[Solved] [PC-BSD] Broadcom wireless on Dell doesn't turn on.

nemirst · #1 December 7th, 2010, 19:22

Hi folks,

Just started using Unix-type OS few days ago and now I have one problem. I can't get wireless device turning on (led is switched off) even though it's working on Windows. OS installed is PCBSD 8.1 so there should be no difference compared to FreeBSD. I have some kind of Dell mini wireless card (it must be Broadcom). Please tell me how to get more accurate information in terminal and I'll provide you with it if you need. For reference I used some parts of FreeBSD handbook.

Here's what I tried:
* Added if_bwn_load="YES" to /boot/loader.conf.
* Did "make install clean" inside /usr/ports/net/bwn-firmware-kmod directory
* reboot
* ifconfig wlan0 create wlandev bwn0
* ifconfig wlan0 up scan

Tried also bwi instead of bwn with no success.

What should I do to make my wireless work?

richardpl · #2 December 7th, 2010, 20:03

Add bwn firmware to loader.conf

**DutchDaemon** · #3 December 7th, 2010, 20:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by nemirst

OS installed is PCBSD 8.1 so there should be no difference compared to FreeBSD.

That's a risky misconception, so beware of advice.

nemirst · #4 December 7th, 2010, 20:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by richardpl

Add bwn firmware to loader.conf

I did it now I guess. Added

Code:

bwn_v4_ucode_load="YES"

to /boot/loader.conf.
Tried also manual load of module after reboot kldload bwn_v4_ucode and got message:

Code:

kldload: can't load bwn_v4_ucode: File exists

Which should mean that module is really loaded. Wifi is still not working, led turned off.

richardpl · #5 December 7th, 2010, 22:01

Is there hardware switch somewhere?

Anythin displayed in dmesg(8)

joag · #6 December 7th, 2010, 22:16

This is how I did it under FreeBSD 7 http://nixheiser.info/Projects.html, FreeBSD-8 changed things slightly, but here http://www.freebsd.org/doc/handbook/...-wireless.html is all the info you need, reading this section in the handbook and with the example in my site I think you should be able to have this wireless card working.

BTW check if you chipset is supported otherwise it won't work unless you use ndiswrapper.

richardpl · #7 December 7th, 2010, 22:54

Quote:

BTW check if you chipset is supported otherwise it won't work unless you use NDISulator.

There, fixed it for ya.

joag · #8 December 7th, 2010, 23:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by richardpl

There, fixed it for ya.

exactly, that was the idea :p

nemirst · #9 December 9th, 2010, 18:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by richardpl

Is there hardware switch somewhere?

Anythin displayed in dmesg(8)

Thanks for mentioning this useful command. I see some interesting lines now:

Code:

need multicast update callback
need multicast update callback
bwn_v4_lp_ucode15: could not load firmware image, error 2
bwn-open_v4_lp_ucode15: could not load firmware image, error 2

But there is also line in /boot/loader.conf which should load these firmware images:

Code:

if_bwn_load="YES"
bwn_v4_ucode_load="YES"

I will try http://forums.freebsd.org/showpost.p...&postcount=227 solution but it seems like a silly workaround.

Quote:

Originally Posted by joag

FreeBSD-8 changed things slightly, but here http://www.freebsd.org/doc/handbook/...-wireless.html is all the info you need, reading this section in the handbook and with the example in my site I think you should be able to have this wireless card working.

Yes, thanks I already read first sections which are more firmware/driver related.

By the way, I switched to FreeBSD 8.1 x86.

nemirst · #10 December 11th, 2010, 13:21

I now switched to Ndisulator and configured system using this guide: http://www.freebsd.org/doc/handbook/...ork-setup.html.
When I load wireless module manually all works fine but when it's started automatically at boot adding line

Code:

bcmwl5_sys_load="YES"

to /boot/loader.conf system crashes showing page fault and offers only to restart. I had to use FreeBSD installation disk to fix system modifying loader.conf. Is there any way to start module automatically?
Also wireless hardware led is disabled but dhclient wlan0 works just fine when loading module manually.

richardpl · #11 December 11th, 2010, 20:32

Why are you trying to load module via loader.conf?

Just stop doing that.

You do not need to use install cd to unload module from loader prompt.

For more info about NDISulator follow this thread:
http://forums.freebsd.org/showthread.php?t=9204

nemirst · #12 December 11th, 2010, 21:48

I'm loading module via loader.conf because I want it to load automatically at startup and that's what is said if you follow that link I posted before:

Quote:

You can configure the system to load the NDIS modules at boot time in the same way as with any other module. First, copy the generated module, W32DRIVER_SYS.ko, to the /boot/modules directory. Then, add the following line to /boot/loader.conf:

Why shouldn't I follow handbook? Could be I understood incorrectly what was written in it...

How do I unload module otherwise? I couldn't access commandline before that restart. Was there any secret key combination?

richardpl · #13 December 11th, 2010, 22:45

Information in handbook was never correct. You was very lucky if you ever got ndis modules to not crash during boot.

Nothing is really secret. From loader prompt/bootloader menu you type unload, this will unload all modules
now you just type boot command and/or load modules you really want via load command.
This and the others is explained in various manual pages.

You can load modules after boot via rc.local and many other options...

nemirst · #14 December 12th, 2010, 17:59

Tried older Broadcom driver and it loaded successfully at startup. One more thing is left. Interface is not getting ip by DHCP automatically at startup. I have to type manually:dhclient wlan0
That's only command necessary and wireless is working.
Wireless entries in /etc/rc.conf:

Code:

wlans_ndis0="wlan0"
ifconfig_wlan0="WPA DHCP"

richardpl · #15 December 12th, 2010, 18:08

Use SYNCDHCP.

nemirst · #16 December 12th, 2010, 18:10

I just wanted to make post here about solution found here: http://forums.freebsd.org/showpost.p...10&postcount=8

Thanks again!

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The Following User Says Thank You to DutchDaemon For This Useful Post:
nemirst (December 7th, 2010)

The Following User Says Thank You to richardpl For This Useful Post:
nemirst (December 12th, 2010)