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LinuxWireless

Linux Broadcom Wireless Issue 5.x kernel

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Broadcom Wireless Issue

Recent update caused wireless to stop working. Seems like PopOS (20.04 flavor and likely other distros) does not have a new enough bcmwl-kernel-source for 5.6 or 5.8 kernels.

LINKS:

NOTE: I tried to install a different kernel to see if that will work but that showed me the issue at least.

root cause

# apt install linux-image-5.8.0-23-generic
...
make -j4 KERNELRELEASE=5.8.0-23-generic -C /lib/modules/5.8.0-23-generic/build M=/var/lib/dkms/bcmwl/6.30.223.271+bdcom/build....(bad exit status: 2)
ERROR (dkms apport): kernel package linux-headers-5.8.0-23-generic is not supported
Error! Bad return status for module build on kernel: 5.8.0-23-generic (x86_64)
Consult /var/lib/dkms/bcmwl/6.30.223.271+bdcom/build/make.log for more information.

hold a kernel that works just for safety

# dpkg -l | grep linux-image-
ii  linux-image-5.4.0-7642-generic                   5.4.0-7642.46~1598628707~20.04~040157c               amd64        Linux kernel image for version 5.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
ii  linux-image-5.8.0-23-generic                     5.8.0-23.24~20.04.1                                  amd64        Signed kernel image generic
ii  linux-image-5.8.0-7625-generic                   5.8.0-7625.26~1603389471~20.04~f6b125f               amd64        Linux kernel image for version 5.8.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
ii  linux-image-generic                              5.8.0.7625.26~1603389471~20.04~f6b125f               amd64        Generic Linux kernel image

# echo linux-image-5.4.0-7642-generic hold | dpkg --set-selections

# dpkg -l | grep linux-image-
hi  linux-image-5.4.0-7642-generic                   5.4.0-7642.46~1598628707~20.04~040157c               amd64        Linux kernel image for version 5.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
ii  linux-image-5.8.0-23-generic                     5.8.0-23.24~20.04.1                                  amd64        Signed kernel image generic
ii  linux-image-5.8.0-7625-generic                   5.8.0-7625.26~1603389471~20.04~f6b125f               amd64        Linux kernel image for version 5.8.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
ii  linux-image-generic                              5.8.0.7625.26~1603389471~20.04~f6b125f               amd64        Generic Linux kernel image

NOTE: set grub with longer timeout, show the boot menu and save last booted item

patches

Looking at the patches it appears we may need 0028? or something for newer than 5.1 kernels?

# ls /usr/src/bcmwl-6.30.223.271+bdcom/patches/
0001-MODULE_LICENSE.patch                  0008-add-support-for-linux-3.9.0.patch                           0015-add-support-for-Linux-3.18.patch                       0022-add-support-for-Linux-4.8.patch
0002-Makefile.patch                        0009-add-support-for-linux-3.10.0.patch                          0016-repair-make-warnings.patch                             0023-add-support-for-Linux-4.11.patch
0003-Make-up-for-missing-init_MUTEX.patch  0010-change-the-network-interface-name-from-eth-to-wlan.patch    0017-add-support-for-Linux-4.0.patch                        0024-add-support-for-Linux-4.12.patch
0004-Add-support-for-Linux-3.2.patch       0011-do-not-define-__devinit-as-__init-in-linux-3.8-as-__.patch  0018-cfg80211_disconnected.patch                            0025-add-support-for-Linux-4.14.patch
0005-add-support-for-linux-3.4.0.patch     0012-add-support-for-Linux-3.15.patch                            0019-broadcom-sta-6.30.223.248-3.18-null-pointer-fix.patch  0026-add-support-for-Linux-4.15.patch
0006-add-support-for-linux-3.8.0.patch     0013-gcc.patch                                                   0020-add-support-for-linux-4.3.patch                        0027-add-support-for-linux-5.1.patch
0007-nl80211-move-scan-API-to-wdev.patch   0014-add-support-for-Linux-3.17.patch                            0021-add-support-for-Linux-4.7.patch

Install Ubuntu 20.10 (groovy) package

Looking at the file list in the newer Ubuntu 20.10 source I see at least a 5.6 patch although I need 5.8.

# wget http://mirrors.kernel.org/ubuntu/pool/restricted/b/bcmwl/bcmwl-kernel-source_6.30.223.271+bdcom-0ubuntu7_amd64.deb
...
2020-10-29 08:14:10 (656 KB/s) - ‘bcmwl-kernel-source_6.30.223.271+bdcom-0ubuntu7_amd64.deb’ saved [1545816/1545816]

# dpkg -i bcmwl-kernel-source_6.30.223.271+bdcom-0ubuntu7_amd64.deb 
(Reading database ... 283701 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack bcmwl-kernel-source_6.30.223.271+bdcom-0ubuntu7_amd64.deb ...
Removing all DKMS Modules
Done.
Unpacking bcmwl-kernel-source (6.30.223.271+bdcom-0ubuntu7) over (6.30.223.271+bdcom-0ubuntu5) ...
Setting up bcmwl-kernel-source (6.30.223.271+bdcom-0ubuntu7) ...
Loading new bcmwl-6.30.223.271+bdcom DKMS files...
Building for 5.4.0-7642-generic 5.8.0-7625-generic
Building for architecture x86_64
Building initial module for 5.4.0-7642-generic
Done.

wl.ko:
Running module version sanity check.
 - Original module
   - No original module exists within this kernel
 - Installation
   - Installing to /lib/modules/5.4.0-7642-generic/updates/

depmod...

DKMS: install completed.
Building initial module for 5.8.0-7625-generic
Done.

wl.ko:
Running module version sanity check.
 - Original module
   - No original module exists within this kernel
 - Installation
   - Installing to /lib/modules/5.8.0-7625-generic/updates/

depmod........

DKMS: install completed.
update-initramfs: deferring update (trigger activated)
Processing triggers for initramfs-tools (0.136ubuntu6.3) ...
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-5.8.0-7625-generic
cryptsetup: WARNING: Resume target cryptswap uses a key file

looks like rebuild wl.ko ok

# ls /lib/modules/5.8.0-7625-generic/updates/
dkms  wl.ko

# find /lib/modules/5.4.0-7642-generic/ -name wl.ko
/lib/modules/5.4.0-7642-generic/updates/wl.ko

# find /lib/modules/5.8.0- -name wl.ko
5.8.0-23-generic/   5.8.0-7625-generic/ 

# find /lib/modules/5.8.0-23-generic/ -name wl.ko

# find /lib/modules/5.8.0-7625-generic/ -name wl.ko
/lib/modules/5.8.0-7625-generic/updates/wl.ko

cleanup the 5.8.0-23 kernel I tried

# apt purge linux-image-5.8.0-23-generic
...
rmdir: failed to remove '/lib/modules/5.8.0-23-generic': Directory not empty

NOTE: PopOS may not be cleaning up /lib/modules because of the additional module. 

# rm -rf /lib/modules/5.8.0-23-generic

# apt purge linux-headers-5.8.0-23-generic
# apt purge linux-modules-5.8.0-23-generic

# ls /boot
config-5.4.0-7642-generic  grub        initrd.img-5.4.0-7642-generic  initrd.img.old                 System.map-5.8.0-7625-generic  vmlinuz-5.4.0-7642-generic  vmlinuz.old
config-5.8.0-7625-generic  initrd.img  initrd.img-5.8.0-7625-generic  System.map-5.4.0-7642-generic  vmlinuz                        vmlinuz-5.8.0-7625-generic

check

Rebooted with 5.8 kernel and it works

# dkms status
bcmwl, 6.30.223.271+bdcom, 5.4.0-7642-generic, x86_64: installed
bcmwl, 6.30.223.271+bdcom, 5.8.0-7625-generic, x86_64: installed
nvidia-340, 340.108, 5.4.0-7642-generic, x86_64: installed
system76, 1.0.9~1597073326~20.04~5b01933, 5.4.0-7642-generic, x86_64: installed
system76, 1.0.9~1597073326~20.04~5b01933, 5.8.0-7625-generic, x86_64: installed

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