WI-FI doesn't work (Hard Blocked)

Question

Yesterday I installed Ubuntu 12.04 for the first time (I've always been a Windows user) as I was at the office and I had the Ethernet connected.

At home I only use WI-FI. When I started Ubuntu it didn't connect or try to connect with any network.

By google, I found the command rfkill and these are the results:

0: hci0: Bluetooth
    Soft blocked: no
    Hard blocked: no

1: brcmwl-0: Wireless LAN
    Soft blocked: no
    Hard blocked: no

2: dell-wifi: Wireless LAN
    Soft blocked: yes
    Hard blocked: yes

3: dell-bluetooth: Bluetooth
    Soft blocked: no
    Hard blocked: no

Well, the WI-FI is blocked by hardware, so I tried the command rfkill unblock 2 and it didn't work. As I didn't know even my Broadcom model, I found lspci and the result for the WI-FI is:

0e:00.0 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4312 802.11b/g LP-PHY (rev 01)

My laptop is a Dell Vostro 1520 with WinXP also installed. Thanks for the help!

PS: It also may help that when I enter System Settings > Network (it may be different, my Ubuntu is in Spanish) "Airplane Mode" is connected. When I try to unlock it, it goes to its original place after I close that window and open it again and when I reboot.

---

Update added from comment to an answer

The Broadcom "Additional Drivers" are turned on and enabled.

Solution 1

After trying several things, I solved it by reseting the BIOS (Lenovo B570).

When you turn on the computer, press F2 to enter the BIOS, then reset it F9 .

Solution 2

I found this and it worked for me.

This is how to get the wireless hardswitch to turn on using the terminal:

sudo apt-get remove bcmwl-kernel-source
sudo apt-get install firmware-b43-installer
sudo apt-get install b43-fwcutter

Then enter this command to turn it on:

cat /etc/modprobe.d/* | egrep '8180|acx|at76|ath|b43|bcm|CX|eth|ipw|irmware|isl| lbtf|orinoco|ndiswrapper|NPE|p54|prism|rtl|rt2|rt3 |rt6|rt7|witch|wl'

Reboot and see if it stays on.

Solution 3

I just had to push the wireless switch on the side of my laptop some how I accidentally had turned it off. But now its working, gotta watch out for that small mistake. Costs me 2 hours of searching.

Comments

[damien]

Broadcom and ubuntu do not play nicely together Try these fixes askubuntu.com/q/55868/93577

[Fernando]

any time I reboot my computer it doesn't work again and I have to launch the commands again. Is there any mode to fix this?

[fleamour]

Run as script at start up in rc.local?

[Quidam]

Doesn't help when it's an hard block, like in the question. Especially a hard block with no switch button, a soft key hard block!

[karel]

Does this answer your question? Installing Broadcom Wireless Drivers

[Fernando]

It's turned on indeed and the driver are enabled.

[Eliah Kagan]

The cat ... | egrep ... command just outputs information, it does not actually change anything. (See man cat and man egrep.)

[Taha Jahangir]

I confirm, resetting BIOS solves the problem (Lenovo E430c, Ubuntu 13.10). The keys for entering BIOS may be different.

[K7AAY]

fails with 14.94

[Pilot6]

OP does not have ASUS.

[Quidam]

Yes, when it's a physical switch, but with a soft switch, when the key or keys sequence is not recognized by Linux, that's the problem!

[Quidam]

OP not, but some other guys can. If it works on ASUS, it's a good start for an alternative solution. Does it work?

[masu]

Oh, man... My BIOS was already on default settings but I've just reset it now... and Wifi just came back... without actually anything... lol... It's not even a Lenovo, it's a Dell...

[djnz0feh]

I've ended up here with the same problem; the wifi had "just stopped working". Dang it, I've just remembered that this Dell laptop from 2005 has also has a physical wifi switch! Thank you!

[bkwdesign]

works for Linux Mint 20 on my compaq presario