Kubuntu installer not finding Wireless [bcm 4331 needs driver]

[Lars Noodén]

The installer can find Eth0 but there is no corresponding Wlan0 for wireless networking.
This is on Kubuntu 11.04 beta 2 on a newer macbook pro.

What hardware information is needed?
---
AlsaVersion: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version 1.0.23.
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: ubuntu 4866 F.... pulseaudio
CRDA: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory
Card0.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:0 'PCH'/'HDA Intel PCH at 0xb0900000 irq 47'
   Mixer name : 'Cirrus Logic CS4206'
   Components : 'HDA:10134206,106b1d00,00100301'
   Controls : 22
   Simple ctrls : 13
Card1.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:1 'Generic'/'HD-Audio Generic at 0xb0840000 irq 48'
   Mixer name : 'ATI R6xx HDMI'
   Components : 'HDA:1002aa01,00aa0100,00100200'
   Controls : 4
   Simple ctrls : 1
Card1.Amixer.values:
 Simple mixer control 'IEC958',0
   Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined penum
   Playback channels: Mono
   Mono: Playback [on]
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 11.04
IwConfig:
 lo no wireless extensions.

 eth0 no wireless extensions.
LiveMediaBuild: Kubuntu 11.04 "Natty Narwhal" - Beta amd64 (20110413.1)
MachineType: Apple Inc. MacBookPro8,2
Package: linux (not installed)
ProcEnviron:
 LANGUAGE=
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcKernelCmdLine: file=/cdrom/preseed/khostname.seed boot=casper maybe-ubiquity initrd=/casper/initrd.lz quiet splash --
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.38-8.42-generic 2.6.38.2
Regression: Yes
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-2.6.38-8-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-2.6.38-8-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.50
Reproducible: Yes
RfKill:

Tags: natty kernel-fs regression-update needs-upstream-testing
Uname: Linux 2.6.38-8-generic x86_64
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
UserGroups: adm admin cdrom dialout lpadmin plugdev sambashare
dmi.bios.date: 02/07/11
dmi.bios.vendor: Apple Inc.
dmi.bios.version: MBP81.88Z.0047.B04.1102071707
dmi.board.asset.tag: Base Board Asset Tag#
dmi.board.name: Mac-94245A3940C91C80
dmi.board.vendor: Apple Inc.
dmi.board.version: MacBookPro8,2
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: Apple Inc.
dmi.chassis.version: Mac-94245A3940C91C80
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAppleInc.:bvrMBP81.88Z.0047.B04.1102071707:bd02/07/11:svnAppleInc.:pnMacBookPro8,2:pvr1.0:rvnAppleInc.:rnMac-94245A3940C91C80:rvrMacBookPro8,2:cvnAppleInc.:ct10:cvrMac-94245A3940C91C80:
dmi.product.name: MacBookPro8,2
dmi.product.version: 1.0
dmi.sys.vendor: Apple Inc.

[Lars Noodén (larsnooden)]

$ lsb_release -rd
Description: Ubuntu Natty (development branch)
Release: 11.04

$ uname -a
Linux kubuntu 2.6.38-8-generic #42-Ubuntu SMP Mon Apr 11 03:31:24 UTC 2011 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

[Fabio Marconi (fabiomarconi)]

Assigned to linux to collect data

[Fabio Marconi (fabiomarconi)]

Hello
From the live session, connect eth0 and run in a terminal
apport-collect -p linux 765839
Thanks
fabio

[Lars Noodén (larsnooden)]

apport information

[Lars Noodén (larsnooden)]

apport information

[Lars Noodén (larsnooden)]

apport information

[Lars Noodén (larsnooden)]

apport information

[Lars Noodén (larsnooden)]

apport information

[Lars Noodén (larsnooden)]

apport information

[Lars Noodén (larsnooden)]

apport information

[Lars Noodén (larsnooden)]

apport information

[Lars Noodén (larsnooden)]

apport information

[Lars Noodén (larsnooden)]

apport information

[Lars Noodén (larsnooden)]

apport information

[Lars Noodén (larsnooden)]

apport information

[Lars Noodén (larsnooden)]

apport information

[Lars Noodén (larsnooden)]

apport information

[Lars Noodén (larsnooden)]

apport information

[Lars Noodén (larsnooden)]

apport information

[Lars Noodén (larsnooden)]

apport information

[Lars Noodén (larsnooden)]

apport information

[Lars Noodén (larsnooden)]

apport information

[Lars Noodén (larsnooden)]

Ok. I burned a live cd and collected the apport information. What other info is needed?

[Fabio Marconi (fabiomarconi)]

From lspci:

Network controller [0280]: Broadcom Corporation Device [14e4:4331] (rev 02)
 Subsystem: Apple Computer Inc. Device [106b:00d6]

Broadcom 4331

[Fabio Marconi (fabiomarconi)]

Hello
Can you please run jockey to see if it can found a propretary driver for this new chipset.
Thanks
Fabio

[Lars Noodén (larsnooden)]

Jockey only suggested a FGLRX driver.

From the OS X side of things:
  Card Type: AirPort Extreme (0x14E4, 0xD6)
  Firmware Version: Broadcom BCM43xx 1.0 5.100.198.10.2)

[Lars Noodén (larsnooden)]

Appears to also be a problem in maverick:

$ lsb_release -rd
Description: Ubuntu 10.10
Release: 10.10

[Fabio Marconi (fabiomarconi)]

Hello Lars
can you try to see if the needed drivers are available in the latest mainline kernel:

http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v2.6.39-rc5-oneiric/linux-headers-2.6.39-020639rc5_2.6.39-020639rc5.201104271010_all.deb

http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v2.6.39-rc5-oneiric/linux-headers-2.6.39-020639rc5-generic_2.6.39-020639rc5.201104271010_amd64.deb

http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v2.6.39-rc5-oneiric/linux-image-2.6.39-020639rc5-generic_2.6.39-020639rc5.201104271010_amd64.deb

In this order
And refere if is working
Thanks
Fabio

[Fabio Marconi (fabiomarconi)]

Ops, install the latest kernel clicking on the links
Fabio

[Lars Noodén (larsnooden)]

I've installed the three packages but am not sure about how to look for the driver. No wlan0 interface has been created, if that was supposed to happen:

$ uname -a
Linux kubuntu 2.6.39-020639rc5-generic #201104271010 SMP Wed Apr 27 10:13:12 UTC 2011 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux
$ ifconfig wlan0
wlan0: error fetching interface information: Device not found

[modeless (joern-gersdorf)]

See also this discussion on the b43 development mailing list:
http://lists.infradead.org/pipermail/b43-dev/2011-April/000999.html.

On Fri, Apr 29, 2011 at 9:59 AM, Lars Noodén <email address hidden> wrote:

> I've installed the three packages but am not sure about how to look for
> the driver. No wlan0 interface has been created, if that was supposed
> to happen:
>
> $ uname -a
> Linux kubuntu 2.6.39-020639rc5-generic #201104271010 SMP Wed Apr 27
> 10:13:12 UTC 2011 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux
> $ ifconfig wlan0
> wlan0: error fetching interface information: Device not found
>
> --
> You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
> of the bug.
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/765839
>
> Title:
> Kubuntu installer not finding Wireless [bcm 4331 needs driver]
>
> To unsubscribe from this bug, go to:
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/765839/+subscribe
>

[Eric van der Vlist (vdv)]

Fabio,

I am not sure what makes you think this chip is supported in this version, but I have installed the latest kernel packages as mentioned above on a MacBook Pro 8,3.

As mentioned by Lars, BCM4331 is not recognized, no modules are loaded (and no wlan interfaces are created).

Despite the fact that http://wireless.kernel.org/en/users/Drivers/b43 clearly states that BCM4331 doesn't work with that module, thinking that it was still the best guess, I have tried to load b43 with no luck (there was no error in kern.log but no interface has been created).

brcm80211 which is mentioned on many posts about BCM4331 appears to have been renamed brcmsmac. Its doc doesn't mention 4331 at all. Is it still something to try?

Thanks,

Eric

[Michael Gratton (mjog)]

Eric, I believe brcmsmac is the driver to try.

I would test this myself but the latest image in the kernel PPA (linux-image-2.6.39-0-generic_2.6.39-0.5~20110427_amd64) hangs for me after trying to load the ramdisk.

MacbookPro 8.1

[Loïc (opensource-loic)]

Indeed, it seems brcmsmac will be the driver for the new macbook pro wireless card BCM4331 from Broadcom. Sadly, the driver's not yet available nor ready...

You can follow or add comments to these threads on usenet, broadcom is answering from times to times.
http://comments.gmane.org/gmane.linux.kernel.wireless.general/66377
http://comments.gmane.org/gmane.linux.drivers.bcm54xx.devel/11526

And for the admins, I just stumbled upon a duplicate of the bug discussed here : https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/798726

If there is news on this matter, could you please update this community page ?
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/MacBookPro8-1/Natty

Waiting, anxiously...

[Loïc (opensource-loic)]

Ah, I forgot to mention you can try and use windows drivers with ndiswrapper. It works, but you'll have to blacklist ndiswrapper, or your ubuntu won't boot anymore. And you might have keyboard / mouse issues sometimes when it's loaded.

So, it's only an unstable geeky hack.

[Jussi Pakkanen (jpakkane)]

This is probably a duplicate of 798726.

[Lars Noodén (larsnooden)]

Looks like 798726 covers about the same issues.

[Mark Dokter (dokter)]

Works like a charm with the info on how to get the firmware file:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/MacBookPro8-1/Natty#Wireless

I've got an early 12.04 running here which is doing great. Would be nice to have those firmware files out of the box when it's released.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Lars Noodén, thank you for reporting this and helping make Ubuntu better. This bug was reported a while ago and there hasn't been any activity in it recently. We were wondering if this is still an issue? Can you try with the latest development release of Ubuntu? ISO CD images are available from http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/releases/ .

If it remains an issue, could you run the following command from a Terminal (Applications->Accessories->Terminal). It will automatically gather and attach updated debug information to this report.

apport-collect -p linux <replace-with-bug-number>

Also, if you could test the latest upstream kernel available that would be great. It will allow additional upstream developers to examine the issue. Refer to https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelMainlineBuilds . Once you've tested the upstream kernel, please remove the 'needs-upstream-testing' tag. This can be done by clicking on the yellow pencil icon next to the tag located at the bottom of the bug description and deleting the 'needs-upstream-testing' text. Please let us know your results.

Thanks in advance.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for linux (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]