Backwards Compatibility BUG

[luther]

@ luther

I expect Klaus2008 may be able to show you how, but
building and installing b43 from scratch is probably a more difficult exercise than you want to undertake.

If or when Klaus K tackles this problem, I would expect to see the result around mid-year in an update on Knoppix 7.0.
I would not necessarily expect to see an amended 6.7.1.

An external wifi, compatible with your computer would be a possible interim solution.
I use that approach to get some of the other distributions going.

Knoppx Forum Members,

I agree with utu, that an interim solution be possible. This is NOT something I have
tried, but would this be a valid candidate:

http://www.amazon.com/SANOXY-Wireles...3593945&sr=8-4

Reply requested, please . . .

[utu]

I need more details of your external wifi setup

I use a Netgear wg111v2 to work with Ubuntu & clones. See, for example:
http://support.netgear.com/app/products/model/a_id/2557

I bought mine from Surplus a few years back for $10 or $15.
This gets around my Broadcom nightmare with Ubuntu clones.
It might help for Knoppix. I can't say, since I never needed it for that.

[utu]

@ luther, in re your Post #21 about an 'N' dongle:

This is a neat-looking little gadget at the right price, but it may not serve for two reasons:
1. Many routers work with a & g but not N; N is fairly new.
edit: I see it is n/g/b, so that's probably not a problem; g is ok.
2. There's always a chance it needs a driver no linuxer has come up with.
Does this sound familiar?

Your best interim solution so far is Knoppix 6.4.3, and that's not bad.

[utu]

Addendum to my post #23, in re Sanoxy 'N' dongle.

One of the Amazon comments states that the unit works fine on linux
by installing a driver via ndiswrapper.
I think this may mean this device is a b43 candidate for fwcutter these days.
If so, that's the problem we're already wrestling with, not a solution.

[utu]

.
Here's an interesting comparison, looking at Knopppix 6.4.4 relative to
luther's Posts #16 and #20 for Knoppix 6.4.3:

knoppix@Microknoppix:~$ ls /lib/modules/*/kernel/drivers/net/wireless
adm8211.ko       atmel_cs.ko   iwmc3200wifi       p54            wl.ko
airo.ko          atmel_pci.ko  libertas           prism54        wl1251
airo_cs.ko       b43legacy     libertas_tf        ray_cs.ko      wl12xx
at76c50x-usb.ko  hostap        mac80211_hwsim.ko  rndis_wlan.ko  wl3501_cs.ko
ath              ipw2x00       mwl8k.ko           rt2x00         zd1201.ko
atmel.ko         iwlwifi       orinoco            rtl818x        zd1211rw

I think this means 6.4.4 has a kernel with wl built-in, lacking b43;
whereas 6.4.3 has a kernel with b43 built-in, lacking wl.

Hint:
wl.ko shows up in 6.4.4 which I use, and b43.ko shows up in luther's 6.4.3

So, I think this means we have to consider not only offering (at least)
two drivers, but two kernels-to-match as well, for Broadcom users.
Interestingly so, this actually occurred with Knoppix 6.4.3 and 6.4.4
taken together as one distribution. One size does not fit all here.

[luther]

Summary:

Further Broadcom support requested to Developer.

[utu]

We will be lucky if Klaus K doesn't ban Broadcom wifis altogther from future consideration,
as being a lot more trouble than its worth.

I know of no current linux distro that supports both b43 and wl; it's either one or the other.
The tangled list of which PCI-ID goes with which driver would make a nice hardware museum.

[luther]

We will be lucky if Klaus K doesn't ban Broadcom wifis altogther from future consideration,
as being a lot more trouble than its worth.

I know of no current linux distro that supports both b43 and wl; it's either one or the other.
The tangled list of which PCI-ID goes with which driver would make a nice hardware museum.

Dear utu:
What excites me about the IBM PC/Clones is the ability to OPEN the hood! Software has always lagged behind and needs to catch-up! Software "101" in the distro world should be wireless networking. I've got NO use for the burnt ISO's that fail this basic hurdle.

I found another keeper here:
http://lubuntu.net/blog/lubuntu-1104-released

Thanks for your prompt replies.
luther

[utu]

.
Here's an interesting comparison, looking at Knopppix 6.4.4 relative to
luther's Posts #16 and #20 for Knoppix 6.4.3:

knoppix@Microknoppix:~$ ls /lib/modules/*/kernel/drivers/net/wireless
adm8211.ko       atmel_cs.ko   iwmc3200wifi       p54            wl.ko
airo.ko          atmel_pci.ko  libertas           prism54        wl1251
airo_cs.ko       b43legacy     libertas_tf        ray_cs.ko      wl12xx
at76c50x-usb.ko  hostap        mac80211_hwsim.ko  rndis_wlan.ko  wl3501_cs.ko
ath              ipw2x00       mwl8k.ko           rt2x00         zd1201.ko
atmel.ko         iwlwifi       orinoco            rtl818x        zd1211rw

I think this means 6.4.4 has a kernel with wl built-in, lacking b43;
whereas 6.4.3 has a kernel with b43 built-in, lacking wl.

Hint:
wl.ko shows up in 6.4.4 which I use, and b43.ko shows up in luther's 6.4.3

So, I think this means we have to consider not only offering (at least)
two drivers, but two kernels-to-match as well, for Broadcom users.
Interestingly so, this actually occurred with Knoppix 6.4.3 and 6.4.4
taken together as one distribution. One size does not fit all here.

In trying this on Klaus K, I think there's a better, more plausible explanation:
The kernel in 6.7.1 may not have been built to accept b43 modules,
whereas, it appears 6.4.3/6.4.4 if they contain the same kernel DO accept both wl & b43 modules.

If that's the case, 6.7.1 surely favors only wl at the expense of ALL potential b43 users.
This turns out to be easily remedied by making sure future kernels don't preclude using
all likely useful modules. It does NOT imply a proliferation of kernels.

[utu]

The kernel in 6.7.1 may not have been built to accept b43 modules

Klaus2008's post #7 is crucial here.