Geting wireless to work: Broadcom BCM43142

[wackpanther]

Hi everyone
This is another 'how can I get my wifi to work' post.
I realize that this forum is covered with this question over and over.
I've been looking for days, tho, and can't find info on my particular card.
If it's covered somewhere, please point me in that direction!

Here's my problem:
I've just loaded Linux on a fairly new Sony Vaio 14E.
wicd isn't finding any networks,
iwconfig doesn't show wlan0.
lspci does find my wireless card:
07:00.0 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM43142 802.11b/g/n (rev 01)
So?
Broadcom drivers are not included and must be downloaded separately.
Enter b43-firmware, b43-fwcutter
Didn't work.
Here's the problem:
http://wireless.kernel.org/en/users/Drivers/b43
tells me that my card (BCM43142) is not supported by the b43 driver set.
Darn!
I've got some newfangled wireless card that does wifi/vbluetooth
What should I try next?
Thanks for any replies

[wackpanther]

Well I found another piece of the puzzle:
According to Broadcom's website,
broadcom-sta should cover my specific card.
So installing this should make it work!
But it didn't work and my skills are limited.
Maybe someone will throw me a bone?

I tried to install broadcom-sta using
spi --install broadcom-sta
It made a good solid effort, but came back with

make: *** /lib/modules/3.10.17/build: No such file or directory. Stop.
fakeroot -- sh broadcom-sta.SlackBuild Failed

Broadcom specifically addresses this on their website!
But I don't know how to use it.
"If you try to build this module but get an error message that looks like
this:

make: *** /lib/modules/"release"/build: No such file or directory. Stop.

Then you do not have the proper packages installed, since installing the
proper packages will create /lib/modules/"release"/build on your system.

On Fedora install 'kernel-devel' from
Package Manager (System-> Administration-> Add/Remove Software)
or
yum install kernel-devel
or
yum install kernel-PAE-devel

On Ubuntu, you will need headers and tools. Try these commands:
# apt-get install build-essential linux-headers-generic
# apt-get build-dep linux
"

Can someone please tell me which packages/headers/tools salix is missing?
What command will install them?
thank you!

[mimosa]

Looks like you need the kernel-source package:

Code: Select all

sudo spi -i kernel-source

Please post again with details about the output should that not do the trick.

You may also need to blacklist any relevant modules; this is so your new one doesn't get clobbered by something else that is the default. Please search this forum and the wiki for details, and also have a look at the instructions for the build you tried, which you can see by running it from Sourcery and clicking on "Show Info".

Please ask for help about that part here too should it still not make sense.

[wackpanther]

That did the trick.
Thanks!!