Unable to use wifi device with UbuntuMATE 22.04.1 and Linux Mint 21 - Bandaid fix

[Bret Busby]

On 10/10/22 06:54, Bret Busby wrote:
> Hello.
> 
> I have an Acer Aspire 5750G "laptop" computer, that I had been using for 
> years, with Ubuntu.
> 
> It had been getting versions upgrades, and then, a couple stuffed the 
> system, so I transferred the data and stopped using it.
> 
> Then, I, overnight, tried a clean install of Linux Mint 21, which 
> installed okay, after I circumvented the bogus "You do not have an EFI 
> partition for the boot loader - You and your descendants will burn in 
> the River Styx, if you do not create this".
> 
> But, the Live iso image, and, the installed version, could not use the 
> wifi device, to connect to the Internet, or, to see any other wifi devices.
> 
> But, the Control Center -> System Reports -> System Information shows 
> the wifi device.
> 
> So, I tried using a live iso image of UbuntuMATE 22.04.1, on a Ventoy 
> drive (Thank you, Liam Proven, for your guidance regarding the Ventoy 
> drives).
> 
> That also, could not use the wifi device, and, thence, could not see any 
> wifi devices outside the computer.
> 
> Then, I thought "Stuff it, I will see what Windows 7 can do".
> 
> A windows 7 installation is still resident on the computer (and, from 
> trying to access some data in the Windows 7 installation, I appear to 
> have not accessed that installation, for about 9 1/2 years).
> 
> And, of course, Windows 7 was able to quite happily use the wifi device, 
> and, to see available wifi devices out side the computer.
> 
> I think that the Linux installations on the computer, had inherited 
> legacy drivers for the wifi device, but, the current versions are not 
> much good, if they cannot use the wifi device for Internet access, when 
> a clean installation is performed.
> 
> In the Linux Mint 21 Control Center -> System Reports -> System 
> Information, is shown for the Network devices, the Ethernet device, 
> which is a Broadcom (in addition to the wifi device being a Broadcom), 
> then, immediately below the Ethernet device, is
> 
> "
> IF: enp2s0f0 state: down mac: <filter>
> Broadcom BCM43227 802.11b/g/n vendor: Foxconn driver: bcma-pci-bridge v: 
> N/A pcie: speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 1 bus-ID: 3:00 chip-ID: 14e4:4358
> "
> 
> Now, what troubles me, is that the wifi device was usable by Linux, 
> before a clean installation of a latest version (Linux Mint 21), and, 
> both that clean installation, and, the latest UbuntuMATE live iso 
> (22.04.1), cannot use the wifi device, presumably, because they lack 
> drivers for it, in the iso images, making upgrades and downloading the 
> driver, a Catch-22 situation, whilst MS Windows 7 quite happily works 
> with the wifi device.
> 
> So, not, apart from using the now completely insecure for Internet 
> access, MS Windows 7, to find and locate and download (if possible) a 
> driver for the wifi device, how do I get a driver for the wifi device, 
> down, and, install it, on the Linux Mint 21 installation, so that Linux 
> Mint can access the Internet?
> 
> It seems rather amusing, that MS Windows 7 can access the Internet and 
> other wifi devices, but, Linux Mint 21, and, UbuntuMATE 22.04.1, cannot, 
> on the same computer.
> 
> It does raise the question of which is the more advanced operating 
> system, unfortunately.
> 
> But, how do I get the driver down and installed, and, working, on the 
> clean installation of the latest version (but, unable to be updated, 
> because of its shortcomings) Linux?
> 
> ..
> Bret Busby
> Armadale
> West Australia
> (UTC+0800)
> ..............
> 
> 

Hello.

A kind of way to get a possible solution, occurred to me, and, it seems 
to have worked.

In the Linux Mint installation, I rebooted and used USB tethering to my 
cellphone, to go out onto the Internet, and, performed a system 
update/upgrade.

Then, in the panel, I got an icon indicating "You have system reports 
that need attending", so, I opened that, and got a window "Drivers have 
been found for system hardware. Open Device Manager?".

So, I opened the Device Manager that allowed me to download and install 
the drivers for the wifi device and for the nVIDIA graphics (which the 
system recommended, over using the FOSS nouveau driver), which I did, 
rebooted with the cellphone disconnected, and, it found and connected to 
the available wifi device, and, found the external wifi devices for 
connection, and, is operational now, with more software added, now.

And, I have found (this is for any other Linux Mint uses who may be 
interested) a Linux Mint users mailing list (unofficial) at 
https://groups.io/g/linuxmint , which I have joined, and, to which, I 
have sent an initial post. If people do as I have now done; join the 
Linux Mint mailing list, thence to direct queries relating to Linux 
Mint, to that list, rather than upsetting the people on this list, who 
do not like Linux Mint queries being posted on this list, it can enhance 
the support facilities available to users of Linux Mint, while keeping 
the peace with people on this list, who want posts restricted to Ubuntu 
related posts and to keep Linux Mint posts off this list.

But, I think and suggest that the Ubuntu developers need to review the 
iso content - Internet applications, such as Firefox (with the dreaded 
snap dragon) and Thunderbird, are not much use being included, when 
drivers for hardware that provides Internet access, such as wifi 
devices, are not included, so, obstructing, if not preventing, Internet 
access. Bit of a bug (and, a PITA).

..
Bret Busby
Armadale
West Australia
(UTC+0800)
..............