Ubuntu 13.10 Fresh Install on Laptop: no Network Connectivity - bcmwl WLAN Driver not Installed

Bug #1296030 reported by Heiko Selber
6
This bug affects 1 person
Affects Status Importance Assigned to Milestone
linux (Ubuntu)
Confirmed
Medium
Unassigned

Bug Description

Release: Ubuntu 13.10
Installation Media: Desktop CD image from a USB stick with pendrivelinux
Hardware: Dell Inspiron 3721 with a Broadcom BCM43142A0 WLAN device.

[EXPECTED]
I would have expected that the live system and the installed system both have automatic network connectivity via WLAN.

[ACTUAL]
1st problem: The live system didn't have WLAN network connectivity.

I was able to activate it simply by installing "bcmwl-kernel-source" (after a lot of try and error):

 sudo apt-get install bcmwl-kernel-source

(2nd problem: This is rather counter-intuitive. Why do I have to install sources when I need a driver binary?)

3rd problem: When I booted into the installed system, network was down again.

Here the fix was more complicated, surely too complicated for a non-technical person:

[MY APPROACH]
 sudo dpkg -i /media/hok/UUI/pool/main/d/dkms/dkms_2.2.0.3-1.1ubuntu4_all.deb

 sudo dpkg -i /media/hok/UUI/pool/restricted/b/bcmwl/bcmwl-kernel-source_6.30.223.141+bdcom-0ubuntu1_amd64.deb

[Proposed solution]
These problems would be solved if the Ubuntu installer installed the driver by default, or after detecting an appropriate device.
---
ApportVersion: 2.12.5-0ubuntu2.2
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: hok 1983 F.... pulseaudio
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 13.10
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=689334b7-fe4f-48d1-9ce0-4527681c6fea
InstallationDate: Installed on 2014-03-02 (20 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 13.10 "Saucy Salamander" - Release amd64 (20131016.1)
MachineType: Dell Inc. Inspiron 3721
MarkForUpload: True
NonfreeKernelModules: wl
Package: linux (not installed)
ProcFB:
 0 inteldrmfb
 1 radeondrmfb
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.11.0-18-generic root=UUID=44c23f47-f2fc-4cc0-9a80-f58d5fa55a2d ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.11.0-18.32-generic 3.11.10.4
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-3.11.0-18-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-3.11.0-18-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.116.2
StagingDrivers: rts5139
Tags: saucy staging
Uname: Linux 3.11.0-18-generic x86_64
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
UserGroups: adm cdrom dip lpadmin plugdev sambashare sudo
dmi.bios.date: 10/25/2013
dmi.bios.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.bios.version: A12
dmi.board.name: 0N7THG
dmi.board.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.board.version: A00
dmi.chassis.type: 8
dmi.chassis.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.chassis.version: A12
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnDellInc.:bvrA12:bd10/25/2013:svnDellInc.:pnInspiron3721:pvrA12:rvnDellInc.:rn0N7THG:rvrA00:cvnDellInc.:ct8:cvrA12:
dmi.product.name: Inspiron 3721
dmi.product.version: A12
dmi.sys.vendor: Dell Inc.

Revision history for this message
Ubuntu Foundations Team Bug Bot (crichton) wrote :

Thank you for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. It seems that your bug report is not filed about a specific source package though, rather it is just filed against Ubuntu in general. It is important that bug reports be filed about source packages so that people interested in the package can find the bugs about it. You can find some hints about determining what package your bug might be about at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Bugs/FindRightPackage. You might also ask for help in the #ubuntu-bugs irc channel on Freenode.

To change the source package that this bug is filed about visit https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+bug/1296030/+editstatus and add the package name in the text box next to the word Package.

[This is an automated message. I apologize if it reached you inappropriately; please just reply to this message indicating so.]

tags: added: bot-comment
John Kim (kotux)
tags: added: saucy
tags: added: hw-specific
description: updated
affects: ubuntu → linux (Ubuntu)
tags: added: needs-reassignment
Revision history for this message
Brad Figg (brad-figg) wrote : Missing required logs.

This bug is missing log files that will aid in diagnosing the problem. From a terminal window please run:

apport-collect 1296030

and then change the status of the bug to 'Confirmed'.

If, due to the nature of the issue you have encountered, you are unable to run this command, please add a comment stating that fact and change the bug status to 'Confirmed'.

This change has been made by an automated script, maintained by the Ubuntu Kernel Team.

Changed in linux (Ubuntu):
status: New → Incomplete
Revision history for this message
Heiko Selber (heiko-selber) wrote : AlsaInfo.txt

apport information

tags: added: apport-collected staging
description: updated
Revision history for this message
Heiko Selber (heiko-selber) wrote : BootDmesg.txt

apport information

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Heiko Selber (heiko-selber) wrote : CRDA.txt

apport information

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Heiko Selber (heiko-selber) wrote : CurrentDmesg.txt

apport information

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Heiko Selber (heiko-selber) wrote : IwConfig.txt

apport information

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Heiko Selber (heiko-selber) wrote : Lspci.txt

apport information

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Heiko Selber (heiko-selber) wrote : Lsusb.txt

apport information

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Heiko Selber (heiko-selber) wrote : ProcCpuinfo.txt

apport information

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Heiko Selber (heiko-selber) wrote : ProcEnviron.txt

apport information

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Heiko Selber (heiko-selber) wrote : ProcInterrupts.txt

apport information

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Heiko Selber (heiko-selber) wrote : ProcModules.txt

apport information

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Heiko Selber (heiko-selber) wrote : PulseList.txt

apport information

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Heiko Selber (heiko-selber) wrote : RfKill.txt

apport information

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Heiko Selber (heiko-selber) wrote : UdevDb.txt

apport information

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Heiko Selber (heiko-selber) wrote : UdevLog.txt

apport information

Revision history for this message
Heiko Selber (heiko-selber) wrote : WifiSyslog.txt

apport information

Changed in linux (Ubuntu):
status: Incomplete → Confirmed
Changed in linux (Ubuntu):
importance: Undecided → Medium
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