[Grml] ndiswrapper solved

[Martin Yazdzik]

trying to keep this in a thread somehow -


okay - 

eth1      IEEE 802.11b/g  ESSID:off/any  Nickname:"Broadcom 4306"
          Mode:Managed  Access Point: Invalid   Bit Rate=1 Mb/s   
          RTS thr:off   Fragment thr:off
          Encryption key:off
          Link Quality:0  Signal level:0  Noise level:0
          Rx invalid nwid:0  Rx invalid crypt:0  Rx invalid frag:0
          Tx excessive retries:0  Invalid misc:0   Missed beacon:0

note 4306 instead of 4309(correct card, per lspci in grml 8, as well as 
factually correct card)

I cannot copy the ifup results to file, but they end up with "network down" 
meaning, I strongly suspect, some firmware somewhere is not loading.

Now, if we go back to the original grml or knoppix,  or even libranet, the gui 
install of ndiswrapper using the bcmwl5.inf always states that the inf files 
are not correct, but the cli works. 

Since modprobe bcm43xx should at least light the wifi light, which it does 
not, I am strongly thinking that there must be somefirmware loading that I am 
missing, and the best google came up with was(besides being in Czech)


1 - instalací balíku bcm43xx-fwcutter a spuštěním scriptu 
v /usr/share/bcm43xx-fwcutter/install-bcm43xx_firmware.sh
2 - instalací balíku bcm43xx-fwcutter a rozbalením souboru např.  bcmwl5.sys 
(získáme z instalace Windows) např. sudo bcm43xx-fwcutter -w /lib/firmware 
bcmwl5.sys
3 - instalací balíku 
http://ubuntu.cafuego.net/pool/bcm43xx/bcm43xx-firmware_1.1-0ubuntu1_all.deb

I shall try this anon, but there must be an easier way between this and 
ndiswrapper, although, ndiswrapper works perfectly.


Since linux based OS in general are known for laconic, unclear or simply 
inbred documentation,  and GRML is known for clear, precise, and accurate, 
I'll try to keep on this and do my best to get the driver working, but any 
help in this would be appreciated.

Obviously, I cannot install things unless I have a connexion, so I am not sure 
what kind of instructions for someone without a connexion beginning 
with "install blah blah" are meant to accomplish.

This is the biggest grips with debian d-i, by the way.  

(It is no different with the prism drivers, by the way, it is just that I 
always kept a copy on the firmware on a floppy in the days when computers had 
floppy drives.  Now, I think I have one pc left with a floppy drive, and 
using a cat cable would require drilling a hole in the wall...  welcome to 
NY!)

So, off to try this, but, really, there must be an easier way.


best,
M










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