Q4OS Forum

HAL_2000

Member

Registered: 2020-05-15

Posts: 45

WiFi MiniCard Intel / Broadcom WM3945ABG not recognized, Q4OS/64-bit

Hello Friends,

Trying to set up a new, old machine (Acer 5630, 64bit, Intel Centrino Duo) with Q4OS, 64 bit, TDE.  Themed with XPQ4.  So far, so good, however, the internal WiFi minicard is not recognized.

For self help, I first attempted the following:

Searched Q4OS Support, Wireless not connecting (and found user bin helping out someone, as he'd helped me with a PCMCIA card).
https://www.q4os.org/forum/viewtopic.php?id=3392

I opened Konsole and ran:

inxi -F

Result: Network:

  Device-1: Broadcom Limited BCM4401-B0 100Base-TX driver: b44
  Device-2: Ralink RT2870/RT3070 Wireless Adapter type: USB
  driver: rt2800usb
  IF: wlx00c0ca416ca6 state: up mac: 00:c0:ca:41:6c:a6
  IF-ID-1: eth0 state: down mac: 00:16:d4:d7:64:69

Hardware on board is a HP MiniCard 407674, aka Intel, aka Broadcom WM3945ABG

Not recognized, at all.  Internet is only recognized when I add an "ALFA" branded USB WLAN dongle.

Note: There appears to be a Bluetooth switch, but that doesn't seem to affect whether the internal WiFi card is recognized or not.

Have also  tried following the instructions on this page:

Intel Wireless WiFi Link, Wireless-N, Advanced-N, Ultimate-N devices
https://wiki.debian.org/iwlwifi

apt update && apt install firmware-iwlwifi

Apparently, with the new install and update, my iwlwifi drivers are up to date as well.  So, why aren't they working with this MiniCard?

I understand that the Linux driver for such MiniCards is called b43.

See: https://wiki.debian.org/wl

"BCM4321, BCM4322 and BCM4331 chips are alternatively supported by the open source b43 driver. "

I have attempted using the supplied command lines, without success.

ex: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian buster-backports main contrib non-free

Result:  -bash: deb: command not found

Any advice to get the onboard WiFi MiniCard recognized?

Thanks in advance!

HAL

---

[Dave] Open the pod bay doors, HAL....  [HAL] I'm sorry Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that. [BSOD]

bin

Member

From: U.K.

Registered: 2016-01-28

Posts: 1,333

Re: WiFi MiniCard Intel / Broadcom WM3945ABG not recognized, Q4OS/64-bit

For that card you probably don't need backports.

As an aside, the line you have shown deb http://deb.debian.org/debian buster-backports main contrib non-free is not a command, it's the entry for Backports in the /etc/apt/sources.list

iwlwifi is for the Intel card - which you do not seem to have.

You should just be able to install the b43 drivers from synaptic - just search for b43 - there are 3 packages, install them all.

Remove the USB key and reboot.

However - it is possible the on board wifi is switched off in firmware - this can happen if it was disabled in Windows and then linux was installed.

Running sudo rfkill list all should then show you the state of any detected wifi. I have in the past found that resetting the BIOS to default values can often wake up these particular cards if nothing else does it.

HAL_2000

Member

Registered: 2020-05-15

Posts: 45

Re: WiFi MiniCard Intel / Broadcom WM3945ABG not recognized, Q4OS/64-bit

Thanks so much.

I'll give it a shot.

==============

UPDATE:

Okay, installed b43 drivers via Synaptic, rebooted, removing USB WLAN dongle.

No joy [no wireless networks detected]

Ran the Sudo CLI command you suggested.  No change.

Entered CMOS setup, restored to defaults.  No change.

Looked for any external WiFi on/off switches [only a Bluetooth one found, did not change anything.]

Added a PCMCIA WiFi card [yes, it's that old]. Wireless networks detected and the machine is online.

Thanks!

Last edited by HAL_2000 (2021-01-14 17:56)

---

[Dave] Open the pod bay doors, HAL....  [HAL] I'm sorry Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that. [BSOD]