Wifi BCM43142 unresponsive on Lenovo B490

[Wilman131]

hi guys,
I am facing a problem that is hard I looked on google: ((
my problem:
yesterday I did a dual boot windows 7 and Debian 7.8. I download the debian live cd image.iso.torrent. and install it on my laptop lenovo b490. during installation, I skipped the network settings (because I do not have wired connection) and it said I lost a firmware or something i don't know, and of course I miss a network mirror. and finishes. after I logged in, the wifi does not exist. This may be because a live cd? I tried to install wifi by downloading the package from the computer school, and I install BCM43142 manually by 'dpkg'. and finally I can turn my wifi. but, when I try to connect to one of the existing wifi at home, my laptop wifi unresponsive / slow when I'm browsing in iceweasel. how do I get my wifi working well? so that I could complete my Debian package by update it via wifi in my house?
So, please solve my problem is, my friend! : ((( very thanks to you before. i'm very sad..
i'm very love Debian

[Head_on_a_Stick]

That device is problematic under Debian:
http://forums.debian.net/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=119724

If you try a live Ubuntu distribution, is the connection any better?

You may be forced to use the Shuttlecock distribution...

I install BCM43142 manually by 'dpkg'

Exactly which package(s) did you download & install?

[GarryRicketson]

This worked for me, but my computer is HP,
I got it here: but it is in spanish, so below I have translated it, http://amgdlinux.blogspot.mx/2013/07/de ... adcom.html

Code: Select all

Step 01:

Add the following lines to the end of the file /etc/apt/sources.list

Lines to add:

# Debian 7.0 "Wheezy"
deb http://http.debian.net/debian/ wheezy main contrib non-free

Step 02:

Upgrade package list and install packages your card with the following command:

apt-get update && apt-get install firmware-brcm80211 

Step 03:

Recharge your driver and restart it with the command:
# Modprobe -r brcmsmac; modprobe brcmsmac

Note: When I installed debian it had said, (BRCM / b43-0.fw) was what I needed, but when I tried to get that, it said it is unavailabe, so I used this, (above),
Did you do the step 3, after you installed it ? that is important.

Code: Select all

Modprobe -r brcmsmac; modprobe brcmsmac

-------------------
Edited : you probably should try to get the one recommended for your machine first IE:

Code: Select all

apt-get update && apt-get install firmware-BCM43142

[RU55EL]

Making BCM43142 Wireless Chipset Work on Debian

Debian Wiki (Wifi)

[Wilman131]

This worked for me, but my computer is HP,
I got it here: but it is in spanish, so below I have translated it, http://amgdlinux.blogspot.mx/2013/07/de ... adcom.html

Code: Select all

Step 01:

Add the following lines to the end of the file /etc/apt/sources.list

Lines to add:

# Debian 7.0 "Wheezy"
deb http://http.debian.net/debian/ wheezy main contrib non-free

Step 02:

Upgrade package list and install packages your card with the following command:

apt-get update && apt-get install firmware-brcm80211 

Step 03:

Recharge your driver and restart it with the command:
# Modprobe -r brcmsmac; modprobe brcmsmac

Note: When I installed debian it had said, (BRCM / b43-0.fw) was what I needed, but when I tried to get that, it said it is unavailabe, so I used this, (above),
Did you do the step 3, after you installed it ? that is important.

Code: Select all

Modprobe -r brcmsmac; modprobe brcmsmac

-------------------
Edited : you probably should try to get the one recommended for your machine first IE:

Code: Select all

apt-get update && apt-get install firmware-BCM43142

my BIG problem is, i don't have wired connection at my home to do "apt-get update". i just have wifi connection at my home (

[GarryRicketson]

I used my "broad ban" USB device, it is kind of expensive, but that is what I had to do, perhaps you know someone that has a modem you could use ?,.. or buy a usb broadband device, they are usefull when traveling, etc. Sometimes there are no "wifi" connections available. In fact , the broadband is what I am using right now, we live in a rural area, and there is no wifi, or wlan connections available, and I am at home, right now. It is where I work during the week I have access to both the wlan and also they have a modem for a wired connection in the office.
You could make a ubuntu partition, and use ubuntu, to down load , it then either burn it to a cd, or use a usb stick, add that to your "sources", and install form the usb stick or cd. Someone else might be able to explain better how to add a cd or usb stick to the source list, I think you can even use the other (ubuntu) partition, too as a "source" it would just need to be mounted. Sorry I can't explain it any better

[v&n]

... finally I can turn my wifi. but, when I try to connect to one of the existing wifi at home, my laptop wifi unresponsive / slow when I'm browsing in iceweasel. how do I get my wifi working well? so that I could complete my Debian package by update it via wifi in my house?

Can you run the following script and post its result (wireless-info.txt) here? : https://dl.dropbox.com/s/qjc87hzk1z5x6z ... ess_script

It gathers information about the wireless setup (filters out all sensitive info) that may be required for optimizing/troubleshooting the wifi connection.

The above script was originally written for Ubuntu and is frequently used at its forums, not sure about caveats, if any, on debian.

Along with the script report, please also post the output of :

Code: Select all

modprobe -c | grep -i '14e4.*4365'

Method to download and run the script in online or offline mode : http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php?p=13024222

If we trust this page, your device is supported only by the proprietary 'wl' driver, neither b43 nor brcmsmac. Perhaps brcmsmac recently added support for it, but I don't remember correctly (plus, I still have zero experience with debian, yet to install it on my lappy).

[rudar]

Boy, how I suffered with this issue! I have Lenovo G500, and my preferred version is Debian Testing. Check some of our common experiences at http://forums.debian.net/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=109498

I wish you good luck! It's true I managed to solve my problem and it works now like a charm, but... it would take me a lot of pain to explain

[GarryRicketson]

------------------------------------------
The best , instructions, and info, also most reliable are here. (as mentioned earlier by RU55EL)
Debian Wiki (Wifi) But it may take some time, studying what is there, there is also even more on this on another debianusers forum,
http://www.debianuserforums.org/viewtop ... f=7&t=3108 How ever these are only in relation to the BCM43142, and another one even more difficult to install,
The wiki covers most , if not all of the different firmware/drivers, and I notice that some have detailed instructions, at first I to was rather "intimidated" by the need to find and install the correct firmware/driver, but now after all , it really is not that hard, no need to "suffer" and spend days and nights floundering around, trying this and that, until with luck, one stumbles onto something that works. I got kind of lucky, and the one I needed was easy to install.
In some cases it might be necessary to contact the support or service people, at the site for that type pf computer, IE: DEL, the Del support site, HP, the HP site, etc. the main thing being to be sure that you are trying to install the correct firmware for your system.
I have been going over the Debian Wiki (Wifi) the last couple of days, and it really is very informative, and covers just about every know types of drivers/firmware.

One last note, no offense intended, but I personally would not trust any "scripts"

Can you run the following script and post its result (wireless-info.txt) here? :

This is mostly because I do not know enough code, bash commands,etc, to be able to understand,and know what the script will actually do, combined with the fact that the person has only posted 2 times, here, or on other words, not knowing the author of the script, etc. Well, it would be foolish , I think, to try that.
EDITED: P.S. Not only enjoyed reading this, https://wiki.debian.org/DontBreakDebian but find it to be accurate, good advice, thanks!

[v&n]

One last note, no offense intended, but I personally would not trust any "scripts"

Can you run the following script and post its result (wireless-info.txt) here? :

This is mostly because I do not know enough code, bash commands,etc, to be able to understand,and know what the script will actually do, combined with the fact that the person has only posted 2 times, here, or on other words, not knowing the author of the script, etc. Well, it would be foolish , I think, to try that.

I don't find that advice offending in any way, in fact I advise the same thing to new comers. But I won't call it foolish either.

If you follow the ubuntu forums link that I posted for detailed instructions, you can see that the person who wrote that post (and controls that script) has a good reputation there. If someone, like you, is interested in further digging to make sure whether the script is trustworthy or not, it should take only about 10 minutes (in the networking section of ubuntuforums) to see how frequently that script is proposed and being used on that forum.

In fact a newer version of that script is proposed in the sticky thread of 'Wireless & Networking' section of ubuntuforums, and is maintained by one of the forum moderators - Wild Man.

Not advocating a dropbox script though, it is still a good practice to NOT run scripts which you can't trust enough. I just hope my explanation above may be able to provide that 'good enough' trust for the script I proposed. It really gives a lot of info, while masking/removing sensitive parts (like passwords, MAC IDs etc.).

I advised Wild Man, the original author and maintainer of the original script (the one I proposed is a forked one) long ago to put it at github where it will be easier to track its changes, thus making it more trustworthy for users and more convenient for contributors/developers. But we both have zero experience with github and we both are really busy to make any big changes. So the dropbox links are all we have at this time.

[GarryRicketson]

If you follow the ubuntu forums link that I posted for detailed instructions, you can see that the person who wrote that post (and controls that script) has a good reputation there. If someone, like you, is interested in further digging to make sure whether the script is trustworthy or not, it should take only about 10 minutes (in the networking section of ubuntuforums) to see how frequently that script is proposed and being used on that forum.

Ok, that is good to know, also the fact that you responded too, if some one tries it , and has problems, they know how to get in touch with the author,....
I may try it on my Debian, and see, if it works, etc.It sounds use full, that it automatically removes or filters out all sensitive info, in the past when I needed to post results , or log info, that can be a tedious task. going through it all and removing any sensitive info, or things that I wouldn't want posted on a public forum.
Essentially, that is how I fixed mine, since the wifi and wlan, worked fine on the xubuntu partition, I looked at that, and saw the firmware/driver that was missing on the debian install, followed the instructions to get and install it, and it worked fine with Debian too.
Thanks for responding.
EDITED:

Can you run the following script and post its result (wireless-info.txt) here? : https://dl.dropbox.com/s/qjc87hzk1z5x6z ... ess_script

I did download and try it, since my system is working fine, wifi/wlan, broadband, all the wireless, I don't see any reason to post the results, but just wanted to confirm it worked fine for Debian, too, and is impressive, much easier then running the various commands one at a time, that's great.

[v&n]

I did download and try it, since my system is working fine, wifi/wlan, broadband, all the wireless, I don't see any reason to post the results, but just wanted to confirm it worked fine for Debian, too, and is impressive, much easier then running the various commands one at a time, that's great.

Thanks to you too, for the confirmation.

Let's hope the OP gets back to us soon.