Re: [gentoo-user] b43-legacy and newer linux kernels?

[Mick]

On Saturday 14 August 2010 11:18:17 you wrote:
> On Friday 13 August 2010 19:24:08 Bill Longman wrote:
> > On 08/13/2010 10:58 AM, BRM wrote:
> > > ----- Original Message ----
> > >
> > >> On 13 August 2010 09:08, Neil Bothwick <neil@××××××××××.uk> wrote:
> > >>> On  Thu, 12 Aug 2010 22:10:02 -0700 (PDT), BRM wrote:
> > >>>> but even  so - they are saying this has to be done on every reboot,
> > >>>> and that's  not much of a solution.
> > >>>
> > >>> Put the commands in  /etc/conf.d/local.start, or the start section
> > >>> of /etc/conf.d/local if  using baselayout2.
> > >>
> > >> Have you been through the guidance in this page to  find out which
> > >> kernel driver you ought to use with your  card?
> > >> http://linuxwireless.org/en/users/Drivers/b43
> > >
> > > Yes. Unfortunately it's a 14e4:4320/ with BCM4306/2 Chip set (4306 Rev
> > > 2), so it requires the b43-legacy driver, and only firmware version
> > > FW10 supports the hardware from what I can tell.
> > >
> > > It just seems to me that I went from a working wireless on 2.6.30 to a
> > > non-working wireless on 2.6.34. I'd really like to get back to a
> > > working wireless card, and be on the newer kernel.
> >
> > I feel your pain, Ben. I remember about three years ago having my laptop
> > working great with all manner of 802.11 cards. I could do my work
> > anywhere in the house. And then it all just kind of melted. A new kernel
> > for one thing but somehow something else fell apart. I've pretty much
> > written off any wireless on Linux now. My time is worth more than the
> > hours of troubleshooting. Keep plugging, you just might get it.
>
> Well, there's always ndiswrapper and the MSWindows driver to consider, when
> all Linux solutions fail or don't work that well.
>
> I see on kernel v2.6.34-gentoo-r1 that CONFIG_B43LEGACY will now use V3
> firmware, which must be installed separately using b43-fwcutter.
>
> Has the OP tried that?
>
> PS.  The kernel help is also recommending that b43legacy is installed as a
> module.

I read again your original post.  I think that you have been trying to use the 
wrong firmware.  The link I suggested recommends that you use b43_fwcutter to 
install this firmware:

 http://downloads.openwrt.org/sources/wl_apsta-3.130.20.0.o

Alternatively, you may want to experiment with whatever is the latest firmware 
in Broadcom's website and see if any of those work.
-- 
Regards,
Mick