Fedora Linux Broadcom b43 BCM43228 Wireless Driver Installation

Tutorial details Difficulty Intermediate (rss) Root privileges Yes Requirements rpmfusion repo Time 10m

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Fedora Linux Broadcom b43 BCM43228 wl Wireless Driver

I am using Dell / Lenovo laptop with Broadcom’s IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n based wireless card. How can I install Broadcom-wl STA BCM4322 Wireless driver on a Fedora Linux version 30/31? How can I install kmod-wl and BMC firmware on Fedora Linux?Broadcom’s IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n driver can be installed on any Linux disruption including Fedora Linux version 20. This page explains how to enable and install Broadcom b43 driver under a Fedora Linux v29/30/31. The driver (broadcom-wl and kmod-wl) works with the following Wireless chipsets only:

Steps to install Broadcom b43 are as follows for Dell/HP/Lenovo Thinkpads:

Open the terminal application Find your wifi chipset on Fedora Linux Enable rpmfusion repo using the dnf command Install b43 driver firmware by typing sudo dnf install kmod-wl Reboot the Fedora laptop to enable Broadcom b43 BCM43228 driver Connect to Wifi AP

Let us see all commands and steps in details.

The error message

When you run the dmesg command along with grep command:

dmesg

dmesg | grep -i b43

Sample outputs:

[ 58.738021 ] Broadcom 43xx driver loaded [ Features: PNLS ] [ 58.738159 ] b43 bcma0: 1 : Direct firmware load for b43/ucode30_mimo.fw failed with error - 2 [ 58.738213 ] b43 bcma0: 1 : Direct firmware load for b43/ucode30_mimo.fw failed with error - 2 [ 58.738560 ] b43 bcma0: 1 : Direct firmware load for b43-open/ucode30_mimo.fw failed with error - 2 [ 58.738608 ] b43 bcma0: 1 : Direct firmware load for b43-open/ucode30_mimo.fw failed with error - 2 [ 58.738612 ] b43-phy0 ERROR: Firmware file "b43/ucode30_mimo.fw" not found [ 58.738614 ] b43-phy0 ERROR: Firmware file "b43-open/ucode30_mimo.fw" not found [ 58.738616 ] b43-phy0 ERROR: You must go to http://wireless.kernel.org/en/users/Drivers/b43#devicefirmware and download the correct firmware for this driver version. Please carefully read all instructions on this website. [ 58.738021] Broadcom 43xx driver loaded [ Features: PNLS ] [ 58.738159] b43 bcma0:1: Direct firmware load for b43/ucode30_mimo.fw failed with error -2 [ 58.738213] b43 bcma0:1: Direct firmware load for b43/ucode30_mimo.fw failed with error -2 [ 58.738560] b43 bcma0:1: Direct firmware load for b43-open/ucode30_mimo.fw failed with error -2 [ 58.738608] b43 bcma0:1: Direct firmware load for b43-open/ucode30_mimo.fw failed with error -2 [ 58.738612] b43-phy0 ERROR: Firmware file "b43/ucode30_mimo.fw" not found [ 58.738614] b43-phy0 ERROR: Firmware file "b43-open/ucode30_mimo.fw" not found [ 58.738616] b43-phy0 ERROR: You must go to http://wireless.kernel.org/en/users/Drivers/b43#devicefirmware and download the correct firmware for this driver version. Please carefully read all instructions on this website.

You need to install b43/ucode30_mimo firmware for Fedora Linux 30 to activate your wifi card.

Finding out your chipset / wireless card name on a Fedora Linux

Open the terminal app and type the following lspci command:

$ lspci

$ lspci | grep -i broadcom

Sample outputs:



How do I use Broadcom wireless cards in Fedora version 28/29/30/31?

Fedora Linux provides a version of this driver via rpmfusion repo. All you need to do is configure rpmfusion repo and install the driver.

Step 1. Enable rpmfusion repo

Open the Terminal app and type the following command:

$ sudo dnf install https://download1.rpmfusion.org/free/fedora/rpmfusion-free-release-$(rpm -E %fedora).noarch.rpm https://download1.rpmfusion.org/nonfree/fedora/rpmfusion-nonfree-release-$(rpm -E %fedora).noarch.rpm





Step 2. Install Broadcom Wireless b43 Driver firmware on Fedora Linux

Type the following dnf command:

$ sudo dnf search kmod-wl

$ sudo dnf info kmod-wl

## *** update the system *** ##

$ sudo yum update

## *** if a new kernel was installed reboot the system *** ##

$ sudo reboot

## *** Install kmod-wl *** ##

$ sudo dnf install kmod-wl

Sample outputs:

Last metadata expiration check: 0:02:58 ago on Monday 21 October 2019 04:17:08 PM IST. Dependencies resolved. ================================================================================================================================================ Package Architecture Version Repository Size ================================================================================================================================================ Installing: kmod-wl x86_64 6.30.223.271-30.fc30 rpmfusion-nonfree-updates 10 k Installing dependencies: akmods noarch 0.5.6-20.fc30 updates 23 k annobin x86_64 8.71-3.fc30 updates 107 k elfutils-libelf-devel x86_64 0.177-1.fc30 updates 23 k fakeroot x86_64 1.24-2.fc30 updates 91 k fakeroot-libs x86_64 1.24-2.fc30 updates 34 k kernel-devel x86_64 5.3.6-200.fc30 updates 13 M kmodtool noarch 1-34.fc30 updates 13 k nim-srpm-macros noarch 2-1.fc30 updates 8.2 k patch x86_64 2.7.6-11.fc30 updates 126 k qt5-srpm-macros noarch 5.12.5-1.fc30 updates 8.9 k redhat-rpm-config noarch 130-1.fc30 updates 63 k rpm-build x86_64 4.14.2.1-5.fc30 updates 106 k rust-srpm-macros noarch 10-1.fc30 updates 9.5 k zlib-devel x86_64 1.2.11-18.fc30 updates 46 k zstd x86_64 1.4.2-1.fc30 updates 371 k dwz x86_64 0.12-10.fc30 fedora 102 k efi-srpm-macros noarch 4-2.fc30 fedora 23 k fpc-srpm-macros noarch 1.2-1.fc30 fedora 7.5 k ghc-srpm-macros noarch 1.4.2-9.fc30 fedora 7.6 k gnat-srpm-macros noarch 4-9.fc30 fedora 8.5 k go-srpm-macros noarch 2-19.fc30 fedora 11 k ocaml-srpm-macros noarch 5-5.fc30 fedora 7.7 k openblas-srpm-macros noarch 2-5.fc30 fedora 7.3 k perl-srpm-macros noarch 1-29.fc30 fedora 8.2 k python-srpm-macros noarch 3-42.fc30 fedora 11 k rpmdevtools noarch 8.10-8.fc30 fedora 91 k xemacs-filesystem noarch 21.5.34-33.20190323hgc0ed7ef9a5a1.fc30 fedora 10 k akmod-wl x86_64 6.30.223.271-30.fc30 rpmfusion-nonfree-updates 5.5 M broadcom-wl noarch 6.30.223.271-13.fc30 rpmfusion-nonfree-updates 25 k Transaction Summary ================================================================================================================================================ Install 30 Packages Total download size: 20 M Installed size: 63 M Is this ok [y/N]: y

Step 3. Reboot the system

Type the following reboot command to reboot the Linux based system:

$ sudo reboot

Step 4. Verify and connect to the Wireless network

Type the following command to verify that wireless interface for Broadcom b43 is up and running using ip command:

$ ifconfig

$ ip a s

$ iwconfig

$ sudo lshw -C network -short

$ nmcli -f GENERAL,WIFI-PROPERTIES dev show wlp1s0



Step 5. How to connect to Wi-Fi network

Now that fimrware installed and wifi card activated, we can connect to our wireless network using Network Manager (top right side) > Select Wi-Fi > Select Network > Select a network > Connect > Enter password for wireless network:



Conclusion

You learned how to install Broadcom’s proprietary drivers and firmware (bc43) under Fedora 28/29/30/31 using the command line. If possible, always get an Intel-based wifi card for Linux laptop.

Linux b43 and b43legacy are fimrware and drivers for the 802.11b/g/n family of wireless chips from Broadcom.