Backwards Compatibility BUG

[luther]

Forum Members,
WiFi works out-of-the-box w/6.4.3 liveCD:

knoppix@Microknoppix:~$ sudo modprobe -a ssb
knoppix@Microknoppix:~$ sudo modprobe -a b43
knoppix@Microknoppix:~$ sudo lsmod
Module                  Size  Used by
b43                   134859  0 
rng_core                2338  1 b43
mac80211              144095  1 b43
cfg80211               95850  2 b43,mac80211
ssb                    32414  1 b43
ipv6                  196975  10 
parport_pc             24132  0 
ppdev                   4117  0 
lp                      6119  0 
parport                20814  3 parport_pc,ppdev,lp
snd_usb_audio          57808  0 
snd_hwdep               3950  1 snd_usb_audio
tpm_tis                 5261  0 
snd_usbmidi_lib        12490  1 snd_usb_audio
snd_seq_midi            3200  0 
tpm                     7773  1 tpm_tis
snd_rawmidi            12467  2 snd_usbmidi_lib,snd_seq_midi
tpm_bios                3347  1 tpm
hp_wmi                  4393  0 
ac                      2215  0 
battery                 7656  0 
option                 12650  0 
usb_wwan                6011  1 option
usbserial              21327  2 option,usb_wwan
8139too                14396  0 
snd_atiixp_modem        6535  0 
sdhci_pci               4801  0 
8250_pci               19272  0 
8139cp                 12900  0 
tifm_7xx1               3030  0 
sdhci                  11970  1 sdhci_pci
pcmcia                 24250  2 b43,ssb
tifm_core               3258  1 tifm_7xx1
mmc_core               43452  3 b43,ssb,sdhci
mii                     2694  2 8139too,8139cp
8250                   14974  1 8250_pci
snd_atiixp              8993  1 
ohci1394               20984  0 
yenta_socket           15616  0 
ieee1394               51946  1 ohci1394
serial_core            12542  1 8250
i2c_piix4               6580  0 
snd_ac97_codec         77637  2 snd_atiixp_modem,snd_atiixp
k8temp                  2407  0 
joydev                  6866  0 
ac97_bus                 714  1 snd_ac97_codec
knoppix@Microknoppix:~$ sudo lsmod
Module                  Size  Used by
ipv6                  196975  10 
parport_pc             24132  0 
ppdev                   4117  0 
lp                      6119  0 
parport                20814  3 parport_pc,ppdev,lp
snd_usb_audio          57808  0 
snd_hwdep               3950  1 snd_usb_audio
tpm_tis                 5261  0 
snd_usbmidi_lib        12490  1 snd_usb_audio
snd_seq_midi            3200  0 
tpm                     7773  1 tpm_tis
snd_rawmidi            12467  2 snd_usbmidi_lib,snd_seq_midi
tpm_bios                3347  1 tpm
hp_wmi                  4393  0 
ac                      2215  0 
battery                 7656  0 
option                 12650  0 
usb_wwan                6011  1 option
usbserial              21327  2 option,usb_wwan
8139too                14396  0 
snd_atiixp_modem        6535  0 
sdhci_pci               4801  0 
8250_pci               19272  0 
8139cp                 12900  0 
tifm_7xx1               3030  0 
sdhci                  11970  1 sdhci_pci
pcmcia                 24250  0 
tifm_core               3258  1 tifm_7xx1
mmc_core               43452  1 sdhci
mii                     2694  2 8139too,8139cp
8250                   14974  1 8250_pci
snd_atiixp              8993  1 
ohci1394               20984  0 
yenta_socket           15616  0 
ieee1394               51946  1 ohci1394
serial_core            12542  1 8250
i2c_piix4               6580  0 
snd_ac97_codec         77637  2 snd_atiixp_modem,snd_atiixp
k8temp                  2407  0 
joydev                  6866  0 
ac97_bus                 714  1 snd_ac97_codec
knoppix@Microknoppix:~$

knoppix@Microknoppix:~$ sudo iwconfig
lo        no wireless extensions.

eth0      no wireless extensions.

wlan0     IEEE 802.11bg  ESSID:off/any  
          Mode:Managed  Access Point: Not-Associated   Tx-Power=off   
          Retry  long limit:7   RTS thr:off   Fragment thr:off
          Encryption key:off
          Power Management:off
knoppix@Microknoppix:~$

Wifi is Dead-on-arrival w/6.7.1 liveCD:

        knoppix@Microknoppix:~$ sudo modprobe -a ssb
        knoppix@Microknoppix:~$ sudo modprobe -a b43
        WARNING: Module b43 not found.
        knoppix@Microknoppix:~$

Can someone show in the Debian-Knoppix 6.7.1 open source code
where things related to this bug changed from 6.4.3?

Reply requested, please . . .

[klaus2008]

What are the kernel versions of Knoppix 6.4.3 and 6.7.1? The command

uname -a

will show you the details.

[utu]

@ luther

You've done your job well.
Now we need to find out where the wifi hardware discovery code is
and find someone who can read it.

Also, we need to identify this thread to pertain specifically to Broadcom 4318.

[luther]

What are the kernel versions of Knoppix 6.4.3 and 6.7.1? The command

uname -a

will show you the details.

knoppix@Microknoppix:~$ sudo uname -a
Linux Microknoppix 2.6.36.1 #10 SMP PREEMPT Fri Nov 26 10:33:59 CET 2010 i686 GNU/Linux
knoppix@Microknoppix:~$

* sent w/Knoppix 6.4.3 & Iceweasel

[luther]

What are the kernel versions of Knoppix 6.4.3 and 6.7.1? The command

uname -a

will show you the details.

knoppix@Microknoppix:~$ sudo uname -a
Linux Microknoppix 3.0.4 #12 SMP PREEMPT Thu Sep 8 05:27:05 CEST 2011 i686 GNU/Linux
knoppix@Microknoppix:~$

** sent w/Knoppix 6.7.1 LiveCD

Yours,
luther

[luther]

we need to identify this thread to pertain specifically to Broadcom 4318.

The maintainer says this driver supports these chipsets:
BCM4306/3
BCM4311
BCM4312
BCM4318
* SEE ATTACHMENT
b43ins5..jpg

[klaus2008]

If you read the kernel configuration file /boot/config-3.0.4 of Knoppix 6.7.1 you will find the line

# CONFIG_B43 is not set

That means the needed kernel module was not built. I think that you must build your own Linux kernel with enabled support for your chipset if you want to use your BCM4318 with Knoppix 6.7.1.

[utu]

Greetings, klaus2008

Are you able to determine why the b43 driver was not
provided as well as the wl driver?

For example, has a simple blacklist caused this not to happen?
Note, BOTH b43 and wl were included in the earlier Knoppix.

As an alternative line of inquiry, where might we find the code that
sets up wl and provides it, and is this code readable bash or
binary?

Thanks.

[luther]

If you read the kernel configuration file /boot/config-3.0.4 of Knoppix 6.7.1 you will find the line That means the needed kernel module was not built. I think that you must build your own Linux kernel with enabled support for your chipset if you want to use your BCM4318 with Knoppix 6.7.1.

Dear klaus2008: I'm reading between the lines and suspect it was done on purpose. Could it possibly have opened the door to Pandora's Box? This being the case, suspect knoppix 7.0 is in the same boat. I would like a confirmation, please? THX luther

[utu]

@ luther & others

Klaus K confirms our suspicions, and luther's homework and is aware of our concerns.
We can probably expect some of his comments and/or remedy sometime in the future.
One might assume Knoppix 7 and his day job probably are keeping him pretty busy
for the moment.

Still, I am tantalized that we see ssb but not b43 in 6.7.1.
It feels like some simple, misplaced blacklist might yet explain it all.

Cheers.