Is it safe to install the "wl" wifi driver using the instructions below?
Hi folks
Summary:
1. I'd like to obtain and install the Broadcom proprietary wireless driver called "wl", using the instructions given at
https://wiki.debian.org/wl
2. In particular, I was going to follow the instructions under section
"1.1 Installation - Debian 7 Wheezy" on that webpage (as if I know what I'm talking about). Or should I follow the "Squeeze" instructions?
3. Could you possibly have a look at the brief instructions that it gives, and
tell me if it should work? More importantly, is it SAFE to follow those
instuctions? Thanks.
4. I've got Knoppix live distro installed on hard disc, distro 7.0.2, kernel
release 3.3.7.
Full Details:
5. A while ago you kindly showed me how to install "wl" on another laptop, and it
worked.
That thread is
http://knoppix.net/forum/showthread....=broadcom+wifi
I think I followed klaus2008's kind instructions at posts #4 and #24.
6. But I'm interested if the method at https://wiki.debian.org/wl works.
I'm now using a different laptop to the one at 5. (similar model), but it's got
the SAME Knoppix system on it. Unfortunately, I have very limited understanding
of what some of the commands are doing at https://wiki.debian.org/wl. And I
DON'T WANT TO DO SOMETHING THAT'S DETRIMENTAL TO MY LINUX SYSTEM - you know, do
something that will mess the system up, because it works reasonably well at the
moment.
7. One of the above steps is
# apt-get install linux-headers-$(uname -r|sed 's,[^-]*-[^-]*-,,') broadcom-sta-dkms
On my system, "uname -r" displays "3.3.7". Because I've actually got KNOPPIX (a
form of Debian), is the number 3.3.7 a legitimate Debian release number. And
therefore will using 3.3.7 in the above command get me the correct "wl" driver
version. (I understand that "wl" and "broadcom sta" are one and the same thing.)
8. If the method doesn't work, can I put things back to where they were before I
started. You see I don't like to add things to my system that just complicate it
and bulk it out, especially when I don't actually know how it's changed the
system.
Many thanks, John.
