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Thread: Is it safe to install the "wl" wifi driver using the instructions below.

  1. #1

    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.
    Last edited by Werner P. Schulz; 06-01-2014 at 06:17 PM. Reason: As desired by poster.

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