[SOLVED] Cannot get WiFi recognized when installing PopOs 22.04 on 2015 MacBook Pro

[hvold]

Hallelujaaaaaaahhhhh!

https://www.reddit.com/r/pop_os/comments/uk2idd/_/i7o58c0

This worked for me! I do not know why, but thank you linux community!!!!!

 

[Brickwizard]

oh well done finding the cause, I have bookmarked for future reference

 

[kc1di]

Well done finding the answer

 

[kamusis]

and now my MacBook Pro 15in 2015 model is no longer supported by the newest macOS Monterey

I jut being curious why did you say your MBP 2015 no longer supported macOS Monterey? My MBP 13 Early 2015 is running smoothly on macOS Monterey 12.2

 

[wizardfromoz]

I jut being curious...

But off topic.

Welcome to linux.org @kamusis

If the OP chooses to answer you he can, but he has not been seen for 5 months.

I am marking this Thread solved.

Chris Turner
wizardfromoz

 

[davealvarado]

Dam it, being Loosely based on Ubuntu I hoped it would work, you were connected by wire to the router/internet I hope!
If so, let's make one last try this afternoon..
make sure you are connected to the internet, then try
sudo apt update and enter then when that's done
sudo apt install bcmwl-kernel-source and enter then when that has done
sudo modprobe wl and enter now when that's finished
RE-boot

edit, note the get has gone from the instructions as I dont think its needed with Pop

Just wanted to check in, these instructions worked today on a Late 2013 MacBook Pro 15" with a Broadcom BCM4360, Pop!_OS 22.04 LTS fully patched. Wifi didn't work on the bare install, but I shared my phone's internet via USB to patch, install inxi, and work through your advice. Thanks!

 

[linnnnil]

Since this thread has helped me get a WIFI connectivity on my (recently purchased) old 2015 MacBook Air, I just wanted to pay tribute with my first post and add some (CRUCIAL in my case) information:

I could only install the drivers for the built-in Broadcom WLAN device via USB tether from my (unloved and rarely used) Android mobile phone. At first I tried to share WLAN from my iPhone, not knowing that iPhones would NOT allow network access to a Linux machine via sharing a personal hotspot.

I still don't understand why these drivers are NOT part of the Pop!_OS ISO installation file.... This is really an unfathomable mystery to me.

So, maybe this note will help some other newbies. Would have saved me a few hours for sure....

Well, finally, my very frist Linux test can begin! I've been a Mac fan for over 30 years, but I'm increasingly annoyed by Apple's data sucking policy, gender GUIs, mobile optimised (= vertical OMG!) preference panes in OS 13 etc.

 

[kc1di]

Since this thread has helped me get a WIFI connectivity on my (recently purchased) old 2015 MacBook Air, I just wanted to pay tribute with my first post and add some (CRUCIAL in my case) information:

I could only install the drivers for the built-in Broadcom WLAN device via USB tether from my (unloved and rarely used) Android mobile phone. At first I tried to share WLAN from my iPhone, not knowing that iPhones would NOT allow network access to a Linux machine via sharing a personal hotspot.

I still don't understand why these drivers are NOT part of the Pop!_OS ISO installation file.... This is really an unfathomable mystery to me.

So, maybe this note will help some other newbies. Would have saved me a few hours for sure....

Well, finally, my very frist Linux test can begin! I've been a Mac fan for over 30 years, but I'm increasingly annoyed by Apple's data sucking policy, gender GUIs, mobile optimised (= vertical OMG!) preference panes in OS 13 etc.

Hello @linnnnil,
Welcome to Linux.org forum. Enjoy the journey!
Glad you got your wifi working. It's a licensing thing. Broadcom does not allow Linux to freely distribute their drivers. At least not under U.S. law. So that is why they can't be install automatically. There are others the same way or similar licensing. Some distros based outside the US do install them. Someday hopefully that will change but that is the way it is for now.

 

[Brickwizard]

Welcome to the forums @linnnnil

 

[MikeWalsh]

Sorry for contributing to the necro-posting, guys...

@Brickwizard :-

Answer me this.....if you can. This business of "installing" the Broadcom drivers, it's a bit different to how we handle this stuff under Puppy. Does the "mainstream" method simultaneously install the firmware along with the drivers?

I only ask, because we frequently find that certain kernel/firmware combos usually contain either the one OR the other.....but not both. One of our veteran members (by the name of gyrog) has for years been collecting/compiling/building a huge firmware database on behalf of the community, from which he periodically releases 'snapshots' in the form of 'load-on-the-fly' SFS packages.

Puppies tend to use the following format for their 'base' packages:-

• A 'puppy-xxxxx.xx.sfs' file - the 'main' Puppy file
• A 'zdrv-xxxxx.xx.sfs' file - contains the kernel modules. This, along with vmlinuz, is what enables quick kernel swaps in Puppyland; one is created for every kernel by the kernel-master-kit script in Woof-CE at Github
• An 'frdv-xxxxx.xx.sfs' file - this is optional, but will be one of gyrog's periodic firmware update releases, often containing frequently hard-to-find, or 'awkward' firmware. Gyrog's a demon when it comes to locating the hard-to-find stuff!
• An 'adrv-xxxxx.xx.sfs' file - often present, but again optional. Used by individual developers to add certain software packages of their choice. Can be easily rebuilt to alter contents

I only wondered how the mainstream distros handle this, 'cos I have very little to do with them....


Mike.

 

[kc1di]

Sorry for contributing to the necro-posting, guys...

@Brickwizard :-

Answer me this.....if you can. This business of "installing" the Broadcom drivers, it's a bit different to how we handle this stuff under Puppy. Does the "mainstream" method simultaneously install the firmware along with the drivers?

I only ask, because we frequently find that certain kernel/firmware combos usually contain either the one OR the other.....but not both. One of our veteran members (by the name of gyrog) has for years been collecting/compiling/building a huge firmware database on behalf of the community, from which he periodically releases 'snapshots' in the form of 'load-on-the-fly' SFS packages.

Puppies tend to use the following format for their 'base' packages:-

• A 'puppy-xxxxx.xx.sfs' file - the 'main' Puppy file
• A 'zdrv-xxxxx.xx.sfs' file - contains the kernel modules. This, along with vmlinuz, is what enables quick kernel swaps in Puppyland; one is created for every kernel by the kernel-master-kit script in Woof-CE at Github
• An 'frdv-xxxxx.xx.sfs' file - this is optional, but will be one of gyrog's periodic firmware update releases, often containing frequently hard-to-find, or 'awkward' firmware
• An 'adrv-xxxxx.xx.sfs' file - often present, but again optional. Used by individual developers to add certain software packages of their choice. Can be easily rebuilt to alter contents

I only wondered how the mainstream distros handle this, 'cos I have very little to do with them....


Mike.

Hi Mike,
I'll make a stab at what you are asking.

In Ubuntu (maybe debian) based distros the firmware for broadcom drivers is included in the wl /b43 driver packages. But it's not in the b43 legacy packages and must be installed separately. though I've used other rpm based distro I'm not sure how they handle the broadcom drivers. I haven't had a broadcom card in any computer for about 7 years now. I try to stick to intel wifi cards as they seem to work out of the box with most distros. Hope this is of help.
for a run down on which driver packages work with which broadcom chipset see here.

Broadcom Ubuntu 22.04 Wifi Driver Installation – Step-by-step – tutorialforlinux.com

tutorialforlinux.com

 

[Brickwizard]

Answer me this.....if you can. This business of "installing" the Broadcom drivers, it's a bit different to how we handle this stuff under Puppy. Does the "mainstream" method simultaneously install the firmware along with the drivers?

Hi Mike
Keep in mind I am not a Dog handler, most of my distros are Debian based [as that seems to be the most popular base these days]
Although the non-free BCM drivers are available to all Debian based distro's I have found there is a split between distros who do and those who do not include them as standard, as @kc1di has said above, many do not include the legacy packs, which is a shame as there is still a hell of a lot of Kit out there in uses that has b43 legacy cards

Brian

 

[MikeWalsh]

Dave / Brian.......thanks for that, guys. As I said, I was more curious than anything else, since I really haven't had much to do with "mainstream" stuff since my days with Ubuntu "Trusty" (and that tells y'all how long ago THAT was!)

Dell, in addition to being one of the biggest manufacturers out there, have of course always had a pretty close relationship with Broadcom. Certainly, every Dell I've ever used has had their networking hardware built-in.....

Cheers.


Mike.

 

[Brickwizard]

every Dell I've ever used has had their networking hardware built-in.....

yep, but that has changed, during the last 4 yrs they have changed over to Intel wireless

 

[MikeWalsh]

@Brickwizard :-

Fair comment. Mine have all definitely come under the heading of "older kit", so.......there ya go. I've always liked Dells, though; very "Linux-friendly", that's for sure.

Mike.

 

[mgiampapa]

Thanks for all the info in this thread, just helped me get WiFI working on an old 27" Late 2013 iMac and have it go back into useful service. On PopOS 24.04 Alpha 4 none the less!