Continuing with the joy that is Ubuntu 11.10 Oneiric Ocelot and how it completely messed up my previously working wireless, here’s a solution. Note that I’m currently using a Dell Core i3 Inspiron using the following Broadcom network adapter:
Broadcom Corporation BCM43224 802.11a/b/g/n [14e4:4353]
You can run lspci -nvn | grep -i net from a shell console if you want to find out which card your machine uses.
Anyway, long story short, you may need to remove the wrong drivers and install the correct ones. This solution worked but may not work for everyone depending on your hardware:
Remove and uninstall the drivers:
sudo apt-get purge broadcom-sta-common broadcom-sta-source bcmwl-kernel-source
Install the correct one:
sudo apt-get install b43-fwcutter firmware-b43-installer
Enjoy and let us know if this solution worked for you. Found a different solution? Tell us about it!
edit: This solution still seems to be working up to current version of Ubuntu 14.10 aka Utopic Unicorn
Worked on my old Dell Inspirion 9200. Thanks!
Thanks! Your solution worked like charm.
Glad it worked for you!
Thanks a million for that, have BCM4312 low power module fitted in my Dell Latitude E4300 so the install failed but nicely told me what diver file to replace it with:
sudo apt-get install b43-fwcutter firmware-b43-lpphy-installer
Appreciate your efforts and no impressed with the upgrade for breaking this (Lubuntu in my case)
MarkyD
Thanks for your input MarkyD. Like I said, this solution isn’t for everyone, but thankfully aptitude is still smart enough to point you to the right driver.
Thanks! 🙂
Worked like a charm on my Dell D830, with BCM5755M.
Worked great….thanks a lot!
Thanks for the information. I am running an older Gateway laptop with a Broadcom Adapter. I couldn’t get Ubuntu 11.10 to see the wireless until I followed your steps. I’m up and running now.
hey i tried the command to find my card type… And this is what it gave…. Please help
siddharth@siddharth-Aspire-5570:~$ lspci -nvn | grep -i net
02:00.0 Ethernet controller [0200]: Marvell Technology Group Ltd. 88E8038 PCI-E Fast Ethernet Controller [11ab:4352] (rev 14)
03:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Intel Corporation PRO/Wireless 3945ABG [Golan] Network Connection [8086:4222] (rev 02)
Subsystem: Intel Corporation PRO/Wireless 3945BG Network Connection [8086:1005]
@Sid
Hey Sid, I don’t know much about that card, but check out this discussion in the Ubuntu forums. Their solution worked:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1748677
Worked on my old HP DV2000 with Ubuntu 11.10 64. Thanks!
Wow all i have to say is thanks i sat at my computer now for over six hours trying to get my broadcom to work on my desktop and after everything i did and looked up this was the only one that worked thank you i just switched from windows 7 to ubuntu 11.10 … So thank you I usually dont write commments or anything but what i went thru u deserve it
Worked for me too on my Dell Studio XPS 1330.
Hi, im new to linux, what do I do if the output I get is:
Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL-8169 Gigabit Ethernet (rev10) ?
Would appreciate a answer 🙂
@Mike
Mike, sadly I don’t have any experience with that card, but this guy does. Check out this article:
http://askubuntu.com/questions/72819/network-is-not-working-nicely
You’re a genius… thanks. Dell Latitude D830 with Mint 12. Works perfectly!
Kudos Mate! Dell Vostro 1700, xubuntu 11.10, broadcom 4312. Works great. Thanks.
Wireless now works great on my old Dell Inspiron e1505 with ubuntu 11.10, and Broadcom 4311 wireless adapter. Thanks!
Tried the same. I get a
b43-fwcutter is already the latest version.
firmware-b43-installer is already the latest version.
I can connect through wired but not wireless. HELP!
Worked well, by my old acer aspire 3020!
Many thanks!
Hey msnarain, make sure you uninstall the drivers first. Follow the steps above and you should be good!
worked on dell inspiron 1520 🙂
Great Job!
This worked for me on an old Gateway MT6451 with a Broadcom BCM4311
Thank you!
Worked for me on a Dell E5500….I had the low power WiFi also but using sudo apt-get install b43-fwcutter firmware-b43-lpphy-installer worked!!!
Thanks!
Thanks, worked on my HP dv6226us!
THANX!! A LOT it already works!!!, broadcom 4311 802.11 b/g Compaq Presario V3000
@MarkyD
were you connected by wire? because whenever i plug my ethernet into my laptop it doesn’t recognize anything.
THANK YOU!!! Worked like magic on my old Dell E1505. The little wireless light is going now. Awesome!
I use lenovo v570 1066 AJU. can anyone help me set up the wireless?
thanks guys
Thank you for this. None of the other guides helped. This one did.
Thanks a lot!
Would not work on an upgrade but worked beautifully when I decided to re-install Ubuntu Studio 11.10. This is on my Dell Inspiron 6400. Thanks!
Thanks!!
Worked fine on my old but loyal HP pavillion dv5000 (2006 model).
Why do we have to suffer this? I mean… It happens on most notebooks I install Ubuntu. This is the kind of stuff that immediatly drives newbies away from Linux, I think.
Anyway, Cheers and Thank You!
I feel like this is the problem I’m having, but your suggestion doesn’t help me. I’m using an hp probook 6550b.
$ lspci -vvnn | grep Broadcom
44:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Broadcom Corporation BCM43224 802.11a/b/g/n [14e4:4353] (rev 01)
I removed the drivers per your instructions, then installed b43-fwcutter & firmware-b43-installer.
The problem I’m having is that firmwareb43-installer chokes and gives me this error:
Setting up firmware-b43-installer (1:014-9) …
Unsupported device(s) found: PCI id 14e4:4353
Aborting.
Any suggestions?
@chad
Hey Chad, it’s strange that it wouldn’t work as I have the same hardware as you. Is this on a fresh install or on an upgrade? It’s insane to me that this is STILL an issue with 11.10. Hopefully they sort things out with Ubuntu 12.04 next month.
perfect fix after reinstall of 11.10 it was working prior to an update then crapped out when something got corrupted did reinstall wireless wouldn’t work thanks so much this issue was driving me crazy and having to hardwire was inconvenient
Amazing!!!!!!!!! ive tried everything….and this is the solution. hp pavilion zd7160us…bcm4306 802.11b/c 14e4:4320
thanks mike
Yes, Amazing.
I use HP Pavilion Notebook. I just upgraded to Ubuntu 12.04 and was perplexed to see that wireless was not working. I followed your instruction above and now it is working perfectly.
Thanks a million Mike. Continue to do the good work.
Thanks! This fix worked like a charm on my HP Pavilion Dv6!
Dude it worked! Thank you, I was having a hell of a time with latency and the wireless dropping off. Ubuntu 12.04 on a Macbook Pro 6,2
Worked perfectly on my Dell XPS M1210 with Ubuntu 12.04. I had been searching the internet for the past week trying all types of fixes, this finally did it! Thanks so much!
This also worked for me on Mint Linux 12 and Inspiron e1505 with the broadcom bcm4311. Thanks dude, I had to reinstall when I couldn’t get wired to work after I f’d up the wireless.
Tried this with my Acer Aspire 2902Z and was unsuccessful. Still without wireless and certainly don’t want to upgrade to pangolin without figuring out what the heck’s going on with my wireless.
After installing Ubuntu 12.2 on my Dell Latitude D830, wireless doesn’t work. Dont understand why broadcom-sta-commun and boadcom-sta-source was not installed!? Now its OK. Thank you so much.
Worked on my Dell inspiron 1420 with ubuntu 12.04 LTS. Thank you very much!! grettings from Guatemala.
Thanks a lot! it works on my Dell e4300
Worked like a charm, just as long as you have Ethernet hooked up!! Thanks a bunch!!
Perfect! Solved my troubles on 12.10 too, thanks!
I had no option for wireless on ubuntu 12.10 and I solved it by installing following
sudo apt-get install broadcom-sta-common broadcom-sta-source bcmwl-kernel-source
worked for me on 12.10 in one try only…thanks!!
Thanks so much dude ,worked on my ubuntu 12.10 perfectly.
work for me on ubuntu 13.04, i did as you post, restart and voila!, work
This didn’t work for me… I’m still looking for a solution… 🙁
Thank you for making this post. I can now stop being frustrated and move on with my linuxy adventure.
Seriously. Thank you.
worked perfectly, thanks a lot.
Thank you! ( perfect for Lubuntu 13.10)