bcm43xx driver installing trouble

First off, im using debian etch distribution

from my understanding, the linux kernel provides native driver support for the broadcom wireless chipset as of 2.6.17-rc2
http://bcm43xx.berlios.de/

I compiled kernel 2.6.18.1 and selected bcm43xx under the makemenuconfig utility. I booted up and saw the device listed under the networking options but could not get it to work.

I then tried to follow this tutorial
http://openfacts.berlios.de/index-en...e_802.11_stack

I think the tutorial may be dated because lines of code stated in the source files did not exist. Well anyway, I tried to follow it the best I could, when I rebooted, I no longer see eth1 (my wireless card) listed in the networking options.

I thought that I might be able to get my card to show up again by compiling a newer version of the kernel. So I downloaded 2.6.19-rc2, selected bcm43xx in the makemenuconfig utility, and recompiled the kernel and booted into it.

My wireless card still not show up in the networking options though like it had the first time. "lspci" does list that my card is inserted into the pci slot.


So I am kind of stuck at this moment on how to get the bcm43xx driver installed. I thought when I compiled 2.6.19-rc2, the device would show up automatically like it had when I compiled 2.6.18.1 but it did not. I think something that I did listed in the tutorial above is causing this but I am a linux noob and dont really know my stuff.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

thanks,
Zack

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by zackboll

from my understanding, the linux kernel provides native driver support for the broadcom wireless chipset as of 2.6.17-rc2
http://bcm43xx.berlios.de/

---

Yes, exactly.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by zackboll

I compiled kernel 2.6.18.1 and selected bcm43xx under the makemenuconfig utility. I booted up and saw the device listed under the networking options but could not get it to work.

---

With this you have the driver installed (it is part of the kernel as you mentionned).

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by zackboll

I then tried to follow this tutorial
http://openfacts.berlios.de/index-en...e_802.11_stack

---

This tutorial is way out of line. Those steps are not necessary.

The only thing you need to do is put your card's firmware in /lib/firmware/

For that you need the bcm43xx-fwcutter utility

Code:

---

apt-get install bcm43xx-fwcutter

---

Then, using your card's windows driver (download the windows driver from the card's manufacturer's site), you can extract the firmware :

Code:

---

bcm43xx-fwcutter -w /lib/firmware <windows driver>

---

Then load the bcm43xx modules and your are good to go :

Code:

---

modprobe bcm43xx

---

Last thing, you may find that Sarge's wireless support is not so good : the utility offered to connect (like wpasupplicant) are something simply too outdated.

Etch is almost stable now : you can update to it pretty safely. Also, it comes with the famoust "network-manager".

Thanks for the response
Im currently using debian Etch


This is what I did
debianzack:/home/zboll/Desktop/tmp# bcm43xx-fwcutter -w /lib/firmware wl_apsta.obcm43xx-fwcutter can cut the firmware out of wl_apsta.o

filename : wl_apsta.o
version : 3.130.20.0
MD5 : e08665c5c5b66beb9c3b2dd54aa80cb3

extracting bcm43xx_microcode2.fw ...
extracting bcm43xx_microcode4.fw ...
extracting bcm43xx_microcode5.fw ...
extracting bcm43xx_microcode11.fw ...
*****: Sorry, it's not possible to extract "bcm43xx_microcode13.fw".
*****: Extracting firmware from an old driver is bad. Choose a more recent one.
*****: Luckily bcm43xx driver doesn't include microcode11 uploads at the moment.*****: But this can be added in the future...
extracting bcm43xx_pcm4.fw ...
extracting bcm43xx_pcm5.fw ...
extracting bcm43xx_initval01.fw ...
extracting bcm43xx_initval02.fw ...
extracting bcm43xx_initval03.fw ...
extracting bcm43xx_initval04.fw ...
extracting bcm43xx_initval05.fw ...
extracting bcm43xx_initval06.fw ...
extracting bcm43xx_initval07.fw ...
extracting bcm43xx_initval08.fw ...
extracting bcm43xx_initval09.fw ...
extracting bcm43xx_initval10.fw ...
debianzack:/home/zboll/Desktop/tmp# modprobe bcm43xx

I tried using my windows driver.sys file but do I first have to use ndisgen because I get an error. I googled wl_apsta.o after reading about it in a forum.

its still not showing up. Should I do a reformat? I think something I did from the first tutorial messed it up. I would rather avoid reformatting though because it took me along time to get everything setup.

thanks,
Zack

anyone?

thanks,
Zack

I did update manager and now its working