BCM4328 - broadcom-wl vs ndiswrapper

kcirick · 2010-12-29 06:27:07

I'm using Arch linux on my Macbook, and I have almost everything set up the way I want. But there is one thing that's bugging me a little bit. I know that it has Broadcom BCM4328, from lspci:

02:00.0 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4328 802.11a/b/g/n (rev 03)

But there are two ways of getting it to work:
- using broadcom-wl (available from AUR, but I got it straight from http://www.broadcom.com/support/802.11/linux_sta.php and compiled myself)
- using ndiswrapper and using driver from (https://help.ubuntu.com/community/WifiD … y_No-Fluff)

I've tested both ways, and they both work, but with a couple of caveats:
- with broadcom-wl, the ESSID and Link quality information can only be seen as root (as described here
- I've noticed that broadcom-wl doesn't like waking up after suspend (using wicd, but networkmanager works fine. I thought it was dhcpcd problem, but it works fine with ndiswrapper)
- using ndiswrapper feels hotter than broadcom-wl

I guess my main question is which one should I be using? Could anyone recreate the above observations (the first one is verified, I think, but not sure about the other two).

Ben9250 · 2010-12-29 13:38:38

I use broadcom-wl, I suppose it is the broadcom supported driver, but then I have no choice with my card but to use broadcom-wl. I have issues occasionally with with my card not being detected, and I have to keep rebooting, but that only happens once in a blue moon. I suppose it comes down to ease, I mean, broadcom-wl is just a yaourt away, whereas you have to take a few steps with ndiswrapper. I don't know if one is technically better in it's workings than the other.

kcirick · 2010-12-29 17:50:25

Thanks for the response Ben9250. Do you use network managers like networkmanager or wicd? if so which one do you use? Like I mentioned in the post above, I have problem with broadcom-wl only if I use wicd, but not networkmanager. I've read that when using wicd, it is better to use dhclient rather than dhcpcd, but I don't know how outdated that information is...

I'd like to keep using wicd, because it has ncurses client, and don't have to worry about policykits

zenlord · 2010-12-30 11:57:35

I also have a macbook and am using broadcom-wl ever since I installed arch on it. I use it together with netcfg, so no wicd or nm for me. I have not yet bothered with suspend/resume, but I guess if there are problems, the solution can be scripted with netcfg.

Zl.

kcirick · 2010-12-30 15:00:36

Just an update:

broadcom-wl: Definitely have problem with wicd after suspend/resume. I'm not sure if it's the fault of wicd or with the driver, but dhcpcd doesn't like it. It works flawlessly with networkmanager (and I guess with netcfg... good to know)

ndiswrapper: Definitely have heat issues, even with 'iwconfig wlan0 power on'. The sensor reads >70C seconds after the device is turne on, whereas broadcom-wl reads much lower (around 58C).

I've decided to use broadcom-wl with networkmanager (I roam a lot with my macbook, so I don't think netcfg is for me). it's annoying that I know have to use a system tray :-(

zenlord · 2010-12-30 19:02:34

Just remembered that the upcoming kernel .37 will hold the new Broadcom-driver - this might be a solution.

Roaming has never been a problem using netcfg for me (scanning with iwlist and then adjusting a profile), but to each his own

Zl.

Daniel_F · 2010-12-31 19:10:33

Have you tried using dhclient instead of dhcpcd ?

# pacman -S dhclient

then select dhclient as the primary dhcp client in wicd options.

For me it has worked in places where dhcpcd always failed.

BurntSushi · 2010-12-31 21:37:40

kcirick wrote:

I've decided to use broadcom-wl with networkmanager (I roam a lot with my macbook, so I don't think netcfg is for me). it's annoying that I know have to use a system tray :-(

Have you heard of cnetworkmanager? It's a command line interface to nm :-) (It's in community.)

kcirick · 2011-01-03 16:56:35

Daniel_F wrote:

Have you tried using dhclient instead of dhcpcd ?

Tried that, without success. It fails at the same place where dhcpcd did.

BurntSushi wrote:

Have you heard of cnetworkmanager? It's a command line interface to nm :-) (It's in community.)

I tried that as well :-P. I was looking for something that is curse based (like wicd-client), so that I can see the list and scroll through the selection. There is also nmcli which I find better than cnetworkmanager, but nm-applet is working for me

Also, the temperature has been very stable and at normal temperature since I moved to broadcom-wl, so I guess there's the conclusion

Arch Linux

#1 2010-12-29 06:27:07

BCM4328 - broadcom-wl vs ndiswrapper

#2 2010-12-29 13:38:38

Re: BCM4328 - broadcom-wl vs ndiswrapper

#3 2010-12-29 17:50:25

Re: BCM4328 - broadcom-wl vs ndiswrapper

#4 2010-12-30 11:57:35

Re: BCM4328 - broadcom-wl vs ndiswrapper

#5 2010-12-30 15:00:36

Re: BCM4328 - broadcom-wl vs ndiswrapper

#6 2010-12-30 19:02:34

Re: BCM4328 - broadcom-wl vs ndiswrapper

#7 2010-12-31 19:10:33

Re: BCM4328 - broadcom-wl vs ndiswrapper

#8 2010-12-31 21:37:40

Re: BCM4328 - broadcom-wl vs ndiswrapper

#9 2011-01-03 16:56:35

Re: BCM4328 - broadcom-wl vs ndiswrapper

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