile main contrib non-free 
deb-src http://security.debian.org/ lenny/updates main contrib non-free 
deb-src http://volatile.debian.org/debian-volatile lenny/volatile main contrib non-free

I'm assuming you're in the US. If you're in a different country, you'll want to use a closer mirror to you.

[brent.]

yes im in the US. the following code is without the http: because the site won't let me post it with the http:

 GNU nano 2.0.7          File: /etc/apt/sources.list                 Modified  

deb lamaresh.net/apt lenny main
#
# deb cdrom:[Debian GNU/Linux 5.0.4 _Lenny_ - Official i386 CD Binary-1 2010013$

deb cdrom:[Debian GNU/Linux 5.0.4 _Lenny_ - Official i386 CD Binary-1 20100131-$

deb cdrom:[Debian GNU/Linux 5.0.4 _Lenny_ - Official i386 CD Binary-2 20100131-$

deb security.debian.org/ lenny/updates main
deb-src security.debian.org/ lenny/updates main

deb volatile.debian.org/debian-volatile lenny/volatile main
deb-src volatile.debian.org/debian-volatile lenny/volatile main