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My wifi support got broken after I upgraded my kernel from 3.2 to 3.4 for ubuntu 12.04. I know I need to use sudo apt-get install firmware-b43-installer but whenever I type it into terminal, I get:

Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
E: Unable to locate package firmware-b43-installer

I also tried using synaptic package manager but when I search for firmware-b43-installer I don't see any options. Check box for Proprietary drivers for devices (restricted) has also been selected from Settings->Repositories but I still don't see firmware-b43-installer.

Running lspci -vvnn | grep 14e4 command on the terminal gives: 

02:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Broadcom Corporation BCM4331 802.11a/b/g/n [14e4:4331] (rev 02)

I am worried that I may have deleted some important package while trying to fix wifi. Please help I am very new to Ubuntu.

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  • Will mark as duplicate but tanaka please let us know if your case which is 14e4:4331 rev 02 has an answered by installing the linux-firmware-nonfree. This is important to figure which versions of broadcom hardware are fixed with which driver.
    – Luis Alvarado
    Jul 24, 2014 at 18:13

1 Answer 1

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Please be certain that you have a working internet connection and then try:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install linux-firmware-nonfree
sudo apt-get purge bcmwl-kernel-source

If the latter package is not installed, that's fine. Reboot and let us have your report.

Do you have a wireless interface, ideally wlan0?

iwconfig

Are there any clues in the log?

dmesg | grep b43

Is the wireless switch on?

rfkill list all

Do you have a file blacklist-bcm43.conf? 

ls /etc/modprobe.d

If so, remove it:

sudo rm /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-bcm43.conf

Reboot and show us again:

dmesg | grep b43

The file /lib/firmware/b43/ucode29_mimo.fw is included in linux-firmware-nonfree according to: http://packages.ubuntu.com/precise/all/linux-firmware-nonfree/filelist Let's try to reinstall it and see if it helps:

sudo apt-get install --reinstall linux-firmware-nonfree

Reboot and check:

dmesg | grep b43

If not successful, try:

sudo apt-get purge linux-firmware-nonfree
wget http://mirrors.kernel.org/ubuntu/pool/multiverse/l/linux-firmware-nonfree/linux-firmware-nonfree_1.11_all.deb
sudo dpkg -i linux*.deb

Please tell me any errors or warnings.

To get the module to load automatically on boot:

gksudo gedit /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf

If there is any reference to blacklisting b43 or ssb or bcma, remove them. Proofread, save and close. Next:

sudo -i
echo b43  >>  /etc/modules
exit

You should be all set.

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  • Everytime I reboot my wifi doesn't work until I give sudo modprobe b43. Do you have any idea how I can make it permanent?
    – tanaka293617
    Jun 15, 2014 at 4:01
  • Please see my edit.
    – chili555
    Jun 15, 2014 at 12:27

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