Problems configuring bcm43xx-fwcutter

[Peter Garrett]

On Wed, 8 Aug 2007 23:02:56 -0400
"Ed Smits" <ed.smits at gmail.com> wrote:

> This used to work, but decided to rebuild my laptop today. Installing
> bcm43xx-fwcutter I get asked to download the firmware, I say OK, then
> it errors out on downloading the drivers as below. From googling
> around about this it seems that the googlepages site has download
> limits that may have been exceeded or some such. I've tried other
> approaches - using my XP drivers etc, nothing seems to work.

have a look here:
http://ubuntu.cafuego.net/dists/feisty-cafuego/bcm43xx/

Note that if you install the firmware from cafuego's repo you will not
need fwcutter ( his deb installs the firmware) . 
> 
> 1) since fwcutter is a legitimate Ubuntu provided program, why does it
> call up drivers from an untrustworthy source.

It is trying to get the firmware, not the driver/ kernel module  - the
driver ( bcm43xx ) is Free And Open Source Software, the firmware/
microcode is proprietary ( Broadcom won't tell anyone the specs.)
> 
> 2) does anyone have an idea as to why this happened and when it might
> work once again?

I don't - but try the repository I linked above. Just be sure to read the
front page etc, obviously - I have used these debs on my iBook G4 with a
Broadcom 4306 card and there was no problem.


Peter