14e4:4315 No wifi (BCM4312) with proprietary driver

Bug #1030503 reported by Shahar Or
6
Affects Status Importance Assigned to Milestone
linux (Ubuntu)
Invalid
High
Unassigned

Bug Description

Interface is not created.

Wifi worked perfectly in precise and also in quantal until some recent upgrades.

It was discovered that the proprietary driver was in use. This seems to have nothing to do with kernels. Once the proprietary driver was removed - the Wifi was fine.

Blessings,
Shahar

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.10
Package: linux-image-3.5.0-6-generic 3.5.0-6.6
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.5.0-6.6-generic 3.5.0
Uname: Linux 3.5.0-6-generic i686
ApportVersion: 2.4-0ubuntu6
Architecture: i386
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: shahar 1784 F.... pulseaudio
CRDA: Error: command ['iw', 'reg', 'get'] failed with exit code 1: nl80211 not found.
Date: Sun Jul 29 15:07:07 2012
EcryptfsInUse: Yes
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=8fbd775a-be74-49e5-b1b9-6b8f1e21ef47
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 12.04 LTS "Precise Pangolin" - Beta i386 (20120421)
IwConfig:
 lo no wireless extensions.

 eth0 no wireless extensions.

 usb0 no wireless extensions.
MachineType: Acer Aspire one
ProcEnviron:
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcFB: 0 inteldrmfb
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.5.0-6-generic root=UUID=6b9ec651-e3db-428a-a5fc-8793c17ee2bd ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-3.5.0-6-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-3.5.0-6-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.87
RfKill:
 0: acer-wireless: Wireless LAN
  Soft blocked: no
  Hard blocked: no
SourcePackage: linux
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to quantal on 2012-07-12 (16 days ago)
dmi.bios.date: 07/09/2009
dmi.bios.vendor: Acer
dmi.bios.version: V1.08
dmi.board.asset.tag: Base Board Asset Tag
dmi.board.name: Aspire one
dmi.board.vendor: Acer
dmi.board.version: V1.08
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: Acer
dmi.chassis.version: V1.08
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAcer:bvrV1.08:bd07/09/2009:svnAcer:pnAspireone:pvrV1.08:rvnAcer:rnAspireone:rvrV1.08:cvnAcer:ct10:cvrV1.08:
dmi.product.name: Aspire one
dmi.product.version: V1.08
dmi.sys.vendor: Acer

Revision history for this message
Shahar Or (mightyiam) wrote :
Brad Figg (brad-figg)
Changed in linux (Ubuntu):
status: New → Confirmed
Revision history for this message
penalvch (penalvch) wrote : Re: 14e4:4315 No wifi (BCM4312)

Shahar Or, thank you for reporting this and helping make Ubuntu better. Could you please test the latest upstream kernel? It will allow additional upstream developers to examine the issue. Refer to https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelMainlineBuilds . Please do not test the kernel in the daily folder, but the one all the way at the bottom. 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. As well, please comment on which kernel version specifically you tested.

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', and comment as to why specifically you were unable to test it.

Please let us know your results. Thanks in advance.

summary: - No wifi (BCM4312)
+ 14e4:4315 No wifi (BCM4312)
tags: added: kernel-wifi needs-upstream-testing
Changed in linux (Ubuntu):
importance: Undecided → High
status: Confirmed → Incomplete
Revision history for this message
Shahar Or (mightyiam) wrote :

Dear Christopher,

I used:
linux-image-3.5.0-030500-generic 3.5.0-030500.201207211835 i386

Running this kernel, I had several problems besides the WiFi not working:
1. There was no boot animation - only the nice background color until the greeter.
2. The X resolution was lower than usual.
3. USB connected mouse doesn't work.

Can I further help?

Blessings,
Shahar

Revision history for this message
Shahar Or (mightyiam) wrote :

Oh, and the wired Ethernet adapter didn't have an interface created for it, either, in this kernel I tested.

description: updated
Changed in linux (Ubuntu):
status: Incomplete → Confirmed
Revision history for this message
penalvch (penalvch) wrote :

Shahar Or, thank you for testing the mainline. Did this problem not occur in a prior Ubuntu release? As a potential WORKAROUND, does the proprietary driver work for you https://help.ubuntu.com/community/BroadcomSTA%28Wireless%29 ?

tags: added: kernel-bug-exists-upstream
removed: needs-upstream-testing
description: updated
Changed in linux (Ubuntu):
status: Confirmed → Incomplete
Shahar Or (mightyiam)
description: updated
Changed in linux (Ubuntu):
status: Incomplete → Confirmed
Revision history for this message
Shahar Or (mightyiam) wrote :

Christopher,

It used to work in precise and also in quantal up until some recent upgrades.

Thanks for the workaround. I've yet to try it.

Thanks,
Shahar

description: updated
Revision history for this message
penalvch (penalvch) wrote :
tags: added: precise regression-release
Changed in linux (Ubuntu):
status: Confirmed → Incomplete
tags: added: needs-bisect
Revision history for this message
Leann Ogasawara (leannogasawara) wrote :

Hi Shahar,

I see from your bug description that you are testing one of the upstream kernel builds. May I ask if you installed both the linux-image and linux-image-extra packages? You will need to have installed both for a complete kernel offering in Quantal. Thanks.

Revision history for this message
Shahar Or (mightyiam) wrote :

Thanks, Leann.

Now I'm testing the 3.5 upstream kernel build with the linux-image-extra included and I don't experience all those other issues.

The bug persists.

Revision history for this message
Shahar Or (mightyiam) wrote :

I've hit a breakthrough on this.

Once I removed the proprietary 'Broadcom STA ...' driver this issue was resolved.

So this isn't about kernels. And I did confirm this by testing some kernels.

This is about the presence of the proprietary driver that breaks support for the card.

Once I uninstalled it using the 'Software Sources' I had my interface back.

So there are two issues here. One is that the proprietary driver doesn't work. At least not in quantal for this card.

The other issue is that this proprietary driver was installed automatically in one of the quantal updates at one point. I didn't call for it, IIRC. And it would make sense that if I would have installed it by myself I would have remembered that I had and would have reverted back once I had no WiFi.

Thanks,
Shahar

description: updated
summary: - 14e4:4315 No wifi (BCM4312)
+ 14e4:4315 No wifi (BCM4312) with proprietary driver
Changed in linux (Ubuntu):
status: Incomplete → New
Revision history for this message
Shahar Or (mightyiam) wrote :

BTW, I can't reinstall the proprietary driver using Software Sources because of Bug #1028388.

Brad Figg (brad-figg)
Changed in linux (Ubuntu):
status: New → Confirmed
Revision history for this message
Justin Lane (jlane01) wrote :

My laptop also uses the broadcom-sta driver as I have the bcm4312. I just tried the daily iso image for 12.10 and could load the broadcom-sta driver, however the nm-applet did not have any options for enabling wireless. I opened up terminal and checked iwconfig and it reported that there were no wireless drivers installed at all and this was after installing the driver. I tried searching for bugs about this, but have not seen anything similar as this does not seem to be related to the broadcom driver per se, but not sure if this should be a new bug yet. Please advise.

Revision history for this message
penalvch (penalvch) wrote :

Justin Lane, could you please file a new report by executing the following in a terminal:
ubuntu-bug linux

For more on this, please see the Ubuntu Bug Control and Ubuntu Bug Squad article:
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Bugs/BestPractices#X.2BAC8-Reporting.Focus_on_One_Issue

and Ubuntu Community article:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/ReportingBugs#Bug_Reporting_Etiquette

When opening up the new report, please feel free to subscribe me to it. Thank you for your understanding.

Helpful Bug Reporting Links:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/ReportingBugs#A3._Make_sure_the_bug_hasn.27t_already_been_reported
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/ReportingBugs#Adding_Apport_Debug_Information_to_an_Existing_Launchpad_Bug
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/ReportingBugs#Adding_Additional_Attachments_to_an_Existing_Launchpad_Bug

Revision history for this message
heco (bonix) wrote :

Hi,

I've just encoutered quite the same issue whith my laptop (Compaq CQ10) on Lubuntu 12.10. All was correct except I could'nt connect to network whith the wifi.

Kernel : 3.5.0-17-generic i686
Chipset : 01:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Broadcom Corporation BCM4312 802.11b/g LP-PHY [14e4:4315] (rev 01)

To correct the problem i've installed the "firmware-b43-lpphy-installer" package and rebooted the computer.

The wifi work fine now.

Revision history for this message
penalvch (penalvch) wrote :

Shahar Or, could you please confirm this issue exists with the latest development release of Ubuntu? ISO images are available from http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/daily-live/current/ . If the issue remains, could you please run the following command in the development release from a Terminal (Applications->Accessories->Terminal), as it will automatically gather and attach updated debug information to this report:

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

Also, could you please test the latest upstream kernel available following https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelMainlineBuilds ? It will allow additional upstream developers to examine the issue. Please do not test the daily folder, but the one all the way at the bottom. Once you've tested the upstream kernel, please comment on which kernel version specifically you tested. If this bug is fixed in the mainline kernel, please add the following tags:
kernel-fixed-upstream
kernel-fixed-upstream-VERSION-NUMBER

where VERSION-NUMBER is the version number of the kernel you tested. For example:
kernel-fixed-upstream-v3.11-rc4

This can be done by clicking on the yellow circle with a black pencil icon next to the word Tags located at the bottom of the bug description. As well, please remove the tag:
needs-upstream-testing

If the mainline kernel does not fix this bug, please add the following tags:
kernel-bug-exists-upstream
kernel-bug-exists-upstream-VERSION-NUMBER

As well, please remove the tag:
needs-upstream-testing

If you are unable to test the mainline kernel, please comment as to why specifically you were unable to test it and add the following tags:
kernel-unable-to-test-upstream
kernel-unable-to-test-upstream-VERSION-NUMBER

Once testing of the upstream kernel is complete, please mark this bug's Status as Confirmed. Please let us know your results. Thank you for your understanding.

Changed in linux (Ubuntu):
status: Confirmed → Incomplete
Revision history for this message
Shahar Or (mightyiam) wrote :

Christopher,

I don't care that the proprietary driver doesn't work because the free one seems to be working perfectly.

This bug does not affect me.

Blessings,
Shahar

Revision history for this message
penalvch (penalvch) wrote :

Shahar Or, this bug report is being closed due to your last comment https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/1030503/comments/16 regarding this doesn't affect you. For future reference you can manage the status of your own bugs by clicking on the current status in the yellow line and then choosing a new status in the revealed drop down box. You can learn more about bug statuses at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Bugs/Status. Thank you again for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. Please submit any future bugs you may find.

Changed in linux (Ubuntu):
status: Incomplete → Invalid
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