Broadcom wi-fi not all channels work

[Paul Carter]

On Dell Vostro 3450 with Broadcom BCM43142 WiFi device, using the wl0 driver.

apt-cache policy bcmwl-kernel-source =>
bcmwl-kernel-source:
  Installed: 6.30.223.248+bdcom-0ubuntu2
  Candidate: 6.30.223.248+bdcom-0ubuntu2
  Version table:
 *** 6.30.223.248+bdcom-0ubuntu2 0
        500 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ vivid/restricted amd64 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

OS: 3.19.0-30-generic #34-Ubuntu SMP Fri Oct 2 22:08:41 UTC 2015 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux.

lsb_release -rd =>
 Description: Ubuntu 15.04
 Release: 15.04
Snipped from lshw:
                description: Wireless interface
                product: BCM43142 802.11b/g/n
                vendor: Broadcom Corporation
                physical id: 0
                bus info: pci@0000:02:00.0
                logical name: wlan0
                version: 01
                serial: c0:18:85:bd:c6:b9
                width: 64 bits
                clock: 33MHz
                capabilities: pm msi pciexpress bus_master cap_list ethernet physical wireless
                configuration: broadcast=yes driver=wl0 driverversion=6.30.223.248 (r487574) ip=192.168.0.7 latency=0 multicast=yes wireless=IEEE 802.11abg
                resources: irq:16 memory:f1900000-f1907fff

Encryption: WPA & WPA2 personal.

Various channels on 2.4GHz band. Distance between hub and computer made no difference.

I tried the two broadcom-sta drivers, but they failed to compile, versions 6.30.223.248-3, from the ubuntu repository.

I was having what I thought might have been radio contention, so I changed the radio channel from the default of 8 up to 12.
Various other Windows and Android and Xubuntu devices reconnected with no trouble but this newish laptop stubbornly refused to reconnect.
iwlist wlan0 list didn't include my hub and 'connect to hidden WiFi network' didn't succeed.
I tried reinstalling drivers and such without success.
Then I changed the radio channel down to 9 and voila, things were on-line again.
Also, this driver doesn't seem able to handle the 5GHz channels either, even though I get:
iwlist wlan0 freq
wlan0 32 channels in total; available frequencies :
          Channel 01 : 2.412 GHz
          Channel 02 : 2.417 GHz
          Channel 03 : 2.422 GHz
          Channel 04 : 2.427 GHz
          Channel 05 : 2.432 GHz
          Channel 06 : 2.437 GHz
          Channel 07 : 2.442 GHz
          Channel 08 : 2.447 GHz
          Channel 09 : 2.452 GHz
          Channel 10 : 2.457 GHz
          Channel 11 : 2.462 GHz
          Channel 12 : 2.467 GHz
          Channel 13 : 2.472 GHz
          Channel 14 : 2.484 GHz
          Channel 36 : 5.18 GHz
          Channel 38 : 5.19 GHz
          Channel 40 : 5.2 GHz
          Channel 42 : 5.21 GHz
          Channel 44 : 5.22 GHz
          Channel 46 : 5.23 GHz
          Channel 48 : 5.24 GHz
          Channel 52 : 5.26 GHz
          Channel 56 : 5.28 GHz
          Channel 60 : 5.3 GHz
          Channel 64 : 5.32 GHz
          Channel 100 : 5.5 GHz
          Channel 104 : 5.52 GHz
          Channel 108 : 5.54 GHz
          Channel 112 : 5.56 GHz
          Channel 116 : 5.58 GHz
          Channel 120 : 5.6 GHz
          Channel 124 : 5.62 GHz

Lots of kudos & thanks for keeping FOSS up to speed and such a liberating experience.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.