Broadcom WIFI on macbook

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1

I have the same problem. I installed fedora 40 on macbook pro 2013. Then at some point wifi stopped working. Tried to reinstall and uninstall broadcom-wl, and now on the latest fedora 40 kernel even bluetooth or usb tethering does not work.

So I rebooted fedora 40 with an earlier fedora 40 kernel. Now I only am able to connect to internet again using usb tethering or bluetooth.

Here is the dnf history and wpa_supplicant version:

ID | Komut satırı | Tarih ve zaman | Eylem(ler) | Değişti

27 | remove broadcom-wl        | 13-08-2024 14:55 | Removed        |  124 EE
26 | -y install --nogpgcheck - | 13-08-2024 14:52 | Install        |    1 EE
25 | install akmod-wl broadcom | 13-08-2024 14:50 | Install        |  125 EE
24 | remove broadcom-wl        | 13-08-2024 13:55 | Removed        |  125 EE
23 | reinstall broadcom-wl     | 09-08-2024 11:59 | R              |    2   
22 | update                    | 09-08-2024 11:56 | I, U           |   25   
21 | update                    | 07-08-2024 17:17 | Upgrade        |   10   
20 | update                    | 06-08-2024 12:37 | Upgrade        |   10   
19 |                           | 06-08-2024 12:37 | Downgrade      |   10   
18 |                           | 06-08-2024 12:35 | Removed        |    6   
17 |                           | 06-08-2024 12:34 | Removed        |    2   
16 | remove synergy            | 06-08-2024 10:00 | Removed        |   19   
15 | reinstall broadcom-wl     | 05-08-2024 18:48 | R              |    2   
14 | update                    | 05-08-2024 18:46 | I, U           |    2   
13 |                           | 05-08-2024 15:43 | Install        |   18   
12 | update                    | 05-08-2024 15:32 | O, U           |   32   
11 | update                    | 02-08-2024 18:13 | I, O, U        |  637 EE
10 | install kmod-wl akmods ak | 02-08-2024 18:01 | Install        |    1   
 9 | -y install --nogpgcheck - | 02-08-2024 17:59 | Install        |    1 EE
 8 | install akmod-wl broadcom | 02-08-2024 17:58 | Install        |  122 EE
 7 | remove broadcom-wl        | 02-08-2024 15:38 | Removed        |    2 
 6 | remove akmod-wl           | 02-08-2024 15:36 | Removed        |  121 EE
 5 | -y install --nogpgcheck - | 02-08-2024 15:09 | Install        |    1 EE
 4 | install akmod-wl          | 02-08-2024 15:07 | Install        |  125 E<
 3 |                           | 02-08-2024 15:04 | Install        |    1 > 
 2 |                           | 02-08-2024 15:04 | Install        |    1  <
 1 |                           | 15-04-2024 01:56 | Install        | 1668 >E

sudo dnf list installed wpa_supplicant
Kurulu Paketler
wpa_supplicant.x86_64 1:2.10-10.fc40 @fedora

2

What kind of Broadcom adapter do you have? You can check by running lspci | grep Wireless. Did you need broadcom-wl in the past in order to use Wi-Fi?

Depending on your answer, your issue might be different than the OP’s, in which case someone with appropriate privileges might split this topic and move your question to a new thread.

3

03:00.0 Network controller: Broadcom Inc. and subsidiaries BCM4360 802.11ac Dual Band Wireless Network Adapter (rev 03)

I needed broadcom-wl before, yes.

Wlan was working before, but after something, it stopped working again. I am getting by on an older kernel with usb and bluetooth.

Thanks.

4

Looking at your dnf history, the wl driver seems to be currently removed. Install it again, and give it enough time to make sure the kernel modules are built. ps ax | grep kmod should only output one line (the *grep *process).

Also make sure the wl module is loaded (with lsmod). If still not working, nor after a reboot, try unloading and reloading the module with sudo modprobe -r wl && sudo modprobe -v wl.

5

Sorry, did you mean broadcom-wl? I can’t seem to find wl driver. I have installed broadcom-wl and akmod-wl.
ps ax | grep kmod line indeed outputs only one line.
lsmod | grep wl
returns no output.

sudo modprobe -r wl && sudo modprobe -v wl
modprobe: FATAL: Module wl not found.

Updated dnf history


    36 | -y install --nogpgcheck --disablerepo=* /tmp/akmods.8utGEIrQ/results/kmod-wl-6.10.3-200.fc40.x86_64-6.30.223.271-51.fc40.x86_64.rpm                                                                                                     | 13-08-2024 16:15 | Install        |    1 EE
    35 | install broadcom-wl                                                                                                                                                                                                                     | 13-08-2024 16:14 | Install        |  123 EE
    34 | remove broadcom-wl                                                                                                                                                                                                                      | 13-08-2024 16:09 | Removed        |  124 EE
    33 | -y install --nogpgcheck --disablerepo=* /tmp/akmods.jvWoTsxw/results/kmod-wl-6.10.3-200.fc40.x86_64-6.30.223.271-51.fc40.x86_64.rpm                                                                                                     | 13-08-2024 16:06 | Install        |    1 EE
    32 | install broadcom-wl                                                                                                                                                                                                                     | 13-08-2024 16:05 | Install        |  123 EE
    31 | downgrade wpa_supplicant                                                                                                                                                                                                                | 13-08-2024 15:44 | Downgrade      |    1   
    30 | update                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | 13-08-2024 15:34 | C, E, I, U     |   36  <
    29 | update                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | 13-08-2024 15:13 | I, U           |   55 >#
    28 | downgrade wpa_supplicant
6

That’s why the command sudo modprobe -r wl returned the error. I am not sure why the module isn’t loaded, given that the dnf command with id 36 shows the kernel module is being built.

Please post the output of sudo modprobe -v wl.

Please also format your posted terminal outputs by selecting the text and hitting the </> button, or by pressing the Ctrl+E key combination.

7 
msa@fedora:~$ sudo modprobe -v wl
modprobe: FATAL: Module wl not found in directory /lib/modules/6.9.12-200.fc40.x86_64
8

OK, so you’re currently booted with kernel 6.9.12. Please post the output of dnf list installed \*kmod-wl\*.

9

$ dnf list installed \*kmod-wl\*
Kurulu Paketler

akmod-wl.x86_64                        6.30.223.271-51.fc40   @rpmfusion-nonfree
kmod-wl-6.10.3-200.fc40.x86_64.x86_64  6.30.223.271-51.fc40   @@commandline
10

For some reason the wl kernel drivers have only been built for the latest kernel. Try to boot with kernel 6.10.3.

Afterwards, if still no Wi-Fi, then:

  • make sure you’re on the downgraded version of wpa_supplicant
  • test if the module is loaded: lsmod | grep wl
  • unload/remove the wl module from the kernel: sudo modprobe -r wl (post the output if any)
  • load/insert the wl module to the kernel: sudo modprobe -v wl (post the output if any)
  • test if Wi-Fi is working.
11

If a TL4/mod considers appropriate, please split this topic beginning with comment #22, given that it is a different issue than the OP (and the current one already has a solution).

12

The latest kernel does not even connect to internet using bluetooth or usb tethering. I am trying to do dnf update on the earlier kernel in the hope that it will upgrade to the latest kernel with at least bluetooth tethering working to have internet. Will keep posting.

13

There is no need for internet in order to run the above commands.

14

uname -a
returns
Linux fedora 6.10.3-200.fc40.x86_64 #1 SMP PREEMPT_DYNAMIC Mon Aug 5 14:30:00 UTC 2024 x86_64 GNU/Linux
sudo dnf downgrade wpa_suplicant
returns:
wpa_supplicant package is unusable (translation to English)
There is no package to downgrade.

lsmod | grep wl

returns nothing.
sudo modprobe -r wl returns nothing
sudo modprobe -v wl returns insmod /lib/modules/6.10.3-200.fc40.x86_64/extra/wl/wl.ko.xz
modprobe: ERROR: could not insert 'wl': Unknown symbol in module, or unknown parameter (see dmesg)
sudo dmesg | grep wl returns many lines.
In particular, it says:

loading out-of-tree module taints kernel.
module license 'MIXED/Proprietary taints kernel.'
module license taints kernel.

and many lines that contain Unknown symbol, e.g., cfg80211_inform_bss_frame_data (err -2)

15

At this point I would rebuild the kernel modules with:

sudo akmods --rebuild

(Without --force at first, to catch potential error messages).

16

The wpa_supplicant package should be installed.

Try dnf list installed wpa\*.

If that returns nothing then try sudo dnf install wpa_supplicant to get it installed, then reboot to see if there is a change.

@mblasko I split the topic as you suggested.

2 Likes
17

Thanks.

18

Try this: considering you already have rpm-fusion repositories installed…
sudo dnf downgrade broadcom-wl --releasever=39 -y
sudo akmods --force
sudo depmod -a
sudo modprobe wl
sudo depmod
sudo reboot

20

I did this, it says:

Checking kmods exist for 6.10.3-200.fc40.x86_64 [OK]
Building and installing wl-kmod [OK]

But there is still no internet, not even with bluetooth tethering.

21

I cannot install wpa_supplicant without internet (I think).

It says: No match found (my translation)

1 Like