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I have Windows installed on my Acer Laptop and recently installed Ubuntu (using their installer for Windows) so there are now 2 OS's installed. Ubuntu was unable to connect to the Wifi, so I can only get internet on it when plugged in.

The Laptop is an Acer Extensa 4420, and the network adapter is Broadcom 802.11g. Windows lists its drivers as BCMWL6.SYS and also 3 drivers called bcmihvsrv.dll or something similar.

How do I get wifi enabled on it?

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  • didn't ubuntu offered you a privateive driver upon installation?
    – Uri Herrera
    Jun 3, 2011 at 18:33
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    askubuntu.com/questions/33855/… <--- though no the same chip it may be your answer
    – Uri Herrera
    Jun 3, 2011 at 18:33
  • OK, I'll try that and see if it works
    – Ari
    Jun 5, 2011 at 4:11
  • Which Ubuntu version? Is this a WUBI install, so boot Windows first?
    – david6
    Dec 2, 2011 at 20:07
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    What is the output from: sudo lshw -C network and/or iwconfig?
    – david6
    Dec 2, 2011 at 20:35

3 Answers 3

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If you have Ubuntu 11.04, then it comes with the open-source wireless drivers for the Broadcom card. There is a caveat with some of the Broadcom wireless cards that many not work well. In this case, the driver will be loaded but not work. And if you try to install ndiswrapper on top of this, there will be a driver mess.

For previous versions of Ubuntu, it's OK to use ndiswrapper with the closed-source driver, as it is the only option (no open-source driver possible).

So, which version of Ubuntu do you use?

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  • I had Ubuntu 10 but I updated it to 11 a few days ago, and it still didn't work.
    – Ari
    Jun 3, 2011 at 21:48
  • Sorry, but my broadcom still needs the proprietary driver. Therefore, the questions raised as above is, when connected to the internet via cable, can you download the broadcom driver via additional driver?
    – dago
    Jun 3, 2011 at 22:03
  • I gave you a good general answer. Why did you downvote me?
    – user4124
    Jun 3, 2011 at 22:51
  • Sorry if I downgraded you wrongly. Can you give me the name of the opensource broadcom driver? In my repository I can only find two drivers (FW Cutter and B43) and both are proprietary. I always use b43.
    – dago
    Jun 4, 2011 at 11:47
  • Again sorry the second driver is not b43 but broadcom sta
    – dago
    Jun 4, 2011 at 11:54
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  1. Ubuntu has an excellent step-by-step wifi trouble shooting guide.Follow it carefully. This worked for me on several machines when it has been a driver issue. https://help.ubuntu.com/11.04/ubuntu-help/net-wireless-troubleshooting.html

  2. On my netbook though it was not a driver issue. For reasons I can not understand network manager does not work on some machines including my netbook. In this case I install another manager called WICD. Using your wired connection download WICD from the software centre. Go to system settings and set WICD to run on startup. Uninstall network manager (this is really important). Now restart. Use WICD to connect to the wifi

I recommend you attempt my suggestions in the order provided. Good luck

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This may help:

hp pavilion g6 1250 with a BCM 4313 doesn't see any wireless networks

NOTE: The answer given resolves the issue specific for Broadcom BCM4313 802.11b/g/n, which needs the Ubuntu 11.10 default driver blacklisted (for it to work).

( You have not yet provided enough detail on WiFi chip being used. )

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