Can't enable the proprietary drivers for Broadcom BCM43142 wireless after installing Ubuntu 14.10? Offline package required?

Question

I have installed the new Ubuntu 14.10 on my Dell Inspiron 3521.

I was able to use my wifi in the Boot Live Stage and during the Installation phase by enabling the BroadCom BCM 43142 proprietary drivers.

But after installation I can't enable the proprietary drivers.

I can see the drivers listed there and when I select the option to use them and click Apply, the progress bar starts going ahead but stops in process and the 'Do not use them' option gets reselected.

I have searched some questions here according to which I must connect my laptop with an ethernet cable to get my wifi drivers working.

But I don't have any ethernet cable at present with me. I can only use the wifi on my second laptop.

Is there any other way to get the drivers working or Is there any offline installer like a .deb file for the drivers?

If anyone knows, please help!

I've reinstalled ubuntu thrice but the problem remains same.

Solution 1

Do you still have the install USB or DVD? Insert it and drill down to pool > restricted > b > bcmwl and drag bcmwl-kernel-source to your desktop. Do the same with pool > main > d >dkms and drag dkms to you desktop. Then install:

cd ~/Desktop
sudo dpkg -i dkms*.deb
sudo dpkg -i bcmwl*.deb

Reboot and tell us if your wireless is working.

Solution 2

I also have the same wifi driver and i too was unable to use the driver after a fresh install. I was not able to make an offline install, but here is another way your problem may be solved. Using USB tethering, you can use you mobile internet connection (you can use either wifi or data pack, any of them will do) to access the internet. I was able to install my driver using these commands

sudo apt-get install linux-firmware-nonfree
sudo apt-get update

this will build repositories, not all update is required. Then update the Ubuntu list of PCI.IDs:

sudo update-pciids

And finally install the driver

sudo apt-get install bcmwl-kernel-source

Before ubuntu 14 only one command was required to install the driver, but in ubuntu 16, these two things are required and initially internet is required:

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

Comments

[Elder Geek]

This appears to be a bug: bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/network-manager/+bug/13152‌​65

[Elder Geek]

You might try Ofer Cohen workaround at the link above.

[Elder Geek]

You might also find this helpful: tuxthink.blogspot.com/2013/11/…

[david6]

For a fresh install (14.10, 15.04), you need to run sudo apt-get update first, before attempting to load linux-firmware-nonfree.

[david6]

Confirmed works also 15.04 (64-bit).

[david6]

Confirmed works, for 14.04.2 LTS (64-bit) and 14.10 (64-bit).

[Mateng]

This is a better solution then with tethering.