b44 Ethernet driver not working in Linux 4.15 on Inspiron 6400

[Boris Gjenero]

When I boot linux-image-4.13.0-36-generic then I get an eth0 interface and dmesg output includes:

ssb: Core 0 found: Fast Ethernet (cc 0x806, rev 0x07, vendor 0x42
43)
b44: Broadcom 44xx/47xx 10/100 PCI ethernet driver version 2.0
b44 ssb1:0 eth0: Broadcom 44xx/47xx 10/100 PCI ethernet driver 00

When I boot linux-image-4.15.0-10-generic those lines don't appear and I don't get an eth0 interface. Doing modprobe b44 doesn't help.

This is on a Dell Inspiron 6400. I wonder if I'm running into this bug: https://patchwork.kernel.org/patch/10185397/

I'm reporting it while running linux-image-4.13.0-36-generic because I also can't get wireless to work in 4.15, so I can't report from there.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 18.04
Package: linux-image-4.15.0-10-generic 4.15.0-10.11
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.13.0-36.40-generic 4.13.13
Uname: Linux 4.13.0-36-generic x86_64
AlsaVersion: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version k4.13.0-36-generic.
ApportVersion: 2.20.8-0ubuntu10
Architecture: amd64
ArecordDevices:
 **** List of CAPTURE Hardware Devices ****
 card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 0: STAC9200 Analog [STAC9200 Analog]
   Subdevices: 1/1
   Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: bgjenero 1449 F.... pulseaudio
Card0.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:0 'Intel'/'HDA Intel at 0xefffc000 irq 24'
   Mixer name : 'SigmaTel STAC9200'
   Components : 'HDA:83847690,102801bd,00102201 HDA:14f12bfa,14f100c3,00090000'
   Controls : 22
   Simple ctrls : 9
CurrentDesktop: XFCE
Date: Sat Mar 10 20:55:15 2018
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=46f322d9-a161-4e1f-8a08-432d79aeac18
InstallationDate: Installed on 2012-01-19 (2243 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Xubuntu 11.10 "Oneiric Ocelot" - Release amd64 (20111012)
JournalErrors:
 -- Logs begin at Sat 2018-03-10 18:57:57 EST, end at Sat 2018-03-10 20:55:01 EST. --
 Mar 10 20:40:53 hostname wpa_supplicant[669]: dbus: wpa_dbus_get_object_properties: failed to get object properties: (none) none
 Mar 10 20:40:53 hostname wpa_supplicant[669]: dbus: Failed to construct signal
Lsusb:
 Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
 Bus 005 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
 Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
 Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
 Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
MachineType: Dell Inc. MM061
ProcFB: 0 radeondrmfb
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-4.13.0-36-generic root=UUID=54eeb2ee-ee10-4c6b-9c61-1b790e52fd1e ro resume=/dev/sda6 nopti
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-4.13.0-36-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-4.13.0-36-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.172
RfKill:
 0: phy0: Wireless LAN
  Soft blocked: no
  Hard blocked: no
SourcePackage: linux
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to bionic on 2018-03-11 (0 days ago)
dmi.bios.date: 06/13/2007
dmi.bios.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.bios.version: A17
dmi.board.name: 0XD720
dmi.board.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.chassis.type: 8
dmi.chassis.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnDellInc.:bvrA17:bd06/13/2007:svnDellInc.:pnMM061:pvr:rvnDellInc.:rn0XD720:rvr:cvnDellInc.:ct8:cvr:
dmi.product.name: MM061
dmi.sys.vendor: Dell Inc.

[Ubuntu Kernel Bot (ubuntu-kernel-bot)]

This change was made by a bot.

[Boris Gjenero (boris-gjenero)]

After installing linux-headers-4.16.0-041600rc4_4.16.0-041600rc4.201803041930_all.deb ,
linux-headers-4.16.0-041600rc4-generic_4.16.0-041600rc4.201803041930_amd64.deb and
linux-image-4.16.0-041600rc4-generic_4.16.0-041600rc4.201803041930_amd64.deb from http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v4.16-rc4/ and booting 4.16.0-041600rc4-generic I have eth0. So, apparently this is fixed in later kernel versions.

I am still encountering https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/1752081 "platform regulatory.0: Direct firmware load for regulatory.db failed with error -2" but wireless now works nevertheless. I originally reported this bug for the wired Ethernet interface because I wasn't sure if that other bug was causing wireless to not work. Now I'm thinking this same bug was probably making wireless not work either.

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

Can you see if this bug exists in the latest upstream stable 4.15 kernel, which can be downloaded from:

http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v4.15.9/

[Boris Gjenero (boris-gjenero)]

From http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v4.15.9/ I installed:
linux-headers-4.15.9-041509_4.15.9-041509.201803111231_all.deb
linux-headers-4.15.9-041509-generic_4.15.9-041509.201803111231_amd64.deb
linux-image-4.15.9-041509-generic_4.15.9-041509.201803111231_amd64.deb
And booted into 4.15.9-041509-generic on my Inspiron 6400.

BCM4321 WiFi works via b43 and BCM4401-B0 b44 Ethernet eth0 exists. In other words, this bug does not exist in 4.15.9-041509-generic.

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

That is good news. This bug should be fixed when Bionic applies the upstream 4.15.9 stable updates.

[Boris Gjenero (boris-gjenero)]

In 4.15.0-13-generic, BCM4321 WiFi works via b43 and BCM4401-B0 b44 Ethernet eth0 exists. So, it seems this has been fixed. Thank you.