Arch Linux

brainwave

Member

From: India

Registered: 2014-06-04

Posts: 40

[SOLVED]Arch Linux Install Using WiFi On a Macbook Air, Mid 2013 Model

Currently, I do not have access to ethernet for arch linux install on my Macbook Air 2013, mid 2013. The only internet access I have is through a 3G dongle or WiFi. The wireless drivers (regarding which I am still confused) seem to be in this aur package. But since aur packages are compiled on system, they require internet connection to download.

How can I install the drivers from this aur first for getting wifi to work during install, or otherwise, how can I get my 3G dongle to work during install?

I haven't looked in forums for the dongle yet, so ignore if answer exists. I was more interested about the other problem, as it seems very likely one runs into this,

EDIT : The final solution I figured was - Using a phone (Motorolla Moto G in this case, any phone should work) to connect to WiFi and then use USB Tethering to provide internet to the computer. The connection is detected. Running a simple dhcpcd lets one get an ip from the tethered connection, and internet access is hence available without any additional drivers.

PS: A number of solutions have been posted. I am going to try these one by one and mark the thread SOLVED when any of them works. If before that anyone comes across this thread and finds a solution that works, let me know and I will mark it [SOLVED] right away.

Last edited by brainwave (2016-03-25 16:15:17)

\hbar

Member

Registered: 2014-03-15

Posts: 165

Re: [SOLVED]Arch Linux Install Using WiFi On a Macbook Air, Mid 2013 Model

Download http://www.broadcom.com/docs/linux_sta/ … 141.tar.gz , untar the aur package, put the downloaded file into the directory, and replace

"http://www.broadcom.com/docs/linux_sta/hybrid-v35${_arch}-nodebug-pcoem-${pkgver//./_}.tar.gz"

in PKGBUILD by

"hybrid-v35${_arch}-nodebug-pcoem-${pkgver//./_}.tar.gz"

Last edited by \hbar (2014-06-05 22:49:38)

brainwave

Member

From: India

Registered: 2014-06-04

Posts: 40

Re: [SOLVED]Arch Linux Install Using WiFi On a Macbook Air, Mid 2013 Model

Thanks!
I haven't tried it yet. Will try and mark [SOLVED] once it works.

WonderWoofy

Member

From: Los Gatos, CA

Registered: 2012-05-19

Posts: 8,414

Re: [SOLVED]Arch Linux Install Using WiFi On a Macbook Air, Mid 2013 Model

I don't think the base-devel package group is installed on the archiso. So you will also need to install those as well.  Or, at least figure out which packages will be required to build the module and install those.

brainwave

Member

From: India

Registered: 2014-06-04

Posts: 40

Re: [SOLVED]Arch Linux Install Using WiFi On a Macbook Air, Mid 2013 Model

In order to include the base base-devel package in iso, it is possible to repackage the iso. Of this I am aware. But when installing a package from aur there are lots of dependencies as well. Is there a way to install all those dependencies too? Like 'check for dependencies, just package them too'.

WonderWoofy

Member

From: Los Gatos, CA

Registered: 2012-05-19

Posts: 8,414

Re: [SOLVED]Arch Linux Install Using WiFi On a Macbook Air, Mid 2013 Model

You can build your own iso with the archiso package.  It is pretty simple and there is a wiki page with instructions.

Alternatively, since the iso just came out a couple days ago, you could check to see if the June archiso kernel version is the same as what is installed on your machine.  Then build the broadcom-wl package and install in from the live environment via usb or something.

l4than-d3vers

Member

Registered: 2011-10-21

Posts: 10

Re: [SOLVED]Arch Linux Install Using WiFi On a Macbook Air, Mid 2013 Model

You can build your own iso with the archiso package.  It is pretty simple and there is a wiki page with instructions.

Alternatively, since the iso just came out a couple days ago, you could check to see if the June archiso kernel version is the same as what is installed on your machine.  Then build the broadcom-wl package and install in from the live environment via usb or something.

I ran into this issue yesterday. What I ended up doing is downgrade my kernel on one of my arch systems, build the package there and then install it on the live environment.

Last edited by l4than-d3vers (2014-06-06 12:10:59)

WonderWoofy

Member

From: Los Gatos, CA

Registered: 2012-05-19

Posts: 8,414

Re: [SOLVED]Arch Linux Install Using WiFi On a Macbook Air, Mid 2013 Model

If you know of a live iso that does include wl, you can use the arch-bootstrap thing to install Arch.  Someone also mentioned recently that the arch bang iso includes the wl module.  So you could potentially use that to get the machine running as well.  You will probably have to fix up /etc/pacman.conf and /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist so that it doesn't download packages from their repos, but it should be fairly easy.  I have not tried this though.

Disclaimer: Archbang is not Arch Linux

Last edited by WonderWoofy (2014-06-06 15:47:38)

brainwave

Member

From: India

Registered: 2014-06-04

Posts: 40

Re: [SOLVED]Arch Linux Install Using WiFi On a Macbook Air, Mid 2013 Model

Interesting note, that Archbang is not Arch Linux. I was told on IRC once (before I decided to install arch) that Archbang is the way to go for newbies. Especially since it's just Arch with a gui pre installed.

However wl wont work, since wl doesnt support the bcm4360 card on Macbook Air 2013. It needs the broadcom-wl-dkms module from aur. Hence the post.

Last edited by brainwave (2014-06-06 18:58:22)

WonderWoofy

Member

From: Los Gatos, CA

Registered: 2012-05-19

Posts: 8,414

Re: [SOLVED]Arch Linux Install Using WiFi On a Macbook Air, Mid 2013 Model

The broadcom-wl-dkms package is the exact same as the broadcom-wl sources.  It just utilizes dkms to build the module.