Flashing Wifi

solarwind · 2008-10-24 22:58:10

Hey all, I installed Arch Linux on my Dell Inspiron 6000 laptop recently and installed the b43 drivers using b43-fwcutter. Wifi works fine (with wicd) but sometimes (at random), the wifi LED starts blinking for a few seconds. And during this time, the internet stops working completely. And after a few seconds, the flashing stops and everything works again. This cycle repeats indefinitely.

What could be wrong?

I'm even loading the b43 module in rc.conf.

Last edited by solarwind (2008-10-24 22:58:40)

solarwind · 2008-10-25 06:03:23

This problem does not exist with Ubuntu and Windows XP.

Last edited by solarwind (2008-10-25 06:04:17)

R00KIE · 2008-10-25 14:52:06

No idea but you could try using the firmware ubuntu uses with b43 and see if it works better or try to use the windows drivers with ndiswrapper.
This last option worked very well for me in ubuntu 7.10 when I couldn't use b43.

iphitus · 2008-10-25 22:47:05

my wireless card does this when it drops out.

solarwind · 2008-10-25 22:51:34

iphitus wrote:

my wireless card does this when it drops out.

What do you mean "drops out"?

pyther · 2008-10-25 23:30:12

Have you tried the official broadcom driver? broadcom-wl in aur.

solarwind · 2008-10-26 01:27:50

pyther wrote:

Have you tried the official broadcom driver? broadcom-wl in aur.

Nope. Does it work with BCM 4318?

pyther · 2008-10-26 01:38:53

I believe so, give it a try, actually I think I have that chipset.

iphitus · 2008-10-26 05:07:34

solarwind wrote:

iphitus wrote:
my wireless card does this when it drops out.
What do you mean "drops out"?

loses connection and has to re-associate. For me it's usually poor reception/range that causes it.

Solarwind: Probably a driver issue. Maybe the latest kernel has broken something.

R00KIE · 2008-10-26 11:15:44

Can you post the output of lspci | grep Broadcom?
Mine is

00:09.0 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4318 [AirForce One 54g] 802.11g Wireless LAN Controller (rev 02)

and I have followed the steps on the wiki and it is working perfectly together with wicd and b43

Last edited by R00KIE (2008-10-26 11:16:11)

moljac024 · 2008-10-26 11:38:25

iphitus wrote:

Solarwind: Probably a driver issue. Maybe the latest kernel has broken something.

I think we're pretty safe in removing that maybe over there. New kernel most definitely broke wireless

iphitus · 2008-10-26 13:09:35

moljac024 wrote:

iphitus wrote:
Solarwind: Probably a driver issue. Maybe the latest kernel has broken something.
I think we're pretty safe in removing that maybe over there. New kernel most definitely broke wireless

Didn't break mine If you think yours is broken, file bugs.

Last edited by iphitus (2008-10-26 13:09:52)

R00KIE · 2008-10-26 14:09:35

Well not broken here too, latest kernel and wicd, firmware as explained in the wiki, works perfectly. But I didn't try with very low signal strength or multiple AP's in the same channel and I haven't tried AP's with hidden essid too.

Last edited by R00KIE (2008-10-26 14:11:31)

Arch Linux

#1 2008-10-24 22:58:10

Flashing Wifi

#2 2008-10-25 06:03:23

Re: Flashing Wifi

#3 2008-10-25 14:52:06

Re: Flashing Wifi

#4 2008-10-25 22:47:05

Re: Flashing Wifi

#5 2008-10-25 22:51:34

Re: Flashing Wifi

#6 2008-10-25 23:30:12

Re: Flashing Wifi

#7 2008-10-26 01:27:50

Re: Flashing Wifi

#8 2008-10-26 01:38:53

Re: Flashing Wifi

#9 2008-10-26 05:07:34

Re: Flashing Wifi

#10 2008-10-26 11:15:44

Re: Flashing Wifi

#11 2008-10-26 11:38:25

Re: Flashing Wifi

#12 2008-10-26 13:09:35

Re: Flashing Wifi

#13 2008-10-26 14:09:35

Re: Flashing Wifi

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