Broadcom 4312 - Fun with drivers

maltazar1 · 2013-02-13 15:55:54

Hello, after doing research for about 3h I'm little sick and thought I'll ask for help of some people better suited in the topic than me
So, the thing is that I can get wifi in my laptop on B4312 card with the Broadcom driver - broadcom-wl but apparently it doesn't like kernel 3.7.7 - the one I'm using, and it's causing kernel panic, so I need a new solution for getting wifi, which is pretty essential for me, I hate cables with all my heart.
I tried to get b43 to work, after checking the compatibility list on their site (where my card is listed as compatible -but only says 2.6+, which I think is a little outdated...), and it doesn't like my laptop either, I installed b43-fwcutter and downloaded and made pkg for the firmware, card shows just fine in iwconfig / ip link but when I connect with wifi-menu to my network it works for about 15 seconds and disconnects.
Any ideas of getting it to work?

Thanks in advance

Last edited by maltazar1 (2013-02-19 16:09:51)

ewaller · 2013-02-13 16:04:45

Works like a peach here. I am using a slightly older kernel.

ewaller@odin:~ 1001 %lspci -nn | grep Broad
02:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Broadcom Corporation BCM4312 802.11b/g LP-PHY [14e4:4315] (rev 01)
ewaller@odin:~ 1002 %uname -a
Linux odin 3.7.6-1-ARCH #1 SMP PREEMPT Mon Feb 4 09:15:13 CET 2013 x86_64 GNU/Linux
ewaller@odin:~ 1003 %lsmod | grep b43
b43                   362445  0 
bcma                   28684  1 b43
mac80211              432338  1 b43
cfg80211              179435  2 b43,mac80211
ssb                    51756  1 b43
pcmcia                 46261  2 b43,ssb
mmc_core               90305  4 b43,ssb,sdhci,sdhci_pci
ewaller@odin:~ 1004 %

Are you using the same chip? What do you know about the router? How is your signal strength? Anything interesting in your logs as to an explanation?

edit: Also, what firmware are you actually using

Feb 09 13:47:30 odin kernel: b43-phy0: Loading firmware version 666.2 (2011-02-23 01:15:07)

Last edited by ewaller (2013-02-13 16:08:05)

maltazar1 · 2013-02-13 16:08:23

Same chip, I'm sure of that, it's running in mixed b/g/n mode, very good, I have no idea where to find logs after looking for so long and I feel bad because of it
No idea how to check what firmware I have either... egh

Last edited by maltazar1 (2013-02-13 16:09:42)

10PinkPanther · 2013-02-13 17:56:17

I have Broadcom 4312 and it's working fine with b43 and b43-firmware.First time I installed Arch I had disconnections also but becouse I was using netcfg and network manager.Disabling one of them made it work without problems.

maltazar1 · 2013-02-13 18:03:12

Well, I never installed network manager

maltazar1 · 2013-02-18 19:01:07

Bump with some ACTUAL info from dmesg, still really no idea how to fix it, maybe you guys will have some ideas
Oh, and I changed my router to b/g only.

Oh yea, and this is a test with b43 with installed firmware

iwconfig after connecting with wifi-menu

lo        no wireless extensions.

enp9s0    no wireless extensions.

wlan0     IEEE 802.11bg  ESSID:"UPC Pent"  
          Mode:Managed  Frequency:2.442 GHz  Access Point: C8:3A:35:3D:5B:98   
          Bit Rate=1 Mb/s   Tx-Power=20 dBm   
          Retry  long limit:7   RTS thr:off   Fragment thr:off
          Encryption key:off
          Power Management:off
          Link Quality=70/70  Signal level=-39 dBm  
          Rx invalid nwid:0  Rx invalid crypt:0  Rx invalid frag:0
          Tx excessive retries:0  Invalid misc:15   Missed beacon:0

ping - to confirm

[root@pawel-dell1558 Windows]# ping -c 3 www.google.pl
PING www.google.pl (173.194.44.56) 56(84) bytes of data.
64 bytes from muc03s08-in-f24.1e100.net (173.194.44.56): icmp_seq=1 ttl=52 time=170 ms
64 bytes from muc03s08-in-f24.1e100.net (173.194.44.56): icmp_seq=3 ttl=52 time=54.5 ms

--- www.google.pl ping statistics ---
3 packets transmitted, 2 received, 33% packet loss, time 2000ms
rtt min/avg/max/mdev = 54.521/112.641/170.762/58.121 ms

dmesg with it's info about wifi card

[ 1038.470963] b43-phy1: Loading firmware version 666.2 (2011-02-23 01:15:07)
[ 1043.109538] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlan0: link is not ready
[ 1047.515802] b43-phy1: Loading firmware version 666.2 (2011-02-23 01:15:07)
[ 1052.154294] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlan0: link is not ready
[ 1053.394591] wlan0: authenticate with c8:3a:35:3d:5b:98
[ 1053.409718] wlan0: send auth to c8:3a:35:3d:5b:98 (try 1/3)
[ 1053.412538] wlan0: authenticated
[ 1053.412734] b43 ssb0:0 wlan0: disabling HT/VHT due to WEP/TKIP use
[ 1053.413172] wlan0: associate with c8:3a:35:3d:5b:98 (try 1/3)
[ 1053.416687] wlan0: RX AssocResp from c8:3a:35:3d:5b:98 (capab=0x11 status=0 aid=2)
[ 1053.420005] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_CHANGE): wlan0: link becomes ready
[ 1053.420145] wlan0: associated

Fine and dandy so far and then suddenly after trying to open a website (like every time)

ping: unknown host www.google.pl

So yea, it's down, more info on why

lo        no wireless extensions.

enp9s0    no wireless extensions.

wlan0     IEEE 802.11bg  ESSID:off/any  
          Mode:Managed  Access Point: Not-Associated   Tx-Power=20 dBm   
          Retry  long limit:7   RTS thr:off   Fragment thr:off
          Encryption key:off
          Power Management:off
          

[ 1240.763222] ieee80211 phy1: wlan0: No probe response from AP c8:3a:35:3d:5b:98 after 500ms, disconnecting.
[ 1240.771067] cfg80211: Calling CRDA to update world regulatory domain
[ 1242.090068] wlan0: authenticate with c8:3a:35:3d:5b:98
[ 1242.105288] wlan0: send auth to c8:3a:35:3d:5b:98 (try 1/3)
[ 1242.308338] wlan0: send auth to c8:3a:35:3d:5b:98 (try 2/3)
[ 1242.511464] wlan0: send auth to c8:3a:35:3d:5b:98 (try 3/3)
[ 1242.714623] wlan0: authentication with c8:3a:35:3d:5b:98 timed out
[ 1244.433697] wlan0: authenticate with c8:3a:35:3d:5b:98
[ 1244.449551] wlan0: direct probe to c8:3a:35:3d:5b:98 (try 1/3)
[ 1244.649513] wlan0: direct probe to c8:3a:35:3d:5b:98 (try 2/3)
[ 1244.852650] wlan0: direct probe to c8:3a:35:3d:5b:98 (try 3/3)
[ 1245.055845] wlan0: authentication with c8:3a:35:3d:5b:98 timed out
[ 1247.274417] wlan0: authenticate with c8:3a:35:3d:5b:98
[ 1247.290239] wlan0: direct probe to c8:3a:35:3d:5b:98 (try 1/3)
[ 1247.490171] wlan0: direct probe to c8:3a:35:3d:5b:98 (try 2/3)
[ 1247.693368] wlan0: direct probe to c8:3a:35:3d:5b:98 (try 3/3)
[ 1247.896365] wlan0: authentication with c8:3a:35:3d:5b:98 timed out
[ 1254.111357] wlan0: authenticate with c8:3a:35:3d:5b:98
[ 1254.126729] wlan0: direct probe to c8:3a:35:3d:5b:98 (try 1/3)
[ 1254.326991] wlan0: direct probe to c8:3a:35:3d:5b:98 (try 2/3)
[ 1254.530271] wlan0: direct probe to c8:3a:35:3d:5b:98 (try 3/3)
[ 1254.733341] wlan0: authentication with c8:3a:35:3d:5b:98 timed out
[ 1265.943608] wlan0: authenticate with c8:3a:35:3d:5b:98
[ 1265.959265] wlan0: direct probe to c8:3a:35:3d:5b:98 (try 1/3)
[ 1266.159219] wlan0: direct probe to c8:3a:35:3d:5b:98 (try 2/3)
[ 1266.362501] wlan0: direct probe to c8:3a:35:3d:5b:98 (try 3/3)
[ 1266.565546] wlan0: authentication with c8:3a:35:3d:5b:98 timed out
[ 1277.778719] wlan0: authenticate with c8:3a:35:3d:5b:98
[ 1277.794761] wlan0: direct probe to c8:3a:35:3d:5b:98 (try 1/3)
[ 1277.994747] wlan0: direct probe to c8:3a:35:3d:5b:98 (try 2/3)
[ 1278.197859] wlan0: direct probe to c8:3a:35:3d:5b:98 (try 3/3)
[ 1278.400974] wlan0: authentication with c8:3a:35:3d:5b:98 timed out

Apparently it cannot authenticate again, it simply drops the connection...
Router runs with WEP on, the password is correct as you could see by pings, it's my connection so if there's a need I'll change few things

Last edited by maltazar1 (2013-02-19 16:12:42)

korgan1983 · 2013-02-18 21:18:12

Hello,

I have a BMC4322 Chip and also had the same looking like problem. I have found some power saving issues in the kernel log with the b43 driver.

The Laptop was connected a short time and then disconnected (timestamps show a direct connection between power saving settings and wlan disconnect). Sometimes and with some settings I got a "stable" connection over a few minutes but with horrible throughput, some bits/sec.

I was not able to resolve that problem, had tried different things to get it working, but after all I switched back to broadcom-wl. The problem was with different routers and wifi configurations.

That works for me with Kernel 3.7.x, actually 3.7.9.

Have you tried the actuall AUR package of broadcom-wl? Is there a reason why you need the kernel 3.7.7?

Last edited by korgan1983 (2013-02-18 21:21:26)

maltazar1 · 2013-02-18 21:24:31

Well, I'd like to use broadcom-wl too, but on my kernel it apparently causes a kernel panic for really no real reason, I'm just doing regular net usage and it randomly crashes my system, that's why I had to switch to b43.
First I tried it from AUR, it works fine but as I said, crashes.
But if you say that it works correctly on 3.7.9, maybe just upgrading the kernel would work?
And no, there's no reason for me to stick to this version.

nomorewindows · 2013-02-19 05:17:59

My b43 works with b43-cutter and b43-firmware.

maltazar1 · 2013-02-19 06:15:10

Well, mine doesn't, if it did, I wouldn't make this thread.

maltazar1 · 2013-02-19 07:54:05

Alright, I updated kernel to 3.7.9.1, reinstalled broadcom-wl from AUR and now it looks stable so far, I'll sit and use it for few hours, if it won't crash I'll mark it as solved

maltazar1 · 2013-02-19 09:35:54

And updating the kernel didn't work, aswell with manually loading the driver, nothing works for me, egh

nomorewindows · 2013-02-19 17:17:17

maltazar1 wrote:

Alright, I updated kernel to 3.7.9.1, reinstalled broadcom-wl from AUR and now it looks stable so far, I'll sit and use it for few hours, if it won't crash I'll mark it as solved

If I remember right, broadcom-wl loads a couple modules that make it troublesome for b43. You have to blacklist the wl and apista modules for b43 to have a chance.

maltazar1 · 2013-02-19 17:40:03

I guess it doesn't hurt to try, brb

-----------

Well, at some point, I blacklisted both wl and b43

So I booted up, loaded b43, and guess what
It still disconnected as before

with no wl or asomething loaded, I checked.

But b43 loaded mac80211 on modprobe, wasn't that another driver? Could they actually collide with each other?
I tried removing mac but as soon as I did it by rmmod b43, rmmod mac/cfg, modprobe b43 it loaded it back...

Last edited by maltazar1 (2013-02-19 18:11:34)

nomorewindows · 2013-02-19 20:02:26

I've got mac/cfg80211 on mine so that's not it.
Matches ewaller's lsmod.

Last edited by nomorewindows (2013-02-19 20:11:09)

ronizzel · 2013-02-23 14:45:03

Hi,

I've got excactly the same symptoms as maltazar1 with the same devices on 3.7.9-1-ARCH. b43 leads to sudden disconnects (authentication [...] timed out in dmesg).
Broadcom-wl, however, seems to work fine, but at some time triggers a kernel panic. This can happen immediately after the graphical environment is loaded, but sometimes it works for half an hour or so.

The only difference between maltazar1 and me is, that I am using NetworkManager.

The same problems show up on a fresh Fedora 18 install, so it's definitely a driver problem. The whole setup, however, worked in earlier kernels.

It's a bit frustrating for me, that for some people here, it is working fine. What the heck are we doing wrong?

P.S.: With the linux-lts kernel it works fine (with the broadcom-wl kernel module)

Last edited by ronizzel (2013-02-23 16:54:28)

pixavi · 2013-02-23 17:26:18

I am using broadcom-wl with 3.7.6 and have been updating kernel for a while a never had a problem with my wifi card. The last versions of the package automatically blacklisted the b43 modules that could crash with wl. My blacklisted modules are:

blacklist b43
blacklist bcma
blacklist ssb

File in /etc/modprobe.d/broadcom-wl

I used to experience kernel panics with this module in my old netbook. I was using there the kernel-netbook package and broadcom-wl didn't updated the kernel module each time I updated the kernel and when it tried to load an outdated module it crashed or didn't load it and left me without wifi. In those cases, I simply loaded b43 with modprobe b43, and reinstalled the broadcom-wl driver with some tweaking of the package.build to make it compile for my kernel.

Tired of this I installed the dkms-broadcom-wl package in my old netbook. The package is identical to broadcom-wl, but it installs with the dkms dynamic build system. This systems ensures in every restart that any driver that needs recompiling because an updated kernel is recompiled to the new kernel.

Having said that, this didn't save me a couple of kernel panics or modules unable to load due to occasional bugs in the packaging or changes in the kernel build environment.

nomorewindows · 2013-02-23 22:17:05

Somebody suggested the nohwcrypt option in modprobe.conf

k44 · 2013-03-30 23:53:24

Hello,

I'm a new Archlinux user (from Ubuntu). With my stock install and this device:

Network controller [0280]: Broadcom Corporation BCM4312 802.11b/g LP-PHY [14e4:4315] (rev 01)

b43 is no use, even with "nohwcrypt" option. I cannot stay connected more than a minutes and this is with ridiculously slow speed.
With wl, I have kernel panic every 10 minutes or so.

For now, I stay with ethernet but this not really a solution.

PS: kernel 3.8.4-1-ARCH #1 SMP PREEMPT Wed Mar 20 22:10:25 CET 2013 x86_64 GNU/Linux

nomorewindows · 2013-03-31 00:00:03

k44 wrote:

Hello,
I'm a new Archlinux user (from Ubuntu). With my stock install and this device:
Network controller [0280]: Broadcom Corporation BCM4312 802.11b/g LP-PHY [14e4:4315] (rev 01)
b43 is no use, even with "nohwcrypt" option. I cannot stay connected more than a minutes and this is with ridiculously slow speed.
With wl, I have kernel panic every 10 minutes or so.
For now, I stay with ethernet but this not really a solution.
PS: kernel 3.8.4-1-ARCH #1 SMP PREEMPT Wed Mar 20 22:10:25 CET 2013 x86_64 GNU/Linux

I don't think I had much success with broadcom-wl, I just install the b43-firmware and the kernel takes it from there.
I also use wicd. I can get it with iwconfig, but wicd keeps it connected.

k44 · 2013-03-31 00:07:39

What hardware do you have ?

nomorewindows · 2013-03-31 00:18:12

k44 wrote:

What hardware do you have ?

Who me? I have BCM4311.

Seanter · 2013-07-08 09:57:50

Is there any solution for kernel panics? It keeps crashing also with current kernel - 3.9.9.

Angelsoul · 2013-07-16 16:56:35

Seanter wrote:

Is there any solution for kernel panics? It keeps crashing also with current kernel - 3.9.9.

Have you found a solution? I still have Kernel Panics frequently.
My hw is: Network controller [0280]: Broadcom Corporation BCM43224 802.11a/b/g/n [14e4:4353] (rev 01)
and the driver is: brcmsmac

bbarcher · 2014-05-29 19:06:10

Acer Aspire netbook
Network controller [0280]: Broadcom Corporation BCM4312 802.11b/g LP-PHY [14e4:4315] (rev 01)

Using b43 I get symptoms as in post #6 i.e. `wlan0: authentication with ... timed out`

Arch Linux

#1 2013-02-13 15:55:54

Broadcom 4312 - Fun with drivers

#2 2013-02-13 16:04:45

Re: Broadcom 4312 - Fun with drivers

#3 2013-02-13 16:08:23

Re: Broadcom 4312 - Fun with drivers

#4 2013-02-13 17:56:17

Re: Broadcom 4312 - Fun with drivers

#5 2013-02-13 18:03:12

Re: Broadcom 4312 - Fun with drivers

#6 2013-02-18 19:01:07

Re: Broadcom 4312 - Fun with drivers

#7 2013-02-18 21:18:12

Re: Broadcom 4312 - Fun with drivers

#8 2013-02-18 21:24:31

Re: Broadcom 4312 - Fun with drivers

#9 2013-02-19 05:17:59

Re: Broadcom 4312 - Fun with drivers

#10 2013-02-19 06:15:10

Re: Broadcom 4312 - Fun with drivers

#11 2013-02-19 07:54:05

Re: Broadcom 4312 - Fun with drivers

#12 2013-02-19 09:35:54

Re: Broadcom 4312 - Fun with drivers

#13 2013-02-19 17:17:17

Re: Broadcom 4312 - Fun with drivers

#14 2013-02-19 17:40:03

Re: Broadcom 4312 - Fun with drivers

#15 2013-02-19 20:02:26

Re: Broadcom 4312 - Fun with drivers

#16 2013-02-23 14:45:03

Re: Broadcom 4312 - Fun with drivers

#17 2013-02-23 17:26:18

Re: Broadcom 4312 - Fun with drivers

#18 2013-02-23 22:17:05

Re: Broadcom 4312 - Fun with drivers

#19 2013-03-30 23:53:24

Re: Broadcom 4312 - Fun with drivers

#20 2013-03-31 00:00:03

Re: Broadcom 4312 - Fun with drivers

#21 2013-03-31 00:07:39

Re: Broadcom 4312 - Fun with drivers

#22 2013-03-31 00:18:12

Re: Broadcom 4312 - Fun with drivers

#23 2013-07-08 09:57:50

Re: Broadcom 4312 - Fun with drivers

#24 2013-07-16 16:56:35

Re: Broadcom 4312 - Fun with drivers

#25 2014-05-29 19:06:10

Re: Broadcom 4312 - Fun with drivers

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