I recently re-installed Ubuntu 12.04 on my Dell Machine.
After re-installation, I had problems installing wireless driver under Additional Drivers.
I tried a lot of different things, ultimately removing bcmwl-kernel-source and installing firmware-b43-lpphy-installer and b43-fwcutter.
Initially, nothing happened, but then out of the blue, I checked the internet tab and could see my network. I was able to connect and use wireless all day yesterday, but now it isn't working again.
Under internet icon in upper right hand corner, computer says wireless is enabled, but wireless networks are disconnected.
Below I've included some info.
>lspci -nnk | grep -iA2 net
09:00.0 Ethernet controller [0200]: Marvell Technology Group Ltd.
88E8040 PCI-E Fast Ethernet Controller [11ab:4354] (rev 13)
Subsystem: Dell Device [1028:02aa]
Kernel driver in use: sky2
--
0c:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Broadcom Corporation BCM4312
802.11b/g LP-PHY [14e4:4315] (rev 01) Subsystem: Dell Wireless 1397 WLAN Mini-Card [1028:000c] Kernel driver in use: b43-pci-bridge
>iwconfig
eth0 no wireless extensions.
lo no wireless extensions.
wlan0 IEEE 802.11bg ESSID:off/any
Mode:Managed Access Point: Not-Associated Tx-Power=20 dBm
Retry long limit:7 RTS thr:off Fragment thr:off
Power Management:off
lsmod
nls_iso8859_1 12713 0 dm_crypt 23051 0 arc4 12573 2 bnep 18258 2 snd_hda_codec_idt 71153 1 snd_hda_intel 44339 3 parport_pc 28284 0 rfcomm 47864 0 snd_hda_codec 141716 2 snd_hda_codec_idt,snd_hda_intel ppdev 17113 0 bluetooth 247024 10 bnep,rfcomm lp 17799 0 b43 392109 0 parport 46562 3 parport_pc,ppdev,lp snd_hwdep 13668 1 snd_hda_codec snd_pcm 102477 2 snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec snd_seq_midi 13324 0 joydev 17613 0 mac80211 630977 1 b43 snd_rawmidi 30417 1 snd_seq_midi snd_seq_midi_event 14899 1 snd_seq_midi snd_seq 61930 2 snd_seq_midi,snd_seq_midi_event coretemp 13596 0 snd_timer 29989 2 snd_pcm,snd_seq uvcvideo 82214 0 snd_seq_device 14497 3 snd_seq_midi,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq cfg80211 525244 2 b43,mac80211 snd 69533 15 snd_hda_codec_idt,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec,snd_hwdep,snd_pcm,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq,snd_timer,snd_seq_device gpio_ich 13526 0 videobuf2_core 40785 1 uvcvideo psmouse 97873 0 soundcore 12680 1 snd videodev 130053 2 uvcvideo,videobuf2_core snd_page_alloc 18798 2 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm dell_laptop 17425 0 dell_wmi 12681 0 videobuf2_vmalloc 13056 1 uvcvideo lpc_ich 17144 0 serio_raw 13215 0 videobuf2_memops 13202 1 videobuf2_vmalloc microcode 23017 0 mac_hid 13253 0 bcma 41244 1 b43 sparse_keymap 13890 1 dell_wmi dcdbas 14449 1 dell_laptop hid_generic 12540 0 usbhid 47346 0 hid 105549 2 hid_generic,usbhid ums_realtek 18256 0 usb_storage 61749 1 ums_realtek i915 620421 3 wmi 19256 1 dell_wmi drm_kms_helper 49597 1 i915 ahci 25879 1 drm 287564 4 i915,drm_kms_helper libahci 31606 1 ahci i2c_algo_bit 13564 1 i915 sky2 62824 0 video 19652 1 i915 ssb 57842 1 b43
>rfkill list all
0: phy0: Wireless LAN
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: no
>sudo dpkg -s firmware-b43-lpphy-installer
Package: firmware-b43-lpphy-installer Status: install ok installed Priority: optional Section: contrib/kernel Installed-Size: 34 Maintainer: Ubuntu Developers Architecture: all Source: b43-fwcutter Version: 1:015-9 Depends: b43-fwcutter (>= 1:015-9), bzip2, wget Recommends: linux-image Conflicts: firmware-b43-installer Description: Installer package for firmware for the b43 driver (LP-PHY version) This package installs the firmware needed for usage of the b43 kernel driver. . Supported chipsets: - BCM4312 (with Low-Power aka LP-PHY) Original-Maintainer: Fabrizio Regalli Homepage: http://wireless.kernel.org/en/users/Drivers/b43
>dmesg | grep -e wlan -e b43
[ 20.908424] b43-phy0: Broadcom 4312 WLAN found (core revision 15) [ 20.952236] b43-phy0: Found PHY: Analog 6, Type 5 (LP), Revision 1 [ 29.164261] b43-phy0: Loading firmware version 478.104 (2008-07-01 00:50:23) [ 34.704994] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlan0: link is not ready [ 34.705415] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlan0: link is not ready
Is the wireless switch on or off?
If it show hard blocked:yes, find and move the switch.
Have you installed the correct firmware package?
If it isn't installed, please get a temporary ethernet connection and install it:
Detach the ethernet, reboot and your wireless should be working.
If it is not working, look for error messages here:
I am almost embarrassed to answer because Iḿ not sure what is going on but I am traveling with a Dell Inspiron in Ecuador and I have had the exact same problem. What I have to do, each time that I restart my computer is to go to edit connections and delete the connection where i am staying. Then I have to reneter the password and I am back in business!