testers needed b43-firmware

[Jon229]

Hello:

I'm new to pcLinuxOS, using v9.2.  With the info in this thread I was able to get my pcmcia Linksys to work well, but only once.  After I restarted it will not connect.  I have a good signal and my firewall is set to allow all.  I traced the packets at my dhcp server and dhcp request is made and replied to but I get 'connection failed'.

Attached are snippets from various logs which show info that I hope is useful in determining what is wrong with my connection. 

Thanks, Jon

[siamer]

Hi. This firmware is in repo now so You don't have to install nothing... did You try unload drivers "b43" and "ssb" and load "b43" before" ssb":
"modproble -r b43" -> "modprobe -r ssb" -> "modprobe b43" -> "modprobe ssb" -> reboot and try again Your connection...

[Jon229]

Yes, I did try that.  modprobe ssb gives fatal: mod in use or something to that effect.

However, this morning it connects properly so I guess there was some kind of gremlin here last night.  I've logged in as root, got a wireless lease, logged out and logged in as user and it is working, no problem.

Thanks
Jon

[siamer]

ok so it's working from now on ? Nice...

[scatterzone]

hi, this really helped. i have a BCM4312
I could not get my card work out of the box. it is very strange because the beta cd did connect, but the final release did not.
this should be notified, if not some noobs will have it difficlut like me..
works good now.

[scatterzone]

it doesnot load at certain startups. My wireless wass down. It stated the earlier reason. couldnt configure via wl.

but rebooting again solved the problem .it happened twice over say around 8- 12 reboots.

[ka9yhd]

You might have to add b43 to your preload list.

[scatterzone]

You might have to add b43 to your preload list.

yay thankyou, working now.

[Almost-retired]

Greetings, I just found this thread and have followed along with the step by step stuff, but no biscuits seem to be forthcoming.

Here is the dmesg output from when I installed the rpm, and then did a modprobe b43:

fg80211: Calling CRDA to update world regulatory domain
b43-pci-bridge 0000:06:02.0: PCI INT A -> GSI 21 (level, low) -> IRQ 21
ssb: Core 0 found: ChipCommon (cc 0x800, rev 0x0D, vendor 0x4243)
ssb: Core 1 found: IEEE 802.11 (cc 0x812, rev 0x09, vendor 0x4243)
ssb: Core 2 found: PCI (cc 0x804, rev 0x0C, vendor 0x4243)
ssb: Core 3 found: PCMCIA (cc 0x80D, rev 0x07, vendor 0x4243)
ssb: Sonics Silicon Backplane found on PCI device 0000:06:02.0
b43-phy0: Broadcom 4318 WLAN found (core revision 9)
cfg80211: World regulatory domain updated:
    (start_freq - end_freq @ bandwidth), (max_antenna_gain, max_eirp)
    (2402000 KHz - 2472000 KHz @ 40000 KHz), (300 mBi, 2000 mBm)
    (2457000 KHz - 2482000 KHz @ 20000 KHz), (300 mBi, 2000 mBm)
    (2474000 KHz - 2494000 KHz @ 20000 KHz), (300 mBi, 2000 mBm)
    (5170000 KHz - 5250000 KHz @ 40000 KHz), (300 mBi, 2000 mBm)
    (5735000 KHz - 5835000 KHz @ 40000 KHz), (300 mBi, 2000 mBm)
phy0: Selected rate control algorithm 'minstrel'
Registered led device: b43-phy0::radio
Broadcom 43xx driver loaded [ Features: PMLS, Firmware-ID: FW13 ]
b43 ssb0:0: firmware: requesting b43/ucode5.fw
b43 ssb0:0: firmware: requesting b43/pcm5.fw
b43 ssb0:0: firmware: requesting b43/b0g0initvals5.fw
b43 ssb0:0: firmware: requesting b43/b0g0bsinitvals5.fw
b43-phy0: Loading firmware version 478.104 (2008-07-01 00:50:23)
ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlan0: link is not ready

and this last line is repeated many times since in my rummaging around looking for the magic twanger.

So, what package does contain this b43-***.sys file?
Only one pass through the wireless config menu's found a b43***.sys file and that would not connect to a wap11 about 4 feet away with a -50dbm signal blowing the doors off.

iw wlan0 scan reports two signals are available, including that wap11.  I have verified the SSID and WEP keys as being correct, but no connection can be had.

And, when I followed the remove ndiswrapper step above, that took out all the ndiswrapper stuff in the /etc/ndiswrapper directory.  Including the b43***.sys file.

rpm can't seem to make up its mind if its installed, but even a -ivh --force, doesn't reinstall the .sys piece of the puzzle, because its not in that rpm referenced package above, updated now to be  b43-firmware-1.2-1pclos2010.noarch.rpm.

I have now reinstalled the ndiswrapper stuffs for bcm, and the .sys file came back, but still no happiness to be had.

Here is the last piece of /var/log/messages from the last try by drakeconfig:
an 21 20:35:55 localhost drakconnect[28238]: running: /sbin/ifdown wlan0 daemon
Jan 21 20:35:55 localhost ifplugd(wlan0)[28689]: Exiting.
Jan 21 20:35:55 localhost drakconnect[28238]: running: /sbin/ifup wlan0 daemon
Jan 21 20:35:56 localhost klogd: b43-phy6: Loading firmware version 478.104 (2008-07-01 00:50:23)
Jan 21 20:35:56 localhost klogd: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlan0: link is not ready
Jan 21 20:35:56 localhost klogd: b43-phy6: Loading firmware version 478.104 (2008-07-01 00:50:23)
Jan 21 20:35:56 localhost klogd: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlan0: link is not ready
Jan 21 20:35:56 localhost ifplugd(wlan0)[28892]: ifplugd 0.28 initializing.
Jan 21 20:35:56 localhost ifplugd(wlan0)[28892]: Using interface wlan0/00:14:A5:75:32:C9 with driver <b43> (version: 2.6.33.7-pclos6.bfs)
Jan 21 20:35:56 localhost ifplugd(wlan0)[28892]: Using detection mode: SIOCETHTOOL
Jan 21 20:35:56 localhost ifplugd(wlan0)[28892]: Initialization complete, link beat not detected.
Jan 21 20:35:56 localhost drakconnect[28238]: running: /etc/rc.d/init.d/network-up start

Link beat not detected?  What is this then:

root@localhost ndiswrapper]# iw wlan0 scan
BSS 00:1d:7e:ca:1a:2e (on wlan0)
        TSF: 3616609894787 usec (41d, 20:36:49)
        freq: 2437
        beacon interval: 100
        capability: ESS ShortSlotTime (0x0401)
        signal: -78.00 dBm
        last seen: 352 ms ago
        SSID: linksys
        Supported rates: 1.0* 2.0* 5.5* 11.0* 18.0 24.0 36.0 54.0
        DS Parameter set: channel 6
        ERP: Barker_Preamble_Mode
        Extended supported rates: 6.0 9.0 12.0 48.0
BSS 00:05:5d:f8:8d:68 (on wlan0)
        TSF: 1474092819469 usec (17d, 01:28:12)
        freq: 2442
        beacon interval: 100
        capability: ESS Privacy (0x0011)
        signal: -55.00 dBm
        last seen: 235 ms ago
        SSID: ICECAP4NIGHTCAP
        Supported rates: 1.0* 2.0* 5.5* 11.0*
        DS Parameter set: channel 7

This latter is the one I want to connect to. SSID's and WEP keys are correct.

Thanks a bunch for any hints.

Cheers, Gene

[marian]

Greetings, I just found this thread and have followed along with the step by step stuff, but no biscuits seem to be forthcoming.

Here is the dmesg output from when I installed the rpm, and then did a modprobe b43:

What rpm? You should rather install it from the repo.

[Almost-retired]

I got it from the link in siamer's message above,  Is that the same as in the repo now?

Cheers, Gene

[Almost-retired]

And that was b43-firmware-1.2-1pclos2010.noarch.rpm now as it has been updated from his link to 1.2

Cheers, Gene

[siamer]

yes this topis is closed! the newset firmware is in repo and should work fine. If someone will have some problems please let us know

Good luck!
siamer

[Almost-retired]

Great to know.  I guess one shouldn't leave a wap11 un-used for extended periods of time, their mind is too small to be let out to play without a chaperon.  If I give the link a heartbeat, like leaving a ping running, it seems to behave itself.  The ping is to local machine of course.

Cheers & many thanks, Siamer