I've used the wl driver with the current kernel. After installing and switching to b43 I'm able to connect, but the connection gets lost after some seconds:

Oct 27 21:48:26 box NetworkManager[890]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) complete.
Oct 27 21:48:26 box NetworkManager[890]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) starting...
Oct 27 21:48:26 box NetworkManager[890]: <info> (wlan0): device state change: prepare -> config (reason 'none') [40 50 0]
Oct 27 21:48:26 box NetworkManager[890]: <info> Activation (wlan0/wireless): connection 'HOME' has security, and secrets exist.  No new secrets needed.
Oct 27 21:48:26 box NetworkManager[890]: <info> Config: added 'ssid' value 'SSID'
Oct 27 21:48:26 box NetworkManager[890]: <info> Config: added 'scan_ssid' value '1'
Oct 27 21:48:26 box NetworkManager[890]: <info> Config: added 'key_mgmt' value 'WPA-PSK'
Oct 27 21:48:26 box NetworkManager[890]: <info> Config: added 'psk' value '<omitted>'
Oct 27 21:48:26 box NetworkManager[890]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) complete.
Oct 27 21:48:26 box NetworkManager[890]: <info> Config: set interface ap_scan to 1
Oct 27 21:48:26 box wpa_supplicant[1062]: wlan0: Reject scan trigger since one is already pending
Oct 27 21:48:26 box wpa_supplicant[1062]: wlan0: Failed to initiate AP scan
Oct 27 21:48:27 box wpa_supplicant[1062]: wlan0: Reject scan trigger since one is already pending
Oct 27 21:48:27 box wpa_supplicant[1062]: wlan0: Failed to initiate AP scan
Oct 27 21:48:28 box wpa_supplicant[1062]: wlan0: Reject scan trigger since one is already pending
Oct 27 21:48:28 box wpa_supplicant[1062]: wlan0: Failed to initiate AP scan
Oct 27 21:48:29 box wpa_supplicant[1062]: wlan0: Reject scan trigger since one is already pending
Oct 27 21:48:29 box wpa_supplicant[1062]: wlan0: Failed to initiate AP scan
Oct 27 21:48:30 box wpa_supplicant[1062]: wlan0: SME: Trying to authenticate with 00:04:0e:75:4c:a5 (SSID='SSID' freq=2472 MHz)
Oct 27 21:48:30 box kernel: [  808.055439] wlan0: authenticate with 00:04:0e:75:4c:a5
Oct 27 21:48:30 box kernel: [  808.057281] wlan0: send auth to 00:04:0e:75:4c:a5 (try 1/3)
Oct 27 21:48:30 box kernel: [  808.062178] wlan0: authenticated
Oct 27 21:48:30 box NetworkManager[890]: <info> (wlan0): supplicant interface state: disconnected -> authenticating
Oct 27 21:48:35 box kernel: [  813.060268] wlan0: aborting authentication with 00:04:0e:75:4c:a5 by local choice (Reason: 3=DEAUTH_LEAVING)
Oct 27 21:48:35 box wpa_supplicant[1062]: wlan0: CTRL-EVENT-SSID-TEMP-DISABLED id=0 ssid="SSID" auth_failures=1 duration=10
Oct 27 21:48:35 box NetworkManager[890]: <info> (wlan0): supplicant interface state: authenticating -> disconnected
Oct 27 21:48:45 box NetworkManager[890]: <info> (wlan0): supplicant interface state: disconnected -> scanning
Oct 27 21:48:51 box NetworkManager[890]: <warn> Activation (wlan0/wireless): association took too long, failing activation.
Oct 27 21:48:51 box NetworkManager[890]: <info> (wlan0): device state change: config -> failed (reason 'SSID not found') [50 120 53]
Oct 27 21:48:51 box NetworkManager[890]: <warn> Activation (wlan0) failed for connection 'HOME'
Oct 27 21:48:51 box NetworkManager[890]: <info> (wlan0): device state change: failed -> disconnected (reason 'none') [120 30 0]
Oct 27 21:48:51 box NetworkManager[890]: <info> (wlan0): deactivating device (reason 'none') [0]
Oct 27 21:48:51 box NetworkManager[890]: <info> (wlan0): supplicant interface state: scanning -> disconnected
Oct 27 21:48:51 box wpa_supplicant[1062]: wlan0: Reject scan trigger since one is already pending
Oct 27 21:48:51 box NetworkManager[890]: <warn> Couldn't disconnect supplicant interface: This interface is not connected.
Oct 27 21:48:54 box NetworkManager[890]: <info> Auto-activating connection 'HOME'.
Oct 27 21:48:54 box NetworkManager[890]: <info> Activation (wlan0) starting connection 'HOME'
Oct 27 21:48:54 box NetworkManager[890]: <info> (wlan0): device state change: disconnected -> prepare (reason 'none') [30 40 0]
Oct 27 21:48:54 box NetworkManager[890]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) scheduled...
Oct 27 21:48:54 box NetworkManager[890]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) started...
Oct 27 21:48:54 box NetworkManager[890]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) scheduled...
Oct 27 21:48:54 box NetworkManager[890]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) complete.
Oct 27 21:48:54 box NetworkManager[890]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) starting...
Oct 27 21:48:54 box NetworkManager[890]: <info> (wlan0): device state change: prepare -> config (reason 'none') [40 50 0]
Oct 27 21:48:54 box NetworkManager[890]: <info> Activation (wlan0/wireless): access point 'HOME' has security, but secrets are required.
Oct 27 21:48:54 box NetworkManager[890]: <info> (wlan0): device state change: config -> need-auth (reason 'none') [50 60 0]
Oct 27 21:48:54 box NetworkManager[890]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) complete.
Oct 27 21:48:54 box NetworkManager[890]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) scheduled...
Oct 27 21:48:54 box NetworkManager[890]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) started...
Oct 27 21:48:54 box NetworkManager[890]: <info> (wlan0): device state change: need-auth -> prepare (reason 'none') [60 40 0]
Oct 27 21:48:54 box NetworkManager[890]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) scheduled...
Oct 27 21:48:54 box NetworkManager[890]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) complete.
Oct 27 21:48:54 box NetworkManager[890]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) starting...
Oct 27 21:48:54 box NetworkManager[890]: <info> (wlan0): device state change: prepare -> config (reason 'none') [40 50 0]
Oct 27 21:48:54 box NetworkManager[890]: <info> Activation (wlan0/wireless): connection 'HOME' has security, and secrets exist.  No new secrets needed.
Oct 27 21:48:54 box NetworkManager[890]: <info> Config: added 'ssid' value 'SSID'
Oct 27 21:48:54 box NetworkManager[890]: <info> Config: added 'scan_ssid' value '1'
Oct 27 21:48:54 box NetworkManager[890]: <info> Config: added 'key_mgmt' value 'WPA-PSK'
Oct 27 21:48:54 box NetworkManager[890]: <info> Config: added 'psk' value '<omitted>'
Oct 27 21:48:54 box NetworkManager[890]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) complete.
Oct 27 21:48:54 box NetworkManager[890]: <info> Config: set interface ap_scan to 1
Oct 27 21:48:54 box wpa_supplicant[1062]: wlan0: Reject scan trigger since one is already pending
Oct 27 21:48:54 box wpa_supplicant[1062]: wlan0: Failed to initiate AP scan
Oct 27 21:48:55 box wpa_supplicant[1062]: wlan0: SME: Trying to authenticate with 00:04:0e:75:4c:a5 (SSID='SSID' freq=2472 MHz)
Oct 27 21:48:55 box kernel: [  833.076974] wlan0: authenticate with 00:04:0e:75:4c:a5
Oct 27 21:48:55 box kernel: [  833.077816] wlan0: send auth to 00:04:0e:75:4c:a5 (try 1/3)
Oct 27 21:48:55 box kernel: [  833.079922] wlan0: authenticated
Oct 27 21:48:55 box NetworkManager[890]: <info> (wlan0): supplicant interface state: disconnected -> authenticating
Oct 27 21:49:00 box wpa_supplicant[1062]: wlan0: CTRL-EVENT-SSID-TEMP-DISABLED id=0 ssid="SSID" auth_failures=1 duration=10
Oct 27 21:49:00 box kernel: [  838.080360] wlan0: aborting authentication with 00:04:0e:75:4c:a5 by local choice (Reason: 3=DEAUTH_LEAVING)
Oct 27 21:49:00 box NetworkManager[890]: <info> (wlan0): supplicant interface state: authenticating -> disconnected
Oct 27 21:49:10 box NetworkManager[890]: <info> (wlan0): supplicant interface state: disconnected -> scanning
Oct 27 21:49:19 box NetworkManager[890]: <warn> Activation (wlan0/wireless): association took too long, failing activation.
Oct 27 21:49:19 box NetworkManager[890]: <info> (wlan0): device state change: config -> failed (reason 'SSID not found') [50 120 53]
Oct 27 21:49:19 box NetworkManager[890]: <info> Marking connection 'HOME' invalid.
Oct 27 21:49:19 box NetworkManager[890]: <warn> Activation (wlan0) failed for connection 'HOME'
Oct 27 21:49:19 box NetworkManager[890]: <info> (wlan0): device state change: failed -> disconnected (reason 'none') [120 30 0]
Oct 27 21:49:19 box NetworkManager[890]: <info> (wlan0): deactivating device (reason 'none') [0]
Oct 27 21:49:19 box wpa_supplicant[1062]: wlan0: Reject scan trigger since one is already pending
Oct 27 21:49:19 box NetworkManager[890]: <info> (wlan0): supplicant interface state: scanning -> disconnected
Oct 27 21:49:19 box NetworkManager[890]: <warn> Couldn't disconnect supplicant interface: This interface is not connected.

I've performed:
* sudo aptitude install firmware-b43-installer
* reboot
* sudo modprobe -r wl
* sudo modprobe 43

lsmod shows:
Module                  Size  Used by
arc4                   12536  2 
b43                   377514  0 
bcma                   46430  1 b43
mac80211              567098  1 b43
cfg80211              430618  2 b43,mac80211
ssb                    51849  1 b43
nfnetlink_queue        17823  0 
nfnetlink_log          17546  0 
nfnetlink              14214  2 nfnetlink_log,nfnetlink_queue
dm_crypt               22584  1 
snd_hda_codec_realtek    69999  1 
snd_hda_codec_generic    62849  1 snd_hda_codec_realtek
snd_hda_intel          29211  3 
snd_hda_controller     29944  1 snd_hda_intel
snd_hda_codec         120356  4 snd_hda_codec_realtek,snd_hda_codec_generic,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_controller
snd_hwdep              13272  1 snd_hda_codec
snd_pcm                91280  3 snd_hda_codec,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_controller
snd_seq_midi           13324  0 
snd_seq_midi_event     14475  1 snd_seq_midi
snd_rawmidi            25722  1 snd_seq_midi
uvcvideo               71457  0 
videobuf2_vmalloc      13048  1 uvcvideo
videobuf2_memops       13170  1 videobuf2_vmalloc
videobuf2_core         48344  1 uvcvideo
coretemp               13201  0 
v4l2_common            15132  1 videobuf2_core
snd_seq                56638  2 snd_seq_midi_event,snd_seq_midi
joydev                 17072  0 
snd_seq_device         14137  3 snd_seq,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq_midi
videodev              131257  3 uvcvideo,v4l2_common,videobuf2_core
serio_raw              13210  0 
snd_timer              28579  2 snd_pcm,snd_seq
media                  20951  2 uvcvideo,videodev
btusb                  31704  0 
rfcomm                 58045  8 
bnep                   18829  2 
bluetooth             390981  22 bnep,btusb,rfcomm
6lowpan_iphc           18262  1 bluetooth
snd                    66629  16 snd_hda_codec_realtek,snd_hwdep,snd_timer,snd_pcm,snd_seq,snd_rawmidi,snd_hda_codec_generic,snd_hda_codec,snd_hda_intel,snd_seq_device
lpc_ich                16877  0 
soundcore              14604  2 snd,snd_hda_codec
shpchp                 32136  0 
ideapad_laptop         17926  0 
sparse_keymap          13708  1 ideapad_laptop
parport_pc             32021  0 
mac_hid                13059  0 
ppdev                  17391  0 
lp                     17395  0 
parport                40795  3 lp,ppdev,parport_pc
ums_realtek            17749  0 
uas                    22720  0 
usb_storage            52598  2 uas,ums_realtek
i915                  824137  4 
psmouse                95318  0 
i2c_algo_bit           13190  1 i915
drm_kms_helper         55051  1 i915
tg3                   156326  0 
ptp                    18861  1 tg3
pata_acpi              12901  0 
drm                   255383  6 i915,drm_kms_helper
pps_core               18758  1 ptp
wmi                    18689  0 
video                  19528  1 i915


Since I did not use the machine for a long time I cannot state the exact KernelVersion with a working wireless connection; I just know it's been a properly working 14.04. Sorry.