[SOLVED] BCM43224 and b43 problem

gbc921 · 2012-06-18 02:26:28

Hello,

I have a Dell with a BCM43224 wireless card and would like to use the b43 driver instead of the brcmsmac.

I tried unloading the brcmsmac and loading the b43, but my card is not recognized (iwconfig). As soon as I load the brcmsmac it works again.

I unload and load the modules like that:

sudo rmmod brcm80211 brcmsmac brcmfmac bcma ssb b43 wl mac80211 cfg80211 lib80211_crypt_tkip lib80211
sudo modprobe lib80211_crypt_tkip; sudo modprobe ssb; sudo modprobe b43; sudo depmod -a

I remember one time, some months ago, that I could use the b43 driver, and it worked fine as this card is supported:
Linux Wireless - Supported Devices ([14e4:4353] BCM43224)

I also have the b43-firmware/cutter installed from AUR and my kernel is:

Linux VostroG 3.4.2-2-ARCH #1 SMP PREEMPT Mon Jun 11 22:27:17 CEST 2012 x86_64 GNU/Linux

By the way, I want this because brcmsmac does not support AP mode with hostapd yet.

Sincerely,

Last edited by gbc921 (2012-06-18 18:09:57)

Gusar · 2012-06-18 09:07:58

You'll have to compile your own kernel. For cards supported by both b43 and brcmsmac, the Arch kernel forces brcmsmac, to avoid a situation where both drivers would try to claim the card. The option you need to activate is CONFIG_B43_BCMA_EXTRA

gbc921 · 2012-06-18 18:09:42

Hummm, make sense now.

I will get my hands dirty on that.

Thanks.

sultanoswing · 2012-06-19 08:32:40

Gusar wrote:

You'll have to compile your own kernel. For cards supported by both b43 and brcmsmac, the Arch kernel forces brcmsmac, to avoid a situation where both drivers would try to claim the card. The option you need to activate is CONFIG_B43_BCMA_EXTRA

Couldn't you just blacklist one of the modules, either b43 or brcmsmac?

Gusar · 2012-06-19 08:56:21

sultanoswing wrote:

Couldn't you just blacklist one of the modules, either b43 or brcmsmac?

No

Last edited by Gusar (2012-06-19 08:57:32)

gbc921 · 2012-06-19 18:20:47

Gusar wrote:

sultanoswing wrote:
Couldn't you just blacklist one of the modules, either b43 or brcmsmac?
No

I tried it, but it doesn't work.
When you load b43 the kernel doesn't recognize the wireless card.

I've recompiled the kernel and is working now. You just unload the brcmsmac module and load b43.

Arch Linux

#1 2012-06-18 02:26:28

[SOLVED] BCM43224 and b43 problem

#2 2012-06-18 09:07:58

Re: [SOLVED] BCM43224 and b43 problem

#3 2012-06-18 18:09:42

Re: [SOLVED] BCM43224 and b43 problem

#4 2012-06-19 08:32:40

Re: [SOLVED] BCM43224 and b43 problem

#5 2012-06-19 08:56:21

Re: [SOLVED] BCM43224 and b43 problem

#6 2012-06-19 18:20:47

Re: [SOLVED] BCM43224 and b43 problem

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