Arch Linux

number3

Member

Registered: 2007-09-16

Posts: 22

Fresh Install Questions

So I got Arch/Vista dual booted... I only can use wireless to connect to the internet but I can't figure out how to get it working. The cards chip set im using is bcm43xx. Is there anyway I can boot into windows and copy all files I need to get X up and running?

fwojciec

Member

Registered: 2007-05-20

Posts: 1,411

Re: Fresh Install Questions

I've read something about these cards being problematic with the current kernel - apparently NDISwrapper is the best way to do it since the old method with the fw-cutter doesn't work at the moment...  Someone correct me if I'm wrong (I personally don't have this card, though I've dealt with it before...)

CocoAUS

Member

Registered: 2007-09-07

Posts: 60

Re: Fresh Install Questions

I have a bcm43xx card as well, and it works just dandy with the current kernel    Well, as well as it works on any other kernel, that is.

Anyway, the file you need is wl_apsta.o, which is available (among other places) right here.

You'll probably have to create the /lib/firmware directory first (as root), and then just run:

bcm43xx-fwcutter -w /lib/firmware /path/to/wl_apsta.o

Hope that helps.  I can probably help you get your network manager working, as well, if you need it, although the first Google result for 'archlinux wireless' has a great tutorial for this.

number3

Member

Registered: 2007-09-16

Posts: 22

Re: Fresh Install Questions

Saying command not found when I enter bcm43xx-fwcutter -w /lib/firmware...

Ramses de Norre

Member

From: Leuven - Belgium

Registered: 2007-03-27

Posts: 1,289

Re: Fresh Install Questions

This'll help: pacman -S bcm43xx-fwcutter .

number3

Member

Registered: 2007-09-16

Posts: 22

Re: Fresh Install Questions

Thats the problem I have no internet...

fwojciec

Member

Registered: 2007-05-20

Posts: 1,411

Re: Fresh Install Questions

...and no way to plug into a router with a cable for now?

CocoAUS

Member

Registered: 2007-09-07

Posts: 60

Re: Fresh Install Questions

bcm43xx-fwcutter doesn't have any dependencies (except for glibc, which I'm sure you already have), so you can download it from the Archlinux website (search the packages) and download the firmware file from the link I posted before.  You can then use pacman to install the bcm43xx-fwcutter package you downloaded beforehand and do the rest from there.  I'm curious as to why you're unable to simply plugin the computer in question and do all this from there, but whatever works.

number3

Member

Registered: 2007-09-16

Posts: 22

Re: Fresh Install Questions

I do not have extra cat5 cable to plug in and my step dad will get pissy if I unplug his.

fwojciec

Member

Registered: 2007-05-20

Posts: 1,411

Re: Fresh Install Questions

In that case just download it from a browser using this link: ftp://ftp.archlinux.org/current/os/i686 … pkg.tar.gz (the link is for the 32bit package, btw), copy it onto your computer using a usb stick or something and install it using pacman -U path/to/package.

number3

Member

Registered: 2007-09-16

Posts: 22

Re: Fresh Install Questions

[root@nix ~]# pacmac -U /home/install/bcm43xx-fwcutter-006.tar.bz2
warning: current locale is invalid; using defaults "C" locale loading package data...
error: missing package metadata

error: failed to add target '/home/install/bcm43xx-fwcutter-006.tar.bz2' (unexpecyed error)

CocoAUS

Member

Registered: 2007-09-07

Posts: 60

Re: Fresh Install Questions

Have you installed other software with pacman since the initial install?

Make sure your locale is set in /etc/rc.conf and that you have the proper locales uncommented in /etc/locale.gen

For instance, I have the two en_US lines uncommented.  Then, as root, run 'locale-gen'.  This should fix the pacman error.

Last edited by CocoAUS (2007-09-17 01:42:48)

number3

Member

Registered: 2007-09-16

Posts: 22

Re: Fresh Install Questions

I read that tutorial and extracted the firmware but still cannot use my wireless... when i use /etc/rc.d/network restart it times out.

Last edited by number3 (2007-09-22 23:58:34)