[Intrepid-regression] BCM4311 stops working with 2.6.27-7-generic, with solution

[Gustavo Narea]

After I upgraded to Intrepid, it was impossible for me to access wireless and wired networks. Everything worked when I added the following lines to /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist:

blacklist bcm43
blacklist bcm43legacy
blacklist b43
blacklist b43legacy
blacklist bc43xx
blacklist b43xx

I know only two of them actually work, but I could not remember the exact name of the modules.

Please note that when I installed Hardy, I did *not* edit that file. I just used the retricted drivers manager, just like I tried in Intrepid but didn't work.

[Ian Weisser (ian-weisser)]

Thank you for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. Unfortunately we can't fix it without more information.

Please include the following additional information, if you have not already done so (pay attention to lspci's additional options), as required by the Ubuntu Kernel Team:
1. Please include the output of the command "uname -a" in your next response. It should be one, long line of text which includes the exact kernel version you're running, as well as the CPU architecture.
2. Please run the command "dmesg > dmesg.log" after a fresh boot and attach the resulting file "dmesg.log" to this bug report.
3. Please run the command "sudo lspci -vvnn > lspci-vvnn.log" and attach the resulting file "lspci-vvnn.log" to this bug report.

For your reference, the full description of procedures for kernel-related bug reports is available at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelTeamBugPolicies Thanks in advance!

[Gustavo Narea (gnarea)]

Linux valencia 2.6.27-7-generic #1 SMP Thu Oct 30 04:18:38 UTC 2008 i686 GNU/Linux

[Ian Weisser (ian-weisser)]

Thanks for the information.
Changing status from 'Incomplete' to 'New', under the Linux package.

[Chris Coulson (chrisccoulson)]

Is that dmesg output with or wothout your workaround as described in the original description? If it is with, could you please provide the same without the workaround. Please also attach the output of "lsmod" without the workaround, and also attach your /var/log/syslog and /var/log/kern.log.

Thanks

[Gustavo Narea (gnarea)]

Chirs: I've attached the file files the way you requested.

Thanks.

[Gustavo Narea (gnarea)]

One more update on this issue:

I can't connect to WPA2 networks, although _sometimes_ it works if I re-try over and over again.

I don't know why in Intrepid you enabled ndiswrapper while fwcutter worked so great on this machine. It seems to be causing this problem because it's solved after I commented this line:
    # replaced by b43 and ssb.
    #blacklist bcm43xx
and replaced the lines I mentioned above when I reported this problem with:
    blacklist b43
    blacklist ssb
    blacklist ndiswrapper
in /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.

Now the problem with this solution is that it takes *ages* to connect.

PS: Just in case:

> sudo ndiswrapper -l
> bcmwl5 : driver installed
> device (14E4:4311) present (alternate driver: ssb)

[Gustavo Narea (gnarea)]

Oh, one more thing:

If I start my laptop with the same contents /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist has by default, then the WiFi LED never turns on and to connect to my network I have to do the next procedure every time I start my computer: Go to System -> Hardware Drivers and enable the B43 wireless driver (the first of the list; there are two with the same title, but the second one has no description; by the way, before enabling it, I see a message that warns that another version of the driver is in use). Note that this is with an updated Intrepid system, as when Intrepid was just out this didn't even work without the procedure I mentioned when I reported this bug.

When I enable that driver, knetworkmanager connects to my WiFi network quickly. However, my eth0 interface is apparently disabled.

On the other hand, with the b43/ssb modules blacklisted, there's only one driver available whose name is "wl".

This is a mess. In Gutsy and Hardy I just enabled the only available driver _once_ and I _never_ had problems.

Please let me know if I can help you further. I wouldn't like newcomers to face this problem.

[Leann Ogasawara (leannogasawara)]

Hi Gustavo,

Can you test and confirm if this is still and issue with the most recent pre-release of Jaunty - http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/releases/jaunty/alpha-2/ . Thanks.

[Leann Ogasawara (leannogasawara)]

I'm closing this bug for now until we get feedback if this issue remains with the latest Jaunty 9.04 release - http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/download . The Jaunty 9.04 release contains a newer 2.6.28 based kernel. Please feel free to reopen by setting the status back to "New" once you've tested and confirmed the issue remains. Thanks.

[Wiplash4 (ranjeet-kuruvilla)]

Hello
1, My friends laptop with this chip does not work anymore. It does not show any networks with Jaunty and Intrepid
2. A Intel Wifi5100 AGN does not function with my Jaunty. It does not show any networks. And it shows no wireless chip, only the pci express bridge!