Looks like the driver is in the kernel. uname -r will give the kernel version on whichever distro / version you're running. The specific series of your card had issues over the summer in kernel 3.15 (and possibly before as well), that were fixed in later revisions of 3.15.x and for sure 3.16. Not sure on lts kernel though. So, that said, you should have seen a variance in kernel versions between the two Precise partitions either with the kernel and/or firmware of the wifi card, this is my best assumption. Although you said that didn't matter when you checked package sets? This should also help, Broadcom plays an active role in their Linux drivers and the kernel (site also has instructions for installing firmware in Ubuntu): http://wireless.kernel.org/en/users/Drivers/b43#Supported_devices Good luck, -- Jeremy MountainJohnson Jeremy.MountainJohnson at gmail.com On Sun, Oct 12, 2014 at 1:27 AM, gregrwm <tclug1 at whitleymott.net> wrote: >> # lspci >>... >> 05:00.0 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4311 802.11b/g WLAN >> (rev 01) >>... > > i've gone to the trouble of equalizing the packagesets (between the two > precise partitions, one with wifi working, the other not). interestingly, > that's made no difference. > > On 11 October 2014 08:47, Jeremy MountainJohnson > <jeremy.mountainjohnson at gmail.com> wrote: >> >> What other details do you have on the wifi device? Could you post >> chipset details of lspci output, or if usb, lsusb? >> >> Usually with the newer kernels they are adding drivers, not removing >> them, so unless Precise was using a wrapper with additional >> configuration or you installed some funky firmware to establish wifi >> connectivity previously, it should work. >> >> My bet is some firmware didn't get installed on your latest installs >> and it's likely a Broadcom wifi card since you mentioned an older >> laptop and are using some older kernel versions. If so, I'd look into >> getting the appropriate firmware to supplement the kernel drivers. >> >> Not an Ubuntu guy outside of the servers, but they probably have a gui >> you can search for firmware in. Isn't there one for drivers too? >> Assuming you can plug into Ethernet I suppose... Or use a thumb drive >> to transfer necessary packages over to the new install and use dpkg. >> >> -- >> Jeremy MountainJohnson >> Jeremy.MountainJohnson at gmail.com >> >> >> On Sat, Oct 11, 2014 at 12:31 AM, gregrwm <tclug1 at whitleymott.net> wrote: >> > i prepared a thumbdrive with grub and a selection of lubuntu iso's for >> > easy >> > installing. then tested in a free partition on a (dell inspiron) >> > laptop. >> > installed trusty. no wifi. installed precise. no wifi. but huh?! >> > this >> > laptop has been running precise for ages, and still is, not in the test >> > partition, and wifi works just fine there! i installed it myself, ages >> > ago, >> > and don't remember having to do anything odd or special. >> > >> > can anyone drop me some clues how to make wifi work on the new installs, >> > or >> > what to compare between the two partitions? >> > >> > >> > _______________________________________________ >> > TCLUG Mailing List - Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota >> > tclug-list at mn-linux.org >> > http://mailman.mn-linux.org/mailman/listinfo/tclug-list >> > >> _______________________________________________ >> TCLUG Mailing List - Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota >> tclug-list at mn-linux.org >> http://mailman.mn-linux.org/mailman/listinfo/tclug-list > > > > _______________________________________________ > TCLUG Mailing List - Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota > tclug-list at mn-linux.org > http://mailman.mn-linux.org/mailman/listinfo/tclug-list >