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I'm new to Ubuntu and Linux in general and I'm not sure how to go about setting up my wifi. It doesn't detect any networks.

I'm using a late-2013 13.3" macbookpro with retina display, so it doesn't come with an ethernet port. I used this installation guide to dual boot Mac OSx and Ubuntu 14.04.

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/MacBookPro11-1/Saucy

I have a second computer that runs windows 7 that I'm using to research this and I want to avoid purchasing an ethernet adapter if possible.

I also did not install/download any of the updates as a result.

Lucio
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user272776
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4 Answers4

31

Please run:

lspci -nn | grep 0280

The pipe symbol | is on the right side of my US keyboard on the same key with '\'. Is this your device? 

Broadcom Corporation BCM4360 802.11ac Wireless Network Adapter [14e4:43a0] (rev 03)

If so, then bcmwl-kernel-source is correct for your device. If you still have the install DVD or USB, then you can find it and its prerequisite there. Navigate to pool > restricted > b > bcmwl and drag and drop the deb file to your desktop. Now navigate to pool > main > d > dkms and drag and drop dkms to your desktop. Now install both with:

cd ~/Desktop
sudo dpkg -i *.deb

Load the driver:

sudo modprobe wl

Your wireless should now be working.

If your device is not 14e4:43a0, tell us what it actually is and we'll proceed.

chili555
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Possible Solution Copied from Installing Broadcom Wireless Drivers

  • Uninstall the bcmwl-kernel-source package by issuing the following command on a terminal:

    sudo apt-get remove bcmwl-kernel-source

  • make sure that the firmware-b43-installer and the b43-fwcutter packages are installed (of course you will need internet by others means):

    sudo apt-get install firmware-b43-installer b43-fwcutter

  • type into terminal: 

    cat /etc/modprobe.d/* | egrep 'bcm'

    (you may want to copy this) and see if the term 'blacklist bcm43xx' is there

  • if it is, type cd /etc/modprobe.d/ and then sudo gedit blacklist.conf

    put a # in front of the line: blacklist bcm43xx

    then save the file (I was getting error messages in the terminal about not being able to save, but it actually did save properly).

  • reboot

After I did the above the wireless had to be unblocked by rfkill: How to unblock something listed in rfkill?

Community
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Back.Slash
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Please make sure you buy a ETHERNET adapter to connect your mac to the internet. Then do the fallow steps bellow to make the WI-FI work...

After spending the entire weekend on trying to get the wifi to work on my mac-book air, I finally installed and got the WI-fi working by just typing on the terminal sudo apt-get install bcmwl-kernel-source and after type sudo modprobe wl to load the file.... Hope that works for you...

Jose CC
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I have a similar problem, namely the wifi running under Ubuntu 14.04 on a 10,2 (early 2013) macbook retina pro, is intermittent and drops connections. This results in vnc being cut off.

I tried the above and found that while I was able to change drivers, the above driver still drops wifi connections. Very irritating and hard to diagnose as the WiFi works perfectly then, for apparently no reason, loses its connection with no indicator on the front panel. After a few minutes, the connection recovers - or one can make it recover by shutting down and restarting the wireless.

I've filed a bug report with Launchpad.

The frustrating thing about all this is that under Ubuntu 13.04, the wireless worked flawlessly. Unfortunately, the problem appeared at Ubuntu 13.10 and I was forced to move away from 13.04 due to Heartbleed not being fixed on 13.04 and I use an openssl secured VPN with my machines.

Is this a driver issue or a kernel-driver interaction issue? If it's just the driver, I'd really like for them to go back to the 13.04 driver on 14.04 until they fix the new driver. Thanks, Phil

montanaviking
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