Broadcom STA module is not loadable on karmic due to unknown symbols

I do not use Karamic, but use Jaunty. After kernel update a several days ago my network did not work (WIFI and ETH).

http://georgia.ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php?p=7506946&postcount=18

this helped me to solve the problem

sudo /sbin/lrm-manager
sudo modprobe wl

But I think it should be fixed.

Thank you, Anton, but linux-restricted-modules is no longer being used in karmic.

I have solved the problem by removing linux-backports-modules-2.6.31-1-generic which contained the bogus lib80211.ko. I have no idea why I installed that package in the first place. Now wl.ko loads correctly (and automatically) and its dependencies are correct:

updates/dkms/wl.ko: kernel/net/wireless/lib80211.ko

Please check whether the failure I described is the expected behaviour and whether a “Conflicts:” should be added to avert this issue. Otherwise, just close this bug. :-)

On a fresh karmic on a dell mini:

FATAL: Error inserting wl (/lib/modules/2.6.31-14-generic/updates/dkms/wl.ko): Unknown symbol in module, or unknown parameter (see dmesg)

and in the dmesg:
[ 51.603074] wl: disagrees about version of symbol lib80211_get_crypto_ops
[ 51.603083] wl: Unknown symbol lib80211_get_crypto_ops

dpkg -S lib80211.ko :
linux-image-2.6.31-14-generic: /lib/modules/2.6.31-14-generic/kernel/net/wireless/lib80211.ko
linux-backports-modules-2.6.31-14-generic: /lib/modules/2.6.31-14-generic/updates/cw/lib80211.ko

Removing linux-backports-modules-2.6.31-14-generic does not help (same error message).

BTW, with a "Network controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4312 802.11b/g (rev 01)" which driver are we suppose to use?? b43? wl? In jaunty, I use to use wl and it was fine.

insmod /lib/modules/2.6.31-14-generic/kernel/net/wireless/lib80211.ko
insmod /lib/modules/2.6.31-14-generic/kernel/net/wireless/lib80211_crypt_ccmp.ko
insmod /lib/modules/2.6.31-14-generic/kernel/net/wireless/lib80211_crypt_tkip.ko
insmod /lib/modules/2.6.31-14-generic/kernel/net/wireless/lib80211_crypt_wep.ko
modprobe wl

does work so the fix should be quite easy.

Never mind...Removing linux-backports-modules-2.6.31-14-generic does fix the pb.

Yes! Just remove linux-backports-modules-2.6.31-14-generic and the problem was gone!

Removing linux-backports-modules-2.6.31-15-generic have eliminated problem.

Thank you.Xavier Gnata.Removing linux-backports-modules-2.6.31-14-generic really work.

removing linux-backports-modules-2.6.31-15-generic also worked for me, however, I need that installed to allow the modules for vmware workstation to build properly. So the process that I run through anytime the kernel or vmware changes is:

-Install backports-modules
-rebuild vmware kernel modules
-uninstall backports
-rebuild bcmwl (if the kernel is what changed)

On 11/16/2009 07:15 PM, QuentinHartman wrote:
> removing linux-backports-modules-2.6.31-15-generic also worked for me,
> however, I need that installed to allow the modules for vmware
> workstation to build properly. So the process that I run through anytime
> the kernel or vmware changes is:
>
> -Install backports-modules
> -rebuild vmware kernel modules
> -uninstall backports
> -rebuild bcmwl (if the kernel is what changed)
>
>

That's not a solution ;)

backports-modules should stop to provide modules with a incompatible ABI compare to the one which is in the kernel mainline....but I assume it is not that easy.

Xavier

It's not only no solution as Xavier says, but in my case I'm suffering from an unloadable "wl" module - *and* removing "linux-backports-modules-2.6.31-15-generic" did not work for me. :(

When trying to "modprobe wl", I get the following error in dmesg:
[quote]
wl: disagrees about version of symbol lib80211_get_crypto_ops
wl: Unknown symbol lib80211_get_crypto_ops
[/quote]

Unfortunately, that's also the reason why it's not even possible to *try* the proprietary broadcom STA-driver, suggested by Jockey.

(Well, I've learned not to trust Dell anymore: I've begged them to give me hardware that would *not* be a pain-in-the-ass with GNU/Linux and they gave me a 4312 chipset. *sigh*)

Any ideas/updates on this broadcom driver issue? There are currently too many HowTos for Karmic & b43xx-chipsets, everyone suggesting something different...

The broadcom module was removed from Debian repositories for a while, but
now has reappeared. I installed Broadcom-sta-common and
Broadcom-sta-source modules 5.10.91.9.3-1: all from testing also they are
in Sid and they work fine for me.

David

If the problem is being cause by a change in the ABI, can you try the following command, please?

sudo apt-get install --reinstall bcmwl-kernel-source

and restart your computer.

Please let me know if it solves the problem

Hi Alberto,

I had the same problem with my Acer Aspire One and karmic (2.6.31-16). Removing the backports did not solve the problem but your idea with sudo apt-get install --reinstall bcmwl-kernel-source worked just fine. Thanks a lot !

i also had this proble on 2.6.31-17 had to remove backports and sudo apt-get install --reinstall bcmwl-kernel-source then reboot to get mine to work

ken

I'm using linux-backports-modules-2.6.31-17.19, and recompiling the bcm module with jockey isn't working. After a reboot, dmesg reads:

[ 502.506495] wl: disagrees about version of symbol lib80211_get_crypto_ops
[ 502.506509] wl: Unknown symbol lib80211_get_crypto_ops

That bug affected me too, without this bugentry I would have not solved it, thank you!!

I wanted to try out TuxOnIce (2.6.31-19-generic-tuxonice #56~ppa3-Ubuntu), but I also installed the linux-backports-modules-*, which was not a good idea.

==> after de-installing all linux-backports-modules-* (I had acutally some) it worked again!!

For what it's worth, Broadcom-STA is working correctly in the current
Lucid updated pre-release. Ubuntu 10.04 LTS - the Lucid Lynx.

David Ring
Green Harbor, MA
-30-

NOT All linux-backports-modules-* must be removed to provide work.
Just, linux-backports-modules-$(uname -r)

I use linux-backports-modules-alsa .. for audio digging =)

this seems to come and go as *-backports-* is updated, it'd be cool if there was a way to block something, or give an install message from dkms when you enable the 3rd party modules

Alberto Milone,

Below are the results of your request on my system:

root@mini:/home/mini# sudo apt-get install --reinstall bcmwl-kernel-source
Reading package lists...Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Reinstallation of bcmwl-kernel-source is not possible, it cannot be downloaded.
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
2 not fully installed or removed.
After this operation, 0B of additional disk space will be used.
Setting up b43-fwcutter (1:012-1build1) ...
--2010-05-02 19:04:44-- http://downloads.openwrt.org/sources/wl_apsta-3.130.20.0.o
Resolving downloads.openwrt.org...

failed: Name or service not known.
wget: unable to resolve host address `downloads.openwrt.org'
dpkg: error processing b43-fwcutter (--configure):
subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 4
Setting up bcmwl-kernel-source

(5.60.48.36+bdcom-0ubuntu3) ...
Removing old bcmwl-5.60.48.36+bdcom DKMS files...

------------------------------
Deleting module version: 5.60.48.36+bdcom

completely from the DKMS tree.
------------------------------
Done.
Loading new bcmwl-5.60.48.36+bdcom DKMS files...
First Installation: checking all kernels...
Building only for 2.6.32-21-generic
Building for architecture i686
Building initial module for 2.6.32-21-generic
/usr/sbin/dkms: line 35: patch: command not found

Error! Application of patch 0001-MODULE_LICENSE.patch failed.
Check /var/lib/dkms/bcmwl/5.60.48.36+bdcom/build/ for more information.
dpkg: error processing bcmwl-kernel-source (--configure):
subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 6
Errors were encountered while processing:
b43-fwcutter
bcmwl-kernel-source
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

root@fyq-laptop:/lib/modules/2.6.32-25-generic/kernel/net/wireless# insmod lib80211.ko
insmod: error inserting 'lib80211.ko': -1 File exists
root@fyq-laptop:/lib/modules/2.6.32-25-generic/kernel/net/wireless# insmod lib80211_crypt_wep.ko
insmod: error inserting 'lib80211_crypt_wep.ko': -1 Unknown symbol in module
root@fyq-laptop:/lib/modules/2.6.32-25-generic/kernel/net/wireless# insmod lib80211_crypt_tkip.ko
insmod: error inserting 'lib80211_crypt_tkip.ko': -1 Unknown symbol in module
root@fyq-laptop:/lib/modules/2.6.32-25-generic/kernel/net/wireless# insmod lib80211_crypt_ccmp.ko
insmod: error inserting 'lib80211_crypt_ccmp.ko': -1 Unknown symbol in module
root@fyq-laptop:/lib/modules/2.6.32-25-generic/kernel/net/wireless# modprobe wl
FATAL: Error inserting wl (/lib/modules/2.6.32-25-generic/updates/dkms/wl.ko): Unknown symbol in module, or unknown parameter (see dmesg)

I got these errors above . How to solve this problem ?

Remember, after you get rid of the backports packages, you have to do a 'modprobe -r lib80211', to get rid of the backport version of it. Then a fresh 'modprobe wl' should do the trick. At least it did for me.

Regards,
     Asfand

Thank you Asfand Qazi - I was going round in circles until I saw your post. These steps fixed the issue for me:

remove all backports using apt-get
sudo apt-get install --reinstall bcmwl-kernel-source
modprobe -r lib80211
modprobe wl

Marking as wont-fix as karmic is no longer supported