Regression: no wifi in macbook pro 11,1

[Albert]

Prior kernels in 12.04 such as 3.13.0-13-generic and linux-image-3.13.11-031311ckt16-generic had a working suspend and a working wifi. The latest kernel does not manage to get the wifi up.

Additionally upon booting the dialog to enter the password takes tens of seconds to become active while the laptop attempts to connect to the internet.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 14.04
Package: linux-image-extra-3.13.0-53-generic 3.13.0-53.89
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.13.0-53.89-generic 3.13.11-ckt19
Uname: Linux 3.13.0-53-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.14.1-0ubuntu3.11
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC1: albert 2013 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/controlC0: albert 2013 F.... pulseaudio
CurrentDesktop: Unity
Date: Wed Jun 10 09:49:25 2015
EcryptfsInUse: Yes
InstallationDate: Installed on 2014-09-16 (267 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 14.04.1 LTS "Trusty Tahr" - Release amd64 (20140722.2)
IwConfig:
 eth1 no wireless extensions.

 lo no wireless extensions.
MachineType: Apple Inc. MacBookPro11,1
ProcFB: 0 inteldrmfb
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.13.0-53-generic root=UUID=1fe82ec9-9c83-4e33-9506-2f7afb8d9d64 ro libata.force=noncq quiet splash vt.handoff=7
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-3.13.0-53-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-3.13.0-53-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.127.12
RfKill:
 0: hci0: Bluetooth
  Soft blocked: yes
  Hard blocked: no
SourcePackage: linux
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 02/12/2014
dmi.bios.vendor: Apple Inc.
dmi.bios.version: MBP111.88Z.0138.B07.1402121134
dmi.board.asset.tag: Base Board Asset Tag#
dmi.board.name: Mac-189A3D4F975D5FFC
dmi.board.vendor: Apple Inc.
dmi.board.version: MacBookPro11,1
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: Apple Inc.
dmi.chassis.version: Mac-189A3D4F975D5FFC
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAppleInc.:bvrMBP111.88Z.0138.B07.1402121134:bd02/12/2014:svnAppleInc.:pnMacBookPro11,1:pvr1.0:rvnAppleInc.:rnMac-189A3D4F975D5FFC:rvrMacBookPro11,1:cvnAppleInc.:ct10:cvrMac-189A3D4F975D5FFC:
dmi.product.name: MacBookPro11,1
dmi.product.version: 1.0
dmi.sys.vendor: Apple Inc.

[Brad Figg (brad-figg)]

This change was made by a bot.

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

Would it be possible for you to test the latest upstream kernel? Refer to https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelMainlineBuilds . Please test the latest v4.1 kernel[0].

If this bug is fixed in the mainline kernel, please add the following tag 'kernel-fixed-upstream'.

If the mainline kernel does not fix this bug, please add the tag: 'kernel-bug-exists-upstream'.

If you are unable to test the mainline kernel, for example it will not boot, please add the tag: 'kernel-unable-to-test-upstream'.
Once testing of the upstream kernel is complete, please mark this bug as "Confirmed".

Thanks in advance.

[0] http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v4.1-rc7-unstable/

[Albert (sapristi)]

Thanks for your feedback.

I've tested 3.19.2-vivid-ctk and wifi works there, but when I attempted to switch off wifi the laptop froze. Would you count this as a "yes it works"?

Is testing 4.1 a sensible operation on a 14.04 LTS?

[Seth Forshee (sforshee)]

You're using the wl driver for wireless, which is separate from the kernel and needs to be rebuilt for each new kernel version. Your logs show that the module isn't loaded. Sometimes a change in a kernel update will cause the build to fail, but I just installed against 3.13.0-53.89 and didn't see any build problems. A couple basic things you could try are loading the module manually (sudo modprobe wl) and running 'dkms status' and seeing what it says for the kernel you're having problems with; if the status isn't "installed" then there may be errors in /var/lib/dkms/bcmwl/<version>/3.13.0-53-generic/x86_64/log/make.log which may help explain what's wrong.

[Albert (sapristi)]

Seth,
Thanks for your comments. I am running 3.13.0-61 and there is no wireless driver installed at all.
The "Additional Drivers" application lists the bcmwl driver as in use, but when I run "dkms status" it lists the wl driver as installed for other kernels but not for the current one.
Then I tried removing the package "bcmwl-kernel-source" and reinstalling it, with apt-get, and that worked after I installed the header files for the current kernel with "sudo apt-get install linux-headers-$(uname -r)".

Upon reinstallation of bcmwl-kernel-source, the wifi came up by itself.

In retrospect it all makes sense considering that the package must be built from source. What is surprising is that the bcmwl-kernel-source package doesn't depend on the current kernel's package. I guess it can't because it would depend on all kernel's sources.

In summary, to make the wifi work by reinstalling the wl driver for the current kernel:

$ sudo apt-get remove bcmwl-kernel-source
$ sudo apt-get install linux-headers-$(uname -r)
$ sudo apt-get install bcmwl-kernel-source

Thanks a lot for your help! Got me in the right direction.