Problem with Broadcom BCM 43142 WiFi

[Robin2]

My new HP15 has the Broadcom BCM 43142 Wifi module and I got it working with Tahrpup 6.0,.5 and the driver in the broadcom_sta-6.30.223.271_k3.14.56-pae.pet downloaded from http://distro.ibiblio.org/puppylinux/pet_packages-tahr/

Recently I have been trying to have the same Puppy setup on an older Compaq CQ10 notebook and I noticed that the internet (WiFi) connection works much better on it. Then I deleted the Broadcom driver and tried an old Belkin WiFi dongle on the HP15 and found that it works as well as the CQ10.

The problem is that it can take a long time to connect to a web page and sometimes it seems to get part way through the process but never gets far enough for Firefox to display anything. Other times it loads most of a web page but never finally completes it.

Is anyone aware of problems with the BCM 43142 or the driver for it? And, even better, a fix for it. I am reluctant to "waste" a USB connection with a WiFi dongle.

My PC's connect to the internet via a portable Wifi hotspot on my 4G phone. I had been cursing Three for the poor performance - but it seems it is not their fault.

Thanks.

...R

[april]

I see no-one has jumped in here as yet so maybe my activity might prompt an answer for you .

I have had trouble with USB plug in wifi modems in particular the realtek models and found when run in Puppy the linux drivers sometimes connect sometimes don't sometimes are stable but mostly are not .

The problem is that it can take a long time to connect to a web page and sometimes it seems to get part way through the process but never gets far enough for Firefox to display anything. Other times it loads most of a web page but never finally completes it.

This is exactly the type of behaviour I got too. Little difference between a card and a USB wifi if they are not stable.


The answer in my case was to get a driver for the device re-compiled for the kernel version I was using it in . It then ran as expected without the hangups.

[Robin2]

The answer in my case was to get a driver for the device compiled with the kernel version I was using it in . It then ran as expected without the hangups.

Thanks.

I believe I have the correct driver.

I am having no problem with the USB-stick Belkin Wifi device. I had problems with the onboard Broadcom WiFi device.

Maybe I should just bin the internal Broadcom device and get a Realtek one. However I can think of better things to do with the price of a Realtek device.

...R

[april]

OK perhaps you misunderstand me .
I had the correct driver for my device too !
That is the point .Irrespective of being an add in board or a USB device ,sometimes the correct driver does not work with the kernel you are using and needs to be recompiled for that kernel .
That was the advice I was trying to impart to you.

Edit -broadcom stuff
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 690#876690
http://www.smokey01.com/peebee/broadcom ... e_s630.pet

Apparently, after reading on the Linux Mint forum, the BCM4313 cards are a PITA for linux, so I'll dump it and use something else. A lot of brainpower has been wasted trying to get them working well, partic into public wifi, for no good result.

[Robin2]

OK perhaps you misunderstand me .
sometimes the correct driver does not work with the kernel you are using and needs to be recompiled for that kernel .

Thank you again.

I listed the driver I am using in my Original Post. My understanding is that it is correct for the WiFi device and for the kernel in tahrpup 6.0.5

The reason I listed it was to provide an opportunity for someone to tell me I should be using a different one (and which one).

...R