Ndiswrapper works NetworkManager doesnt?

[RobinVossen]

Hello,

I just switched to Graphical Linux after hacking my installation all the time and I was in a time rush to install my box. Now Its taking me 2hours and I am started to get pissed off (Well Normally its 5hours, for a fullyhacked Gentoo Install so.. heh)

Now I am using Mint Linux. Install went really good.
But I cant get the wifi to work.
I go to install Windows driver (ndiswrapper frontend) and I get error: "DEVICE NOT FOUND" but the GUI itself says: "Device Found." when I press manage Network it says that there isnt anysoftware to do that.
After playing about w/ the guis I got pissed off and I had a look at the Trusy CLI.
I did these things:

Twix ndiswrapper # NetworkManager --no-daemon
NetworkManager: <info>  starting...
NetworkManager: <info>  (eth1): new Ethernet device (driver: 'forcedeth')
NetworkManager: <info>  (eth1): exported as /org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/net_00_16_17_93_b6_42
NetworkManager: <info>  (eth0): new Ethernet device (driver: 'forcedeth')
NetworkManager: <info>  (eth0): exported as /org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/net_00_16_17_93_b6_43
NetworkManager: <info>  (wlan0): driver supports SSID scans (scan_capa 0x01).
NetworkManager: <info>  (wlan0): new 802.11 WiFi device (driver: 'b43')
NetworkManager: <info>  (wlan0): exported as /org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/net_00_11_50_ed_70_b7
NetworkManager: <info>  (ttyS0): ignoring due to lack of mobile broadband capabilties
NetworkManager: <info>  (ttyS1): ignoring due to lack of mobile broadband capabilties
NetworkManager: <info>  (eth1): device state change: 1 -> 2
NetworkManager: <info>  (eth1): bringing up device.
NetworkManager: <info>  (eth1): preparing device.
NetworkManager: <info>  (eth1): deactivating device (reason: 2).
NetworkManager: <info>  Unmanaged Device found; state CONNECTED forced. (see http://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/191889)
NetworkManager: <info>  Unmanaged Device found; state CONNECTED forced. (see http://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/191889)
NetworkManager: <info>  (eth0): device state change: 1 -> 2
NetworkManager: <info>  (eth0): bringing up device.
NetworkManager: <info>  (eth0): preparing device.
NetworkManager: <info>  (eth0): deactivating device (reason: 2).
NetworkManager: <info>  Unmanaged Device found; state CONNECTED forced. (see http://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/191889)
NetworkManager: <info>  (wlan0): device state change: 1 -> 2
NetworkManager: <info>  (wlan0): bringing up device.
-- Error received: No such file or directory
-- Original message: type=0x13 length=32 flags=<REQUEST,ACK> sequence-nr=1248125471 pid=4203788
NetworkManager: <info>  (wlan0): deactivating device (reason: 2).
NetworkManager: <info>  (wlan0): device state change: 2 -> 3

Twix ndiswrapper # ndiswrapper -l
WARNING: All config files need .conf: /etc/modprobe.d/ndiswrapper, it will be ignored in a future release.
bcmwl5a : driver installed
	device (14E4:4318) present (alternate driver: ssb)

Twix ndiswrapper # wpa_supplicant -Dwext -iwlan0 -c/etc/wpa_supplicant.conf
SIOCSIFFLAGS: No such file or directory
Could not set interface 'wlan0' UP
l2_packet_receive - recvfrom: Network is down
ioctl[SIOCGIWSCAN]: Resource temporarily unavailable
ioctl[SIOCSIWSCAN]: Network is down
Failed to initiate AP scan.

Twix ndiswrapper # cat /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf 
<Nothing>

Twix ndiswrapper # cat /var/log/wpa_supplicant.log 
Failed to initiate AP scan.
Failed to initiate AP scan.
Failed to initiate AP scan.
Failed to initiate AP scan.
Failed to initiate AP scan.
Failed to initiate AP scan.
Failed to initiate AP scan.
Failed to initiate AP scan.
Failed to initiate AP scan.
Failed to initiate AP scan.
Failed to initiate AP scan.
Failed to initiate AP scan.
Failed to initiate AP scan.
CTRL-EVENT-TERMINATING - signal 15 received
Failed to initiate AP scan.
Failed to initiate AP scan.
Failed to initiate AP scan.
CTRL-EVENT-TERMINATING - signal 15 received

Twix ndiswrapper # lspci | grep Network
01:02.0 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4318 [AirForce One 54g] 802.11g Wireless LAN Controller (rev 02)

I noticed:

NetworkManager: <info>  (wlan0): device state change: 1 -> 2
NetworkManager: <info>  (wlan0): bringing up device.
-- Error received: No such file or directory
-- Original message: type=0x13 length=32 flags=<REQUEST,ACK> sequence-nr=1248125471 pid=4203788
NetworkManager: <info>  (wlan0): deactivating device (reason: 2).
NetworkManager: <info>  (wlan0): device state change: 2 -> 3

and

SIOCSIFFLAGS: No such file or directory
Could not set interface 'wlan0' UP
l2_packet_receive - recvfrom: Network is down
ioctl[SIOCGIWSCAN]: Resource temporarily unavailable
ioctl[SIOCSIWSCAN]: Network is down
Failed to initiate AP scan.

I see there is an error.,
But cant seem to fix.

Any advice?

Thanks
Robin

[bigtomrodney]

Have you blacklisted the b43 driver? It looks like it might be loaded too.

[RobinVossen]

That Might be it..
I forgot about that, and kinda assumed that the GUI would have managed to Disable that. And again it shows. You can better maintain Linux w/ CLI.. heh when I am home Ill instant try and report.

[waterhead]

Why not just use the native b43 driver? This way it will always work after kernel upgrades. With NDISwrapper you will need to re-install it after a kernel upgrade.

You will need to install the firmware for the card too. But that also will be good after any kernel update.

[RobinVossen]

Well 2 reasons.
1 - Native bcm43xx has PowerFailures.
2 - I need inet before the Firmware can get installed. And as I only have wifi I decided to first use ndiswrapper and then try the native one.

I am also thinking of just buying a new Wificard.
Since this is a big bully everytime I want to install Linux.

Cheers,
Robin

[waterhead]

The firmware for your wireless should be the same, no matter which distro you use. If you keep it handy on a USB drive or a CD, You can then just copy it to the /lib/firmware directory.

I do this for the dvb cards that I have. One of my dvb cards has a hard to find firmware, so keeping a copy of it on hand makes things much easier.

[RobinVossen]

Thanks all, I solved the issue.
I used a Laptop and Bridged the Eth to wifi. Then used the function of mint to downl. the Firmware.

OH and I think that what you just said is a smartmove. I might copy the firmware folder for later use.

Thanks

Cheers,
Robin