Broadcom BCM4318 / HP Pavilion dv8000 via ndiswrapper not working

[Lane]

On Monday 20 November 2006 15:41, Nathan Vidican wrote:
> <background-info>:
>
> uname -a:
> FreeBSD nv-laptop.wmptl.net 6.2-RC1 FreeBSD 6.2-RC1 #0: Fri Nov 17
> 10:46:22 EST 2006
> root at nv-laptop.wmptl.net:/usr/src/sys/amd64/compile/nv1  amd64
>
> Ok, so I have the Windows 64-bit driver files for my card, I ran
> ndisgen, without any errors and produced 'bcmwl564_sys.ko'. I place the
> file in /boot/modules, and can load it just fine using kldload. No
> errors, but also no output whatsoever into dmesg nor on the console.
>
> I set the module to load at bootup, (even though it as of yet doesn't
> work), and when I reboot kldstat produces:
>
> nv-laptop# kldstat
> Id Refs Address            Size     Name
>  1   16 0xffffffff80100000 6071c8   kernel
>  2    1 0xffffffff80708000 886e8    bcmwl564_sys.ko
>  3    3 0xffffffff80791000 25fe0    ndis.ko
>  4    2 0xffffffff807b7000 10510    if_ndis.ko
>  5    1 0xffffffffa7813000 1059     daemon_saver.ko
>  6    1 0xffffffffa788d000 1d175    radeon.ko
>  7    1 0xffffffffa78ab000 d7d7     drm.ko
>
>
> So, it took the module, it's loaded, but the card isn't detected... the
> card is a Broadcom BCM4318, and it is reported from pciconf -lv as below:
>
> none3 at pci6:2:0: class=0x028000 card=0x1358103c chip=0x431914e4 rev=0x02
> hdr=0x00
>     vendor   = 'Broadcom Corporation'
>     class      = network
>
> I suspect the issue to have something to do with the wireless on/off
> button located under the center of the screen. This button (afaik)
> enables/disabled the wireless and bluetooth interface from within
> windows. With the bluetooth interface enabled, I get debug messages sent
> through dmesg regarding ugen on/off. With the bluetooth interface
> disabled (from the bios), pressing the button (apparently) does nothing
> under FreeBSD. Again, I suspect that this button somehow ties into power
> management via ACPI to turn on/off the wireless card, but I lack the
> experience to further diagnose/prove the issue.
>
>
> <question(s)>:
>
> How do I probe, list, or otherwise display the possible ACPI 'devices'
> (ie buttons) ? I've been somewhere before where I could see the buttons
> on a filesystem-like device, but cannot remember how to get back there.
> More importantly, how do I see the status or availability of the button
> for wireless on/off?
>
> Can I run a debugger on the ndis-generated kernel module and watch or
> otherwise step through it's code? - Even if this requires recompiling
> with support for gdb, could this not shed some light as to weathermy
> problem is related to an incorrect driver, or to binding the driver to a
> device?
>
> Is there a more appropriate list where I should post these comments to,
> perhaps somewhere to get in touch with someone developing/working on the
> ndis-wrapper stuff?
>
> I am by no means a kernel hacker yet, and have a lot to learn as far as
> debugging code and/or working with gcc and associated tools... but I am
> familiar with code; a programmer by trade just new to the world of gcc
> and kind of green with the tools therein associated. However, I am
> willing and wanting to help if I can and in any way I can. I have been
> googling the heck out of this and have found far more questions than
> answers from others having problems with the same card... so rather than
> add to the whining, I'd love to help fix things for everyone - just
> point me where to go/read/do next if you will :)
>
> --
> Nathan Vidican
> nathan at vidican.com
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Nathan,

I've got a similar card on my laptop, which pciconf only knows as 

     vendor   = 'Broadcom Corporation'
     class      = network


It works properly in windows with the shipped drivers, but I've yet to get it 
to work in FreeBSD 6.1.

A couple of folks have suggested using various drivers, downloadable from the 
DELL site, and have even given me specific filenames to download.  However, 
no combination of drivers and "ndisgen" seems to yield a workable kernel 
module for me, and I've never been able to have "ifconfig -a" report the 
ndis0 interface (although it does see something called fwi0).

Frankly I gave up on it.

If you come up with a solution, by all means please share it with the list.  
While wireless ain't exactly "cutting edge," knowledge about it seems to be 
much more diffuse than with other features of FreeBSD - or perhaps the 
technology is much more hardware-specific than with other pieces of 
equipment ...

lane