On Fri, 18 Aug 2017 12:56:28 -0400 rhkra...@gmail.com wrote: ...
> * All of the Linuxes somehow indicated that I had to load some other files > to get the Broadcom working. I eventually realized they were talking about > firmware that has to be installed on the card. Yes, you'll need firmware. > I think all of them (or at least Wheezy, iirc, identified those files as > b43/ucode5.fw and b43-open/ucode5.fw. (Are those two different files, and, > do I > need both or either??). So far, I have not located those files anywhere, > either using google or searching the (Wheezy) packages (including contrib and > non-free). There is Broadcom's own [proprietary] firmware, and (possibly?) an open source version. I don't know the state of the OSS version, but the last time I looked into it, it wasn't entirely stable / reliable. Just use Broadcom's, unless you know what you're doing and / or have strong ideological / moral views on the subject. Broadcom's version is definitely not included in Debian, even in non-free. There is, however, the firmware cutter utility and package, which can download and extract the firmware for and put it in the right place. Just follow the instructions here: http://linuxwireless.org/en/users/Drivers/b43/#Ubuntu.2FDebian > I downloaded some packages from the Wheezy repository (after adding contrib > and non-free): > > The downloaded packages: > firmware-b43-installer version 1:015-14.1 That's the one that you want. > firmware-brcm80211 version 0.36+wheezy.1 I don't think you want / need this one. Again, just follow the directions here: http://linuxwireless.org/en/users/Drivers/b43/ https://wireless.wiki.kernel.org/en/users/drivers/b43 > There were other packages I could have downloaded and tried, but didn't, so > far. > > Those packages provided me with (among other files): > > /lib/firmware/brcm/bcm43xx-0.fw > /lib/firmware/brcm/bcm43xx_hdr-0.fw > b43-fwcutter ... > The main questions: So, where do I go from here? Is ucode5.fw an obsolete > file > name? Or maybe that is the name for the Broadcom proprietary stuff but what > I've found are open source replacements? Is ucode5.fw in one of the other > Debian packages for Broadcom? Has anyone ever got WiFi working with Wheezy > and this Broadcom device? So what's the problem? Does the card work? Is the driver module inserted into the kernel? What does dmesg say when you insert it? [Try "modprobe -r b43" followed by "modprobe b43" and see what dmesg says.] ... > * Somewhere I found a blurb that identified it as a "Broadcom Wireless > 1390 > WLAN Mini card" Marketing name, not particularly important for us. > * Using =lspci -vnn -d 14e4:=, I get the following information: > > PCI-ID Supported? Chip ID Modes PHY version Alternative > 14e4:4311 yes BCM4311 b/g G wl That's what we need - see here: http://linuxwireless.org/en/users/Drivers/b43/#Supported_devices > IIUC, that means I can use the non-legacy driver (and Wheezy package) Correct. > * The tag on the bottom of the computer identifies the WiFi device as > BRCM94311MCG, FCC ID: QDS-BRCM1020 Not important. [I used to use Broadcom wireless, not necessarily this exact card, but something similar. I haven't had a machine with one for years, but the instructions are good, and they work when followed.] Celejar