Dell Inspiron 1545

Dell Inspiron 1545

• Chipset: BCM4312 802.11b/g (Rev. 01), Intel Processor, T3400, 2.16, 1MB, Core Penryn, 2C, M0
• pciid: 14e4:4315
• Driver: driver=wl2, driverversion=5.10.91.9, ftp://ftp.compaq.com/pub/softpaq/sp33001-33500/sp33008.exe

Info

Using fresh install of Ubuntu 9.04 32x with native "Hardware Drivers" utility, the WLAN had a problem from a previous install. Problem was when downloading iTunes podcasts heavily via Vista Business 32x guest in Virtualbox, wireless connection disconnected and no longer made wireless connections or see any SSIDs. After reinstalling with Windows Vista Business, then immediately reinstalling Ubuntu 9.04, as implicated by Ubuntu Help Network Troubleshooting, all of a sudden WLAN worked again. Then, same problem happened again. Reinstalled Windows Vista, then immediately reinstalled Ubuntu 9.04 but this time the WLAN did not work at all, no SSIDs or anything. Hence, followed directions character for character at:

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/WifiDocs/Driver/bcm43xx/Feisty_No-Fluff

Followed steps chronologically 1, 2, 2b, 3, and lastly the box immediately after "Trying It Temporarily" and stopped there. At first the wireless card did not function. Restarted, set BIOS to factory defaults, booted into Ubuntu and after a couple minutes WLAN functioned properly.

1) Virtualbox version = 3.0.4 for linux hosts downloaded from virtualbox.org when this problem first occurred.

2) (Addition to end of previous E-Mail) -> To get the WLAN to work post ndiswrapper install via Synaptic Package Manager, I toggled activate button in "Hardware Drivers" via System -> Administration -> Hardware Drivers for the Broadcom STA wireless driver (BSwd) which, after toggled, did not activate the BSwd in the "Hardware Drivers" gui but the upper right hand side where the wireless signal icon is shifts a little, then wireless SSIDs are displayed.