Wireless Question

[Nils Kassube]

MICHAEL J MARCINIAK wrote:
> Broadcom BCM4318 [AirForce One 54g] [14e4:4318] (rev 02)
> Wireless "on" button does not work on physical machine (did light up
> on it's own before installing Ubantu in Windoze and wireless worked).
> nm-tool reports "Driver:b43", "State:unavailable"
> 
> I did connect to a USB wireless adapter, and it updated several
> "drivers" and such on it's own. But, nm-tool reports a driver, it
> seems I just can't "power" it on on the laptop itself.
> 
> running "sudo lshw -C network" reveals the driver, version, but
> firmware=N/A. Is this a Compaq firmware missing issue (hence the
> physical "on" button doesn't work)? Can I update this somehow even
> the firmware most likely is Windoze only, or am I just hosed? It
> even lists the MAC address.

I don't think the firmware is Compaq or Windows specific but IMHO it 
should be the same for all those BCM4318 chipsets. There is a package 
"firmware-b43-installer" in Natty which seems not to be installed as 
default. You could try if it helps to install that package and that is 
what makes your wireless work.

Another problem could be your BIOS. Check that your wireless is always 
enabled by your BIOS. If you don't have such a setting, you could enable 
your wireless in Windows and keep it enabled before you reboot to Linux.


Nils