Dell 1390 native linux driver how-to UPDATED
Edit: Added the module for the 64 bit kernel, built by Andy. See instructions below. I can’t test it at the moment, but it works for him.
Edit 2: New module for the 32 bit kernel, supporting packet injection. For some reason, it is not reporting the correct signal quality, but apart from that it’s working ok. Download it if you plan to use aircrack-ng.
Edit 3: For the 2.6.20-16-generic kernel you just need to install the firmware files, skip everything else. Injection capable module coming soon.
Edit 4: You can get the injection capable module for 2.6.20-16-generic from here.
There were some problems with the first version of the tutorial. You needed to download the not so small kernel source, you needed to use an unstable and unsupported kernel version and you couldn’t use modules compiled by the Ubuntu team (fglrx, vmware player and server, etc). Now, you can profit from the full speed of your Dell 1390 Wifi card while still using the official Ubuntu kernel. This guide is intended just for the 2.6.20-15-generic kernel.
You download the firmware package into the home folder.
cd ~
wget http://ubuntu.cafuego.net/pool/feisty-cafuego/bcm43xx/
bcm43xx-firmware_1.3-1ubuntu2_all.deb
Everything on a single line for the wget command!
Install the firmware files and remove the package.
sudo dpkg -i ./bcm43xx-firmware_1.3-1ubuntu2_all.deb
rm ./bcm43xx-firmware_1.3-1ubuntu2_all.deb
Download the module for the 32 bit kernel or the module for the 64 bit version (compiled by Andy using my instructions).
wget http://linux-geek.org/files/bcm43xx.tar.bz2
OR
wget http://www.linux-geek.org/files/bcm43xx-64bit.ko.tar.bz2
OR
wget http://www.linux-geek.org/files/bcm43xx-packet-injection.tar.bz2
And finally, we replace the bcm43xx driver provided by the Ubuntu kernel with the driver ported by me, from the 2.6.21-rc7 kernel.
sudo rm /lib/modules/2.6.20-15-generic/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/bcm43xx/bcm43xx.ko
sudo tar xvjf ./bcm43xx.tar.bz2 -C /lib/modules/2.6.20-15-generic/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/bcm43xx/
OR
sudo tar xvjf ./bcm43xx-64bit.ko.tar.bz2 -C /lib/modules/2.6.20-15-generic/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/bcm43xx/
Now reboot your computer. The module’s name is the same, bcm43xx. If you are not sure how to test if the wifi card is working, run
sudo modprobe bcm43xx
iwlist scan
BTW, the programs contained within the wireless-tools package are not going to complain about Wireless Extensions anymore, like they did with the 2.6.21 kernel.
Below is a screenshot taken while testing the module. Note that the displayed speed is not limited by the wifi card, it is limited by my internet connection.

22 Apr 2007 Cosmin 149 comments

