broadcom-sta-dkms 6.30.223.248-3: broadcom-sta kernel module failed to build error: incompatible type for argument 3 of ‘cfg80211_inform_bss’]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=192287&p=5

Hi,

I encountered the same dkms build issue reported in this LP bug.

The following patch fixes the issue described in the bug: https://github.com/longsleep/bcmwl-ubuntu/blob/master/debian/patches/0015-add-support-for-Linux-3.18.patch

However, you also have the option of NOT using the broadcom-sta-dkms package and instead use the bcmwl-kernel-source package.

That package already has the patches to make the "same" broadcom driver work with linux kernels up to 4.x. The patches are available here: https://github.com/longsleep/bcmwl-ubuntu/tree/master/debian/patches

Output showing successfull installation of WL driver using the bcmwl-kernel-source package:

--snip--
Selecting previously unselected package bcmwl-kernel-source.
(Reading database ... 115466 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../bcmwl-kernel-source_6.30.223.248+bdcom-0ubuntu2_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking bcmwl-kernel-source (6.30.223.248+bdcom-0ubuntu2) ...
Setting up bcmwl-kernel-source (6.30.223.248+bdcom-0ubuntu2) ...
Loading new bcmwl-6.30.223.248+bdcom DKMS files...
First Installation: checking all kernels...
Building only for 3.19.0-11-generic
Building for architecture x86_64
Building initial module for 3.19.0-11-generic
Done.

wl:
Running module version sanity check.
 - Original module
   - No original module exists within this kernel
 - Installation
   - Installing to /lib/modules/3.19.0-11-generic/updates/dkms/

depmod......

DKMS: install completed.
update-initramfs: deferring update (trigger activated)
Processing triggers for initramfs-tools (0.103ubuntu13) ...
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-3.19.0-11-generic
--snip--

uname -a : Linux kdevm 3.19.0-11-generic #11-Ubuntu SMP Tue Mar 31 22:17:56 UTC 2015 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

cat /etc/os-release:

NAME="Ubuntu"
VERSION="15.04 (Vivid Vervet)"
ID=ubuntu
ID_LIKE=debian
PRETTY_NAME="Ubuntu Vivid Vervet (development branch)"
VERSION_ID="15.04"
HOME_URL="http://www.ubuntu.com/"
SUPPORT_URL="http://help.ubuntu.com/"
BUG_REPORT_URL="http://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/"

Hope this helps.

Regards,
Jinesh

I downloaded ububtu15.04 for my HP Envy 17 but failed to activate the wireless adapter after installation. I downloaded src files from broadcom website and got the same issue, but I fixed it now; Please kindly use the following solution:

1.#if LINUX_VERSION_CODE >= KERNEL_VERSION(3,19,0)
                        cfg80211_ibss_joined(ndev, (u8 *)&wl->bssid, &wl->conf->channel, GFP_KERNEL);
#else
                        cfg80211_ibss_joined(ndev, (u8 *)&wl->bssid, GFP_KERNEL);
#endif

2. Remove __DATE__, __TIME__ from source file
3. Add CFG80211_BSS_FTYPE_UNKNOWN to cfg80211_inform_bbs

compile, insert module, done.

Have fun:)

I just did
```
$ sudo apt install broadcom-sta-dkms
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
The following package was automatically installed and is no longer required:
  libportaudio0
Use 'apt-get autoremove' to remove it.
The following extra packages will be installed:
  dkms
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  broadcom-sta-dkms dkms
0 upgraded, 2 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 2,238 kB of archives.
After this operation, 14.8 MB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n]
Get:1 http://ubuntu.mirror.tudos.de/ubuntu/ vivid/main dkms all 2.2.0.3-2ubuntu3 [65.5 kB]
Get:2 http://ubuntu.mirror.tudos.de/ubuntu/ vivid/multiverse broadcom-sta-dkms all 6.30.223.248-3 [2,172 kB]
Fetched 2,238 kB in 1s (1,271 kB/s)
Selecting previously unselected package dkms.
(Reading database ... 303649 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../dkms_2.2.0.3-2ubuntu3_all.deb ...
Unpacking dkms (2.2.0.3-2ubuntu3) ...
Selecting previously unselected package broadcom-sta-dkms.
Preparing to unpack .../broadcom-sta-dkms_6.30.223.248-3_all.deb ...
Unpacking broadcom-sta-dkms (6.30.223.248-3) ...
Processing triggers for man-db (2.7.0.2-5) ...
Setting up dkms (2.2.0.3-2ubuntu3) ...
Setting up broadcom-sta-dkms (6.30.223.248-3) ...
Loading new broadcom-sta-6.30.223.248 DKMS files...
First Installation: checking all kernels...
Building only for 3.19.0-21-generic
Building initial module for 3.19.0-21-generic
Error! Bad return status for module build on kernel: 3.19.0-21-generic (x86_64)
Consult /var/lib/dkms/broadcom-sta/6.30.223.248/build/make.log for more information.
```
The error is
```
/var/lib/dkms/broadcom-sta/6.30.223.248/build/src/wl/sys/wl_cfg80211_hybrid.c:2013:9: error: too few arguments to function ‘cfg80211_inform_bss’
  cbss = cfg80211_inform_bss(wiphy, channel, (const u8 *)(bi->BSSID.octet),
```

As per comment #4, the installation of the package bcmwl-kernel-source solves the problem and it seems to carry the very same version of the driver, thus no need for broadcom-sta.

My question is why broadcom-sta (still) exists (at all) in the first place?

Also when I do "apt-cache search BCM4352" (that's the name of my card), then broadcom-sta creeps up, but not bcmwl-kernel-source -- this is very misleading, could anyone please update the description of bcmwl-kernel-source package too?

Little detail, package DID compile on 3.19.0-14-generic. I just upgraded to 3.19.0-23; now I'm here. ;)

This hasn't been updated in so long. Has the issue been fixed?

Oh, I see it's marked as fixed...oops. Sorry.

Please, can't we just remove this STA driver from Ubuntu. IMO, it is not worth the effort and it is pulling resources from other issues/bugs that can actually be fixed. This STA driver has been a problem because Broadcom does not want to work with open source. The resolution of incompatibilities since ubuntu 10.04 (when I became aware of it) have changed and been broken and fixed so many times. If a user must use this hardware, the ndis_wrapper will make the hardware functional, at less than full capacity, but at least it does not break other things. Let's work on more productive issues. Also mark as no longer applicable all references to the STA driver. I have never gotten the STA driver to actually work for more than a couple hours anyway on any release of Ubuntu.

For me, I replaced these on both my laptops with intel cards just to get away from this awful piece of hardware.

$0.02, YMMV

internal wireless card of dell inspiron 1420 not working with ubuntu.