Fedora Linux 20: Install Broadcom-wl STA BCM43228 Wireless Driver
I
‘m 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 20?
Broadcom’s IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n driver can be installed on any Linux disruption including Fedora Linux version 20. The driver (broadcom-wl and kmod-wl) works with the following Wireless chipsets only:
BCM4311
BCM4312
BCM4313
BCM4321
BCM4322
BCM43224
BCM43225
BCM43227
BCM43228
Finding out your chipset / wireless card name on a Fedora Linux
Open the Terminal app and type the following shell command:
$ lspci
$ lspci | grep -i broadcom
Sample outputs:
Fig.01: Fedora Linux Find Supported Broadcom Wireless Devices Name/Chipset
How do I use Broadcom wireless cards in Fedora version 19/20?
Fedora Linux provides a version of this driver via rpmfusion repo. All you’ve to do is configure rpmfusion repo and install the driver.
Step #1: Enable rpmfusion repo
Open the Terminal app and type the following command:
# yum localinstall –nogpgcheck \
http://download1.rpmfusion.org/free/fedora/rpmfusion-free-release-$(rpm -E %fedora).noarch.rpm \
yum localinstall –nogpgcheck http://download1.rpmfusion.org/nonfree/fedora/rpmfusion-nonfree-release-$(rpm -E %fedora).noarch.rpm
Sample outputs:
Loaded plugins: langpacks, refresh-packagekit
rpmfusion-free-release-20.noarch.rpm | 15 kB 00:00
Examining /var/tmp/yum-root-Gh9BLR/rpmfusion-free-release-20.noarch.rpm: rpmfusion-free-release-20-1.noarch
Marking /var/tmp/yum-root-Gh9BLR/rpmfusion-free-release-20.noarch.rpm to be installed
Skipping: yum, filename does not end in .rpm.
Skipping: localinstall, filename does not end in .rpm.
rpmfusion-nonfree-release-20.noarch.rpm | 15 kB 00:00
Examining /var/tmp/yum-root-Gh9BLR/rpmfusion-nonfree-release-20.noarch.rpm: rpmfusion-nonfree-release-20-1.noarch
Marking /var/tmp/yum-root-Gh9BLR/rpmfusion-nonfree-release-20.noarch.rpm to be installed
Resolving Dependencies
–> Running transaction check
—> Package rpmfusion-free-release.noarch 0:20-1 will be installed
—> Package rpmfusion-nonfree-release.noarch 0:20-1 will be installed
–> Finished Dependency Resolution
Dependencies Resolved
==============================================================================
Package Arch Version
Repository Size
==============================================================================
Installing:
rpmfusion-free-release
noarch 20-1 /rpmfusion-free-release-20.noarch 9.7 k
rpmfusion-nonfree-release
noarch 20-1 /rpmfusion-nonfree-release-20.noarch 9.9 k
Transaction Summary
==============================================================================
Install 2 Packages
Total size: 20 k
Installed size: 20 k
Is this ok [y/d/N]: y
Downloading packages:
Running transaction check
Running transaction test
Transaction test succeeded
Running transaction
Warning: RPMDB altered outside of yum.
Installing : rpmfusion-free-release-20-1.noarch 1/2
Installing : rpmfusion-nonfree-release-20-1.noarch 2/2
Verifying : rpmfusion-free-release-20-1.noarch 1/2
Verifying : rpmfusion-nonfree-release-20-1.noarch 2/2
Installed:
rpmfusion-free-release.noarch 0:20-1
rpmfusion-nonfree-release.noarch 0:20-1
Complete!
Step #2: Install Broadcom Wireless Drivers on Linux Fedora 20
Type the following yum command:
# yum search kmod-wl
*** COMMENT: update the system *** ##
# yum update
*** COMMENT: if a new kernel was installed reboot the system, before installing kmod-wl using following command i.e. reboot and issue the following command *** ##
# yum install kmod-wl
Sample outputs:
Loaded plugins: langpacks, refresh-packagekit
Resolving Dependencies
–> Running transaction check
—> Package kmod-wl.x86_64 0:6.30.223.141-5.fc20.22 will be installed
–> Processing Dependency: kmod-wl-3.14.4-200.fc20.x86_64 >= 6.30.223.141-5.fc20.22 for package: kmod-wl-6.30.223.141-5.fc20.22.x86_64
–> Running transaction check
—> Package kmod-wl-3.14.4-200.fc20.x86_64.x86_64 0:6.30.223.141-5.fc20.22 will be installed
–> Processing Dependency: wl-kmod-common >= 6.30.223.141 for package: kmod-wl-3.14.4-200.fc20.x86_64-6.30.223.141-5.fc20.22.x86_64
–> Running transaction check
—> Package broadcom-wl.noarch 0:6.30.223.141-2.fc20 will be installed
–> Finished Dependency Resolution
Dependencies Resolved
===========================================================================================
Package Arch Version Repository Size
===========================================================================================
Installing:
kmod-wl x86_64 6.30.223.141-5.fc20.22 rpmfusion-nonfree-updates 14 k
Installing for dependencies:
broadcom-wl noarch 6.30.223.141-2.fc20 rpmfusion-nonfree 19 k
kmod-wl-3.14.4-200.fc20.x86_64
x86_64 6.30.223.141-5.fc20.22 rpmfusion-nonfree-updates 1.1 M
Transaction Summary
===========================================================================================
Install 1 Package (+2 Dependent packages)
Total download size: 1.2 M
Installed size: 5.1 M
Is this ok [y/d/N]: y
Downloading packages:
warning: /var/cache/yum/x86_64/20/rpmfusion-nonfree/packages/broadcom-wl-6.30.223.141-2.fc20.noarch.rpm: Header V3 RSA/SHA256 Signature, key ID b5f29883: NOKEY
Public key for broadcom-wl-6.30.223.141-2.fc20.noarch.rpm is not installed
(1/3): broadcom-wl-6.30.223.141-2.fc20.noarch.rpm | 19 kB 00:00:01
Public key for kmod-wl-6.30.223.141-5.fc20.22.x86_64.rpm is not installed
(2/3): kmod-wl-6.30.223.141-5.fc20.22.x86_64.rpm | 14 kB 00:00:01
(3/3): kmod-wl-3.14.4-200.fc20.x86_64-6.30.223.141-5.fc20.22.x86_64 | 1.1 MB 00:00:04
Total 250 kB/s | 1.2 MB 00:00:04
Retrieving key from file:///etc/pki/rpm-gpg/RPM-GPG-KEY-rpmfusion-nonfree-fedora-20
Importing GPG key 0xB5F29883:
Userid : RPM Fusion nonfree repository for Fedora (20) <rpmfusion-buildsys@lists.rpmfusion.org>
Fingerprint: a84d cf58 46cb 10b6 5c47 6c35 63c0 de8c b5f2 9883
Package : rpmfusion-nonfree-release-20-1.noarch (@/rpmfusion-nonfree-release-20.noarch)
From : /etc/pki/rpm-gpg/RPM-GPG-KEY-rpmfusion-nonfree-fedora-20
Is this ok [y/N]: y
Running transaction check
Running transaction test
Transaction test succeeded
Running transaction
Installing : kmod-wl-3.14.4-200.fc20.x86_64-6.30.223.141-5.fc20.22.x86_64 1/3
Installing : broadcom-wl-6.30.223.141-2.fc20.noarch 2/3
Installing : kmod-wl-6.30.223.141-5.fc20.22.x86_64 3/3
Verifying : broadcom-wl-6.30.223.141-2.fc20.noarch 1/3
Verifying : kmod-wl-3.14.4-200.fc20.x86_64-6.30.223.141-5.fc20.22.x86_64 2/3
Verifying : kmod-wl-6.30.223.141-5.fc20.22.x86_64 3/3
Installed:
kmod-wl.x86_64 0:6.30.223.141-5.fc20.22
Dependency Installed:
broadcom-wl.noarch 0:6.30.223.141-2.fc20
kmod-wl-3.14.4-200.fc20.x86_64.x86_64 0:6.30.223.141-5.fc20.22
Complete!
Step #3: Reboot the system
Type the following reboot command to reboot the Linux based system:
# reboot
Step #4: Verify and connect to the Wireless network
Type the following command to verify that wireless interface is up and running:
$ ifconfig
$ iwconfig
Sample outputs:
wlp1s0 IEEE 802.11abg ESSID:off/any
Mode:Managed Access Point: Not-Associated Tx-Power=200 dBm
Retry short limit:7 RTS thr:off Fragment thr:off
Encryption key:off
Power Management:off
lo no wireless extensions.
p1p1 no wireless extensions.
You can now connect to your wireless network using Network Manager (top right side) > Select Wi-Fi > Select Network > Select a network > Connect > Enter password for wireless network:
Fig.02: Fedora Linux Wireless Connection
References
Brodcom 802.11 Linux STA driver source code.
b43 and b43legacy are drivers for the 802.11b/g/n family of wireless chips that Broadcom produces.
