mactel-support team mailing list archive

[Jan Vlnas <462466@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

OK, I think I've found a solution using the latest version of Broadcom
STA driver (released 2011-10-25) -
http://www.broadcom.com/support/802.11/linux_sta.php

Most notable feature in this version is cfg80211 support, which handles
country regulations for the driver -
http://linuxwireless.org/en/developers/Documentation/cfg80211#Regulatory_support

Download the driver package and follow README -
http://www.broadcom.com/docs/linux_sta/README.txt - however, there are a
few gotchas:

- On Ubuntu 11.10 (or with kernel >= 3.0.0) to get cfg80211 support you must compile with:
make API=CFG80211
- You'll have to rmmod and blacklist "brcmsmac" (and "brcmfmac", eventually)
- wl.ko won't be automatically compiled with the next kernel update so your wi-fi stops working; that's what DKMS package solves

Now, for channels 12 and 13.
Install "iw" package. iw allows you to change regulatory domain, see http://linuxwireless.org/en/users/Documentation/iw#Updating_your_regulatory_domain
I've placed "iw reg set COUNTRY" into my rc.local; regulatory domain can be also injected through wpa_supplicant's COUNTRY variable, but I've not found any option how to pass it through the NetworkManager.

Note that this was tested on Ubuntu 11.10, with HP Mini 5103 with
BCM4313 - your results may vary.

Another option would be to use brcmsmac driver which is a part of kernel
since 2.6.39 and use iw reg set for it - however, it caused some strange
kernel lags for me, but again, your experience may vary.

So, the binary driver has to be updated (anybody for a PPA?) and there
should be some user friendly and/or fully automatic way to change the
regulatory domain. Linux Wireless mentions GeoClue integration -
http://linuxwireless.org/en/developers/Regulatory#Automatic_country_discovery
- but this isn't something what bcmwl should care about.

-- 
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Support, which is the registrant for Mactel Support.
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/462466

Title:
  Broadcom BCM4322 STA & brcm80211 can't see wifi channels >11
  (2.462GHz)

Status in Mactel Support:
  New
Status in “bcmwl” package in Ubuntu:
  Confirmed

Bug description:
  Ubuntu 8.10 Karmic (Release Candidate)

  On a TabletPC: HP Pavilion TX2690 , using Broadcom BCM4322 WIFI-card.

  
  This is strange... I installed the "Broadcom 802.11 Linux STA driver". 

  At home, I find my wireless network, and is able to connect. No problem. (WPA-encrypted non-hidden network).
  At work, I cannot fint the wireless network at all! Even though I could with Jaunty (this is a clean install). And at work we also have a WPA-encrypted non-hidden network.

  I can't really understand this... While at work, It does find two
  other wireless networks from our neighbours, with very low strengt.
  The wireless network is physically mounted only 3-4 metres away from
  me here at work. And it works great at another laptop, and on my
  iPhone. But using Karmic on this laptop, with the Broadcom STA driver,
  the laptop can't even see the wireless network.


  I don't know what I should include... please tell if you need more
  info!


  Thanks in advance.

  Kind regards from Norway,
  Jørn.

  ProblemType: Bug
  Architecture: amd64
  Date: Wed Oct 28 09:19:44 2009
  DistroRelease: Ubuntu 9.10
  InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 9.10 "Karmic Koala" - Release Candidate amd64 (20091020.3)
  NonfreeKernelModules: fglrx wl
  Package: bcmwl-kernel-source (not installed)
  ProcEnviron:
   LANGUAGE=nb_NO.UTF-8
   LANG=nb_NO.UTF-8
   SHELL=/bin/bash
  ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.31-14.48-generic
  SourcePackage: bcmwl
  Uname: Linux 2.6.31-14-generic x86_64
  XsessionErrors:
   (gnome-settings-daemon:2510): GLib-CRITICAL **: g_propagate_error: assertion `src != NULL' failed
   (gnome-settings-daemon:2510): GLib-CRITICAL **: g_propagate_error: assertion `src != NULL' failed
   (nautilus:2685): Eel-CRITICAL **: eel_preferences_get_boolean: assertion `preferences_is_initialized ()' failed
   (polkit-gnome-authentication-agent-1:2734): GLib-CRITICAL **: g_once_init_leave: assertion `initialization_value != 0' failed
   (gnome-panel:2667): Gdk-WARNING **: /build/buildd/gtk+2.0-2.18.3/gdk/x11/gdkdrawable-x11.c:952 drawable is not a pixmap or window

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