Broadcom WiFi not working after reinstalling MX Linux [Solved]

[Jiwan]

Hi, I have already spend the entire day just to make this broadcom wifi to work after I reinstall MX Linux. First of all, this is working fine yesterday the reason I reinstall the entire system is because the built-in camera is not working on some app. I was able to make it work now but the WiFi seems to have a problem scanning and not able to pickup the SSDI. The driver I use previously was "broadcom-sta-dkms" I'm not sure am not able to make it work after reinstall. I have use MX Linux release version 23.5, 23.6, Xfce variant and KDE still WiFi is not able to see my SSID in the house. Below are the specs and info of my machine.

I'm using Macbook Pro Mid 2010 13 inch

The information below is the newly reinstalled system again :)

Quick System Info:

Code: Select all

System:
  Kernel: 6.1.0-37-amd64 [6.1.140-1] arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 12.2.0
    parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/@/boot/vmlinuz-6.1.0-37-amd64 root=UUID=<filter> ro rootflags=subvol=@
    quiet splash
  Desktop: Xfce v: 4.20.0 tk: Gtk v: 3.24.38 info: xfce4-panel wm: xfwm v: 4.20.0 vt: 7
    dm: LightDM v: 1.32.0 Distro: MX-23.5_x64 Libretto Jan 12  2025 base: Debian GNU/Linux 12
    (bookworm)
Machine:
  Type: Laptop System: Apple product: MacBookPro7,1 v: 1.0 serial: <superuser required> Chassis:
    type: 10 v: Mac-F222BEC8 serial: <superuser required>
  Mobo: Apple model: Mac-F222BEC8 serial: <superuser required> UEFI: Apple v: 68.0.0.0.0
    date: 06/13/2019
Battery:
  ID-1: BAT0 charge: 44.5 Wh (71.9%) condition: 61.9/65.4 Wh (94.6%) volts: 12.1 min: 10.9
    model: SMP bq20z451 type: Li-ion serial: N/A status: charging cycles: 27
CPU:
  Info: model: Intel Core2 Duo P8600 bits: 64 type: MCP arch: Penryn level: v1 built: 2008
    process: Intel 45nm family: 6 model-id: 0x17 (23) stepping: 0xA (10) microcode: 0xA0B
  Topology: cpus: 1x cores: 2 smt: <unsupported> cache: L1: 128 KiB desc: d-2x32 KiB; i-2x32 KiB
    L2: 3 MiB desc: 1x3 MiB
  Speed (MHz): avg: 796 min/max: 798/2394 scaling: driver: acpi-cpufreq governor: ondemand cores:
    1: 796 2: 796 bogomips: 9556
  Flags: ht lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 ssse3 vmx
  Vulnerabilities:
  Type: gather_data_sampling status: Not affected
  Type: indirect_target_selection status: Not affected
  Type: itlb_multihit status: KVM: VMX disabled
  Type: l1tf mitigation: PTE Inversion; VMX: conditional cache flushes, SMT disabled
  Type: mds status: Vulnerable: Clear CPU buffers attempted, no microcode; SMT disabled
  Type: meltdown mitigation: PTI
  Type: mmio_stale_data status: Unknown: No mitigations
  Type: reg_file_data_sampling status: Not affected
  Type: retbleed status: Not affected
  Type: spec_rstack_overflow status: Not affected
  Type: spec_store_bypass status: Vulnerable
  Type: spectre_v1 mitigation: usercopy/swapgs barriers and __user pointer sanitization
  Type: spectre_v2 mitigation: Retpolines; STIBP: disabled; RSB filling; PBRSB-eIBRS: Not
    affected; BHI: Not affected
  Type: srbds status: Not affected
  Type: tsx_async_abort status: Not affected
Graphics:
  Device-1: NVIDIA MCP89 [GeForce 320M] vendor: Apple driver: nouveau v: kernel non-free:
    series: 340.xx status: legacy (EOL) last: release: 340.108 kernel: 5.4 xorg: 1.20 arch: Tesla
    process: 40-80nm built: 2006-13 ports: active: LVDS-1 empty: DP-1 bus-ID: 04:00.0
    chip-ID: 10de:08a0 class-ID: 0300 temp: 78.0 C
  Device-2: Apple Built-in iSight type: USB driver: uvcvideo bus-ID: 1-6:2 chip-ID: 05ac:8507
    class-ID: 0e02 serial: <filter>
  Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 1.21.1.7 compositor: xfwm v: 4.20.0 driver: X:
    loaded: modesetting unloaded: fbdev,vesa dri: nouveau gpu: nouveau display-ID: :0.0 screens: 1
  Screen-1: 0 s-res: 1280x800 s-dpi: 96 s-size: 338x211mm (13.31x8.31") s-diag: 398mm (15.69")
  Monitor-1: LVDS-1 model: Apple Color LCD built: 2009 res: 1280x800 hz: 60 dpi: 114 gamma: 1.2
    size: 286x179mm (11.26x7.05") diag: 337mm (13.3") ratio: 16:10 modes: max: 1280x800 min: 640x350
  API: OpenGL v: 3.3 Mesa 22.3.6 renderer: NVAF direct-render: Yes
Audio:
  Device-1: NVIDIA MCP89 High Definition Audio driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel bus-ID: 00:08.0
    chip-ID: 10de:0d94 class-ID: 0403
  API: ALSA v: k6.1.0-37-amd64 status: kernel-api tools: alsamixer,amixer
  Server-1: PipeWire v: 1.0.0 status: active with: 1: pipewire-pulse status: active
    2: wireplumber status: active 3: pipewire-alsa type: plugin 4: pw-jack type: plugin
    tools: pactl,pw-cat,pw-cli,wpctl
Network:
  Device-1: Broadcom BCM4322 802.11a/b/g/n Wireless LAN vendor: Apple AirPort Extreme driver: wl
    v: kernel modules: ssb pcie: gen: 1 speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 1 bus-ID: 02:00.0 chip-ID: 14e4:432b
    class-ID: 0280
  IF: wlan0 state: dormant mac: <filter>
  Device-2: Broadcom NetXtreme BCM5764M Gigabit Ethernet PCIe driver: tg3 v: kernel pcie: gen: 1
    speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 1 port: N/A bus-ID: 03:00.0 chip-ID: 14e4:1684 class-ID: 0200
  IF: eth0 state: up speed: 1000 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
Bluetooth:
  Device-1: Apple Bluetooth Host Controller type: USB driver: btusb v: 0.8 bus-ID: 4-6.1:5
    chip-ID: 05ac:8213 class-ID: fe01 serial: <filter>
  Report: hciconfig ID: hci0 rfk-id: 0 state: up address: <filter> bt-v: 1.2 lmp-v: 2.1
    sub-v: 21d0 hci-v: 2.1 rev: 20a
  Info: acl-mtu: 1021:5 sco-mtu: 64:1 link-policy: rswitch hold sniff park
    link-mode: peripheral accept service-classes: rendering, capturing, object transfer, audio,
    telephony
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 465.76 GiB used: 4.39 GiB (0.9%)
  SMART Message: Unable to run smartctl. Root privileges required.
  ID-1: /dev/sda maj-min: 8:0 vendor: Samsung model: SSD 870 EVO 500GB size: 465.76 GiB
    block-size: physical: 512 B logical: 512 B speed: 3.0 Gb/s type: SSD serial: <filter> rev: 1B6Q
    scheme: GPT
Partition:
  ID-1: / raw-size: 464.69 GiB size: 464.69 GiB (100.00%) used: 4.39 GiB (0.9%) fs: btrfs
    dev: /dev/sda2 maj-min: 8:2
  ID-2: /boot/efi raw-size: 1.07 GiB size: 1.07 GiB (99.80%) used: 576 KiB (0.1%) fs: vfat
    dev: /dev/sda1 maj-min: 8:1
  ID-3: /home raw-size: 464.69 GiB size: 464.69 GiB (100.00%) used: 4.39 GiB (0.9%) fs: btrfs
    dev: /dev/sda2 maj-min: 8:2
Swap:
  Kernel: swappiness: 15 (default 60) cache-pressure: 100 (default)
  ID-1: swap-1 type: zram size: 256 MiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%) priority: 100 dev: /dev/zram0
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 70.0 C mobo: N/A gpu: nouveau temp: 78.0 C
  Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A
Repos:
  Packages: pm: dpkg pkgs: 2139 libs: 1065 tools: apt,apt-get,aptitude,nala,synaptic pm: rpm
    pkgs: 0 pm: flatpak pkgs: 0
  No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian-stable-updates.list
    1: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm-updates main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian.list
    1: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
    2: deb http://security.debian.org/debian-security bookworm-security main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/mx.list
    1: deb http://mirror.rise.ph/mxlinux-pkg/mx/repo/ bookworm main non-free
Info:
  Processes: 225 Uptime: 53m wakeups: 3 Memory: 15.37 GiB used: 1.85 GiB (12.0%) Init: SysVinit
  v: 3.06 runlevel: 5 default: graphical tool: systemctl Compilers: gcc: 12.2.0 alt: 12
  Client: shell wrapper v: 5.2.15-release inxi: 3.3.26
Boot Mode: UEFI

DMESG Result:

Code: Select all

$ sudo dmesg | grep -i 'wl'
[ 1848.108331] wl: loading out-of-tree module taints kernel.
[ 1848.108344] wl: module license 'MIXED/Proprietary' taints kernel.
[ 1848.118879] wl: module verification failed: signature and/or required key missing - tainting kernel
[ 1848.175213] wlan0: Broadcom BCM432b 802.11 Hybrid Wireless Controller 6.30.223.271 (r587334)
[ 1849.372474] ERROR @wl_notify_scan_status : 
[ 1849.372486] wlan0 Scan_results error (-22)
[ 1862.160434] ERROR @wl_notify_scan_status : 
[ 1862.160440] wlan0 Scan_results error (-22)
[ 1863.193529] ERROR @wl_notify_scan_status : 
[ 1863.193542] wlan0 Scan_results error (-22)
[ 1872.404504] ERROR @wl_notify_scan_status : 
[ 1872.404516] wlan0 Scan_results error (-22)
[ 1887.060512] ERROR @wl_notify_scan_status : 
[ 1887.060524] wlan0 Scan_results error (-22)
[ 1907.056357] ERROR @wl_notify_scan_status : 
[ 1907.056364] wlan0 Scan_results error (-22)
[ 1936.048438] ERROR @wl_notify_scan_status : 
[ 1936.048446] wlan0 Scan_results error (-22)
[ 1979.052324] ERROR @wl_notify_scan_status : 
[ 1979.052331] wlan0 Scan_results error (-22)
[ 2043.056321] ERROR @wl_notify_scan_status : 
[ 2043.056327] wlan0 Scan_results error (-22)
[ 2138.096440] ERROR @wl_notify_scan_status : 
[ 2138.096447] wlan0 Scan_results error (-22)
[ 2259.056446] ERROR @wl_notify_scan_status : 
[ 2259.056452] wlan0 Scan_results error (-22)
[ 2380.112334] ERROR @wl_notify_scan_status : 
[ 2380.112340] wlan0 Scan_results error (-22)
[ 2501.104332] ERROR @wl_notify_scan_status : 
[ 2501.104338] wlan0 Scan_results error (-22)
[ 2622.128421] ERROR @wl_notify_scan_status : 
[ 2622.128427] wlan0 Scan_results error (-22)
[ 2743.056348] ERROR @wl_notify_scan_status : 
[ 2743.056354] wlan0 Scan_results error (-22)
[ 2864.140386] ERROR @wl_notify_scan_status : 
[ 2864.140398] wlan0 Scan_results error (-22)
[ 2985.072412] ERROR @wl_notify_scan_status : 
[ 2985.072418] wlan0 Scan_results error (-22)
[ 3106.128362] ERROR @wl_notify_scan_status : 
[ 3106.128369] wlan0 Scan_results error (-22)
[ 3227.056412] ERROR @wl_notify_scan_status : 
[ 3227.056419] wlan0 Scan_results error (-22)
[ 3348.048425] ERROR @wl_notify_scan_status : 
[ 3348.048431] wlan0 Scan_results error (-22)
[ 3469.040406] ERROR @wl_notify_scan_status : 
[ 3469.040412] wlan0 Scan_results error (-22)
[ 3509.648349] ERROR @wl_notify_scan_status : 
[ 3509.648356] wlan0 Scan_results error (-22)
[ 3582.448423] ERROR @wl_notify_scan_status : 
[ 3582.448435] wlan0 Scan_results error (-22)
[ 3590.032426] ERROR @wl_notify_scan_status : 
[ 3590.032432] wlan0 Scan_results error (-22)
[ 3681.840435] ERROR @wl_notify_scan_status : 
[ 3681.840441] wlan0 Scan_results error (-22)
[ 3711.056411] ERROR @wl_notify_scan_status : 
[ 3711.056419] wlan0 Scan_results error (-22)
[ 3832.080374] ERROR @wl_notify_scan_status : 
[ 3832.080387] wlan0 Scan_results error (-22)
[ 3953.072470] ERROR @wl_notify_scan_status : 
[ 3953.072475] wlan0 Scan_results error (-22)
[ 4074.060469] ERROR @wl_notify_scan_status : 
[ 4074.060476] wlan0 Scan_results error (-22)
[ 4195.088423] ERROR @wl_notify_scan_status : 
[ 4195.088431] wlan0 Scan_results error (-22)
[ 4316.048347] ERROR @wl_notify_scan_status : 
[ 4316.048354] wlan0 Scan_results error (-22)
[ 4437.112343] ERROR @wl_notify_scan_status : 
[ 4437.112350] wlan0 Scan_results error (-22)
[ 4558.092871] ERROR @wl_notify_scan_status : 
[ 4558.092878] wlan0 Scan_results error (-22)
[ 4679.056341] ERROR @wl_notify_scan_status : 
[ 4679.056347] wlan0 Scan_results error (-22)

LSPCI Query Result:

Code: Select all

$ sudo lspci -vnnk -d 14e4:
02:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Broadcom Inc. and subsidiaries BCM4322 802.11a/b/g/n Wireless LAN Controller [14e4:432b] (rev 01)
	Subsystem: Apple Inc. AirPort Extreme [106b:008d]
	Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 17
	Memory at d3200000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16K]
	Capabilities: [40] Power Management version 3
	Capabilities: [58] Vendor Specific Information: Len=78 <?>
	Capabilities: [e8] MSI: Enable- Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit+
	Capabilities: [d0] Express Endpoint, MSI 00
	Capabilities: [100] Advanced Error Reporting
	Capabilities: [13c] Virtual Channel
	Capabilities: [160] Device Serial Number ea-c7-39-ff-ff-b0-78-ca
	Capabilities: [16c] Power Budgeting <?>
	Kernel driver in use: wl
	Kernel modules: ssb, wl

03:00.0 Ethernet controller [0200]: Broadcom Inc. and subsidiaries NetXtreme BCM5764M Gigabit Ethernet PCIe [14e4:1684] (rev 10)
	Subsystem: Broadcom Inc. and subsidiaries NetXtreme BCM5764M Gigabit Ethernet PCIe [14e4:1684]
	Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 32
	Memory at d3100000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=64K]
	Capabilities: [48] Power Management version 3
	Capabilities: [40] Vital Product Data
	Capabilities: [60] Vendor Specific Information: Len=6c <?>
	Capabilities: [50] MSI: Enable+ Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit+
	Capabilities: [cc] Express Endpoint, MSI 00
	Capabilities: [100] Advanced Error Reporting
	Capabilities: [13c] Virtual Channel
	Capabilities: [160] Device Serial Number c4-2c-03-ff-fe-2f-a9-f1
	Capabilities: [16c] Power Budgeting <?>
	Kernel driver in use: tg3
	Kernel modules: tg3

NMCLI command result:

Code: Select all

$ sudo nmcli device
DEVICE  TYPE      STATE                   CONNECTION         
eth0    ethernet  connected               Wired connection 1 
lo      loopback  connected (externally)  lo                 
wlan0   wifi      disconnected            --                 

If there are any other information that I still miss here please let me know I will be glad to provide them to you.

Any help will be very much appreciated. I hope someone has already gone into this situation.
Thank you!

[Jiwan]

This is the wireless device detecting my SSID WiFi at home on boot after the chime sound of Macbook Pro before grub shows up.

https://imgur.com/V77wOMQ

And this is my another old Macbook Pro Mid 2012 13 inch connected to the home SSID WiFi. Which has Debian 12 installed on it.

https://imgur.com/u27hq9T

[j2mcgreg]

We need your computer’s complete profile before we can proceed, so you need to post the output from the QSI utility. The Quick System Info (QSI) utility is located in MX Tools and its output is automatically formatted for use here in the forum. Run the QSI utility, click “Copy for Forum” at the bottom and then just paste it here in your thread.
Forum Rules

[Jiwan]

We need your computer’s complete profile before we can proceed, so you need to post the output from the QSI utility. The Quick System Info (QSI) utility is located in MX Tools and its output is automatically formatted for use here in the forum. Run the QSI utility, click “Copy for Forum” at the bottom and then just paste it here in your thread.
Forum Rules

I did provide that on my initial post. Hold on let me tag or name it properly.

I have now bold the label of information that I have provided. I do not know how to anchor it here to my reply.

[j2mcgreg]

We need your computer’s complete profile before we can proceed, so you need to post the output from the QSI utility. The Quick System Info (QSI) utility is located in MX Tools and its output is automatically formatted for use here in the forum. Run the QSI utility, click “Copy for Forum” at the bottom and then just paste it here in your thread.
Forum Rules

I did provide that on my initial post. Hold on let me tag or name it properly.

I have now bold the label of information that I have provided. I do not know how to anchor it here to my reply.

I asked for your QSI because you now have three Macbooks in play and I wasn't sure which one was the reference model.

[Jiwan]

We need your computer’s complete profile before we can proceed, so you need to post the output from the QSI utility. The Quick System Info (QSI) utility is located in MX Tools and its output is automatically formatted for use here in the forum. Run the QSI utility, click “Copy for Forum” at the bottom and then just paste it here in your thread.
Forum Rules

I did provide that on my initial post. Hold on let me tag or name it properly.

I have now bold the label of information that I have provided. I do not know how to anchor it here to my reply.

I asked for your QSI because you now have three Macbooks in play and I wasn't sure which one was the reference model.

I'm sorry for the confusion. It's the Macbook Pro Mid 2010 (MacBookPro7,1) that I'm currently having problem. Let me know if you need more info that I could gather on my end.

[j2mcgreg]

@Jiwan wrote:

I'm sorry for the confusion. It's the Macbook Pro Mid 2010 (MacBookPro7,1) that I'm currently having problem. Let me know if you need more info that I could gather on my end.

My guess is that your problem stems from the kernel you are currently using. If you were to use MXPI to install a Liquorix kernel, which have better hardware recognition than the default Debian kernels, you could find that the WiFi problem no longer exists. There are a lot of Liquorix kernels to choose from (MXPI --> Popular Apps tab) but I think that the 6.6.xxx or the 6.9.xxx would be a good starting point.

[CharlesV]

+1 on the liquorix kernel. Also you may want to enable the ahs repo.

Here is what I show for one of my broadcom machines, running a 6.12.x liquorix kernel.

[Jiwan]

@Jiwan wrote:

I'm sorry for the confusion. It's the Macbook Pro Mid 2010 (MacBookPro7,1) that I'm currently having problem. Let me know if you need more info that I could gather on my end.

My guess is that your problem stems from the kernel you are currently using. If you were to use MXPI to install a Liquorix kernel, which have better hardware recognition than the default Debian kernels, you could find that the WiFi problem no longer exists. There are a lot of Liquorix kernels to choose from (MXPI --> Popular Apps tab) but I think that the 6.6.xxx or the 6.9.xxx would be a good starting point.

Can I explicitly install "Liquorix kernel"? I have no clue or idea how to do this because honestly I just learn this linux stuff about almost a year now and I'm installing them to my old Macbook Pro to extend their life to be use by my old man. I find MX the most easiest one to install with old machines . I will give a shot on this and get back to you.

Thank you in advance for helping me on this.

[Jiwan]

+1 on the liquorix kernel. Also you may want to enable the ahs repo.

Here is what I show for one of my broadcom machines, running a 6.12.x liquorix kernel.

Can I use this installer image instead? --> "MX-23.6_x64 “ahs”" under Xfce (flagship desktop) in download section of MX Linux website. I thought this "ahs" installer variant are for machines that was build year 2015 onwards.

How do I enable the ahs repo if am using the standard installer of MX? Do you also have Mac or Macbook machines since you mentioned you have broadcom on your machine I would assume that have

Also how to do you attach an image to your post? Which tag do you use? "Insert image"?