Can't connect to any wireless networks

Hello,

I've installed Zorin Lite Educational on an old Compaq m2000. It has a Broadcom chipset for the wireless card. Its BCM-4306 Rev. 3. I installed the driver and I am able to scan wireless networks w/o an issue but I can never get it to connect to a wireless network. The network connect says its waiting for an ip but it fails to ever get one. I know its not the wireless. I know its not my wireless network as I've tried in on more than just my router. I've tried googling for an answer but none of the info I find seems to work or be pertinent.

TIA,
Joshua

Hello,

Forgive me if this turns out to be a double post. I did a post earlier and it didn't seem to send. I'm not sure if there is an approval process or if I did something wrong.

Anyways, I have an old Compaq m2000 that I was able to install Zorin w/o and issue and I installed the driver for the wifi card. The chipset is Broadcom bcm4306 rev 3. I can scan for networks but I can never connect. It usually just says its waiting for an ip address from the router. I know its not a router issue as I've tried it on multiple wifi networks and the same thing happens. Wpa_supplicant is installed, so I am at a loss....

TIA,
Joshua

Please open terminal and post back the results of the following commands:

lspci -nkk | grep -iA2 net
lsusb
sudo lshw -c network
sudo rfkill list all
lsmod

Hi Josuha,

take a look at the 2 links, they might help you or wait for Madvinegar as he is the resident WiFi expert:

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/WifiD ... otingGuide

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/WifiD ... onnections

Hope it helps.

I did go through the guides. I was able to connect to an unprotected network, but when I run the Network manager tool it says wep, wpa, wpa2 are supported. WPA_supplicant are installed, so I'm not sure how to proceed. I'd like to avoid manually setting up networks as I plan to give the laptop to one of my Scouts and he won't know how to do any of that.

1) nothing

2) Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 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

3)PCI (sysfs)

4)0: phy0: Wireless LAN
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: no

5)Module Size Used by
zram 18032 1
bnep 18895 2
rfcomm 53664 0
bluetooth 342208 10 bnep,rfcomm
binfmt_misc 13140 1
snd_intel8x0 33110 2
snd_ac97_codec 105709 1 snd_intel8x0
ac97_bus 12642 1 snd_ac97_codec
gpio_ich 13229 0
snd_pcm 85501 2 snd_ac97_codec,snd_intel8x0
snd_page_alloc 14230 2 snd_intel8x0,snd_pcm
arc4 12536 2
snd_seq_midi 13132 0
snd_seq_midi_event 14475 1 snd_seq_midi
snd_rawmidi 25135 1 snd_seq_midi
snd_seq 55383 2 snd_seq_midi_event,snd_seq_midi
b43 356470 0
bcma 42043 1 b43
snd_seq_device 14137 3 snd_seq,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq_midi
pcmcia 51828 0
snd_timer 28584 2 snd_pcm,snd_seq
dm_multipath 22402 0
scsi_dh 14458 1 dm_multipath
mac80211 546067 1 b43
snd 60939 12 snd_ac97_codec,snd_intel8x0,snd_timer,snd_pcm,snd_seq,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq_device,snd_seq_midi
joydev 17101 0
mac_hid 13037 0
yenta_socket 40201 0
soundcore 12600 1 snd
serio_raw 13230 0
pcmcia_rsrc 18319 1 yenta_socket
lpc_ich 16864 0
cfg80211 409394 2 b43,mac80211
pcmcia_core 22328 3 pcmcia,pcmcia_rsrc,yenta_socket
shpchp 32128 0
parport_pc 31981 0
ppdev 17391 0
lp 13299 0
parport 40836 3 lp,ppdev,parport_pc
dm_mirror 21756 0
dm_region_hash 20121 1 dm_mirror
dm_log 18072 2 dm_region_hash,dm_mirror
8139too 32571 0
firewire_ohci 35529 0
firewire_core 61867 1 firewire_ohci
i2c_algo_bit 13197 0
pata_acpi 12886 0
drm_kms_helper 48868 0
psmouse 91357 0
ssb 51854 1 b43
drm 244037 1 drm_kms_helper
crc_itu_t 12627 1 firewire_core
8139cp 27171 0
mii 13654 2 8139cp,8139too

Please open terminal and post back the results of the following commands:

lspci -nkk | grep -iA2 net
lsusb
sudo lshw -c network
sudo rfkill list all
lsmod

Could you merge this w/ my other post? When it didn't show up I thought it didn't send, didn't realize there was an approval process...

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=9111

Sorry please post again the results of 1st and 3rd command (I ammended the 1st command and please wait 5-6 seconds for the results of the 3rd command to appear).

lspci -nnk | grep -iA2 net
sudo lshw -c network

1) 02:00.0 Ethernet controller [0200]: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL-8100/8101L/8139 PCI Fast Ethernet Adapter [10ec:8139] (rev 10)
Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device [103c:3080]
Kernel driver in use: 8139too
02:06.0 Network controller [0280]: Broadcom Corporation BCM4306 802.11b/g Wireless LAN Controller [14e4:4320] (rev 03)
Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Broadcom 802.11b/g WLAN [103c:12f8]
Kernel driver in use: b43-pci-bridge

3) *-network:0
description: Ethernet interface
product: RTL-8100/8101L/8139 PCI Fast Ethernet Adapter
vendor: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
physical id: 0
bus info: pci@0000:02:00.0
logical name: eth0
version: 10
serial: 00:c0:9f:99:43:07
size: 100Mbit/s
capacity: 100Mbit/s
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pm bus_master cap_list ethernet physical tp mii 10bt 10bt-fd 100bt 100bt-fd autonegotiation
configuration: autonegotiation=on broadcast=yes driver=8139too driverversion=0.9.28 duplex=full ip=172.16.139.30 latency=64 link=yes maxlatency=64 mingnt=32 multicast=yes port=MII speed=100Mbit/s
resources: irq:16 ioport:3000(size=256) memory:e0208800-e02088ff
*-network:1
description: Network controller
product: BCM4306 802.11b/g Wireless LAN Controller
vendor: Broadcom Corporation
physical id: 6
bus info: pci@0000:02:06.0
version: 03
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: bus_master
configuration: driver=b43-pci-bridge latency=64
resources: irq:18 memory:e0204000-e0205fff
*-network
description: Wireless interface
physical id: 2
logical name: wlan0
serial: 00:90:4b:eb:8c:08
capabilities: ethernet physical wireless
configuration: broadcast=yes driver=b43 driverversion=3.13.0-46-generic firmware=666.2 ip=10.158.58.57 link=yes multicast=yes wireless=IEEE 802.11bg

Could you merge this w/ my other post? When it didn't show up I thought it didn't send, didn't realize there was an approval process...

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=9111

EDIT BY WOLFMAN: THIS THREAD HAS BEEN MERGED PER OP'S REQUEST!.

What happens if you run in terminal:

sudo modprobe -v b43legacy

insmod /lib/modules/3.13.0-46-generic/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/b43legacy/b43legacy.ko

Should I try and install them in Synaptic?

I did try the legacy driver, it disabled the wifi. I wasn't able to scan for wireless networks. I removed the legacy and went back to the one I have been using.

Any ideas MadVinegar?

Try this:

Download from here the b43 firmware: https://www.dropbox.com/s/n2tjz9jnj9xw5 ... ar.gz?dl=0
(I have uploaded it onto my dropbox account). (If you have ethernet connection do it on your own PC, otherwise you can download it from another PC that has internet connection, and then copy/paste it to your Zorin PC with the use of a USB stick).

As soon as it is downloaded, paste the b43.tar.gz firmware file you downloaded into your home folder.
Right click on it and select "extract here". A new file will be created named "b43".
Open terminal (ctrl+alt+T) and write the following commands, the one after the other, pressing <enter> after each one:

sudo apt-get remove --purge bcmwl-kernel-source
sudo mkdir /lib/firmware/b43
sudo cp b43/* /lib/firmware/b43
sudo modprobe -r b43
sudo modprobe b43

The first command doesn't work for me, it says bcmwl-kernel-source isn't installed. The 2nd command fails as well, it says it already exists. Which I didn't think it would since it was a sudo command.

Since I want you to use my b43 folder, can you please do the following?

open terminal and run

gksu nautilus

The nautilus will open with administrative rights.
Navigate to /lib/firmware and find and delete the folder named "b43"

Then follow again my guide above (so as to install my "b43" folder inside /lib/firmware).
You can skip the first command since bcmwl-kernel-source is not installed.

No change. I downloaded the wpa_gui. Next to status it says "Could not get status from wpa_supplicant". I know wpa_supplicant is installed. I'm thinking this is my issue, no clue on what to do though...lol

If I give root access to wpa_gui I can use wpa_gui to connect to any ssid. Any tips on getting it so Network Manager can handle it, not wpa_gui?

Correction, I thought it was connected but it still doesn't get an ip address.

I'm starting to think it just isn't going to work in linux.

Hi,

do you have the Windows driver disk (or download the drivers from the net)?:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wchimaoe9KE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VVosf9p5GM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESV2y3U3J_s

The Windows Wireless Tool is already installed in Zorin OS!. You just need the Windows drivers!.

My guess is that it must work with b43 but maybe you have made some changes during your efforts to make it work, that I am not aware of.
Can I please ask one favor?
Can you please prepare a live CD or Live USB, use it to log on to the live environment of Zorin and follow my below guide?

Download from here the b43 firmware: https://www.dropbox.com/s/n2tjz9jnj9xw5 ... ar.gz?dl=0
(I have uploaded it onto my dropbox account). (If you have ethernet connection do it on your own PC, otherwise you can download it from another PC that has internet connection, and then copy/paste it to your Zorin PC with the use of a USB stick).

As soon as it is downloaded, paste the b43.tar.gz firmware file you downloaded into your home folder.
Right click on it and select "extract here". A new file will be created named "b43".
Open terminal (ctrl+alt+T) and write the following commands, the one after the other, pressing <enter> after each one:

sudo mkdir /lib/firmware/b43
sudo cp b43/* /lib/firmware/b43
sudo modprobe -r b43
sudo modprobe b43

If that does not work, then maybe last resort is ndiswrapper. (windows wireless drivers).

I have made a very detailed guide: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=5008&p=23910&hilit=ndiswrapper#p23910

As wolfman asked, have you kept your windows drivers cd?

I tried the live cd method, still can't connect to a protected network. I've tried the ndiswrapper in the past, but I'm going to try a clean install before trying it again. Whats weird is I tried puppy linux and I was able to connect to wireless. Are they close enough that I could copy that driver and use it?

Are you able to connect via ethernet cable? If you can see if you can download the following packages:

Code:

sudo apt-get install ndiswrapper-dkms && ndiswrapper-source

These are the two packages that tend to be missing on installation of Zorin Core/Ultimate and essential if wanting to install drivers for say a Netgear WNDA 3100 dongle.

They are not usually included as 'dkms' is a 'kernel' injection piece of software that installs the correct software for the kernel at point of install.

I was able to get wifi to work using Frisbee Network Manager in Puppy Linux. I think I'm going to leave it at that. I will look into using Frisbee w/ Zorin though...

If network manager is your problem, you can also try installing WICD in the place of network manager!

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/WICD

See if that helps!

See also:

https://ubuntu-mate.community/t/stop-ne ... ubuntu/829

I have tired WICD, I have no idea but Frisbee is the only way I've been able to connect. I've literally tried 6+ different linux distros.

Hi,

take a look here first if you intend to buy a new wireless adaptor:

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/WifiD ... sSupported

Hope it helps.

Is Frisbee included in the repos of Zorin (ubuntu)?

See also:

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Netwo ... _interface

Hi, does this help?:

http://www.webupd8.org/2014/04/fix-lubu ... nager.html

[source: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2240266]

Zorin Lite (all flavours) is based on Lubuntu 14.04.