Wifi not working on my Macbook Air early 2015 7,2

Newbie Corner
#1

I single booted my Macbook Air for Manjaro OS yesterday. although i wasn't able to get the wifi working from the live version. I use Bluetooth tethering to connect. i have the latest kernel installed and it's the latest stable manjaro os available. i believe manjaro kde edition 18.0 is the one. the wifi driver shows bcma-pci-bridge something. and it's bcm4360 as i remember.
The result for lsmod
Module Size Used by
cmac 16384 1
rfcomm 86016 19
fuse 118784 3
snd_hda_codec_hdmi 57344 1
b43 450560 0
mac80211 929792 1 b43
bnep 24576 3
cfg80211 778240 2 b43,mac80211
ssb 90112 1 b43
btusb 53248 0
btrtl 16384 1 btusb
btbcm 16384 1 btusb
btintel 24576 1 btusb
mmc_core 176128 2 b43,ssb
bluetooth 655360 55 btrtl,btintel,btbcm,bnep,btusb,rfcomm
intel_rapl 24576 0
pcmcia 69632 1 ssb
i915 2097152 24
ecdh_generic 24576 2 bluetooth
input_leds 16384 0
x86_pkg_temp_thermal 16384 0
rfkill 28672 6 bluetooth,cfg80211
intel_powerclamp 16384 0
coretemp 16384 0
kvm_intel 245760 0
pcmcia_core 28672 1 pcmcia
ofpart 16384 0
rng_core 16384 1 b43
cmdlinepart 16384 0
intel_spi_platform 16384 0
intel_spi 20480 1 intel_spi_platform
spi_nor 36864 1 intel_spi
kvmgt 28672 0
vfio_mdev 16384 0
mdev 20480 2 kvmgt,vfio_mdev
vfio_iommu_type1 28672 0
mtd 69632 5 cmdlinepart,intel_spi,ofpart
vfio 32768 3 kvmgt,vfio_mdev,vfio_iommu_type1
kvm 737280 2 kvmgt,kvm_intel
hid_apple 16384 0
iTCO_wdt 16384 0
crct10dif_pclmul 16384 0
irqbypass 16384 1 kvm
nls_iso8859_1 16384 1
i2c_algo_bit 16384 1 i915
crc32_pclmul 16384 0
nls_cp437 20480 1
iTCO_vendor_support 16384 1 iTCO_wdt
cec 69632 1 i915
vfat 24576 1
ghash_clmulni_intel 16384 0
fat 81920 1 vfat
rc_core 53248 1 cec
hid_generic 16384 0
pcbc 16384 0
drm_kms_helper 200704 1 i915
joydev 24576 0
mousedev 24576 0
drm 495616 11 drm_kms_helper,i915
snd_hda_codec_cirrus 20480 1
snd_hda_codec_generic 86016 1 snd_hda_codec_cirrus
applesmc 24576 0
input_polldev 16384 1 applesmc
snd_hda_intel 45056 4
aesni_intel 200704 2
aes_x86_64 20480 1 aesni_intel
crypto_simd 16384 1 aesni_intel
snd_hda_codec 151552 4 snd_hda_codec_generic,snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec_cirrus
cryptd 28672 3 crypto_simd,ghash_clmulni_intel,aesni_intel
glue_helper 16384 1 aesni_intel
intel_cstate 16384 0
snd_hda_core 94208 5 snd_hda_codec_generic,snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec,snd_hda_codec_cirrus
intel_uncore 135168 0
intel_rapl_perf 16384 0
mei_me 45056 0
intel_gtt 24576 1 i915
snd_hwdep 16384 1 snd_hda_codec
agpgart 49152 2 intel_gtt,drm
pcspkr 16384 0
snd_pcm 131072 4 snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec,snd_hda_core
i2c_i801 32768 0
intel_pch_thermal 16384 0
mei 114688 1 mei_me
syscopyarea 16384 1 drm_kms_helper
thunderbolt 147456 0
lpc_ich 28672 0
bcma 61440 1 b43
snd_timer 36864 1 snd_pcm
sysfillrect 16384 1 drm_kms_helper
snd 98304 15 snd_hda_codec_generic,snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hwdep,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec,snd_timer,snd_pcm
sysimgblt 16384 1 drm_kms_helper
fb_sys_fops 16384 1 drm_kms_helper
bdc_pci 16384 0
soundcore 16384 1 snd
spi_pxa2xx_pci 16384 0
sbs 20480 0
usbhid 57344 0
acpi_als 16384 0
kfifo_buf 16384 1 acpi_als
hid 139264 3 usbhid,hid_apple,hid_generic
sbshc 16384 1 sbs
industrialio 81920 2 acpi_als,kfifo_buf
bcm5974 20480 0
evdev 24576 14
pcc_cpufreq 16384 0
mac_hid 16384 0
apple_bl 16384 0
spi_pxa2xx_platform 28672 0
ac 16384 0
uinput 20480 1
crypto_user 16384 0
ip_tables 28672 0
x_tables 45056 1 ip_tables
ext4 733184 1
crc32c_generic 16384 0
crc16 16384 2 bluetooth,ext4
mbcache 16384 1 ext4
jbd2 126976 1 ext4
fscrypto 32768 1 ext4
sd_mod 61440 4
uas 28672 0
usb_storage 69632 1 uas
ahci 40960 3
libahci 40960 1 ahci
libata 278528 2 libahci,ahci
scsi_mod 253952 4 sd_mod,usb_storage,uas,libata
xhci_pci 16384 0
crc32c_intel 24576 2
xhci_hcd 262144 1 xhci_pci

for the inxi -Fxzc0
System:
Host: jared-pc Kernel: 4.19.0-3-MANJARO x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc
v: 8.2.1 Desktop: KDE Plasma 5.14.2 Distro: Manjaro Linux
Machine:
Type: Laptop System: Apple product: MacBookAir7,2 v: 1.0
serial:
Mobo: Apple model: Mac-937CB26E2E02BB01 v: MacBookAir7,2
serial: UEFI: Apple v: 182.0.0.0.0 date: 09/17/2018
Battery:
ID-1: BAT0 charge: 40.6 Wh condition: 48.9/54.3 Wh (90%)
model: SMP bq20z451 status: Discharging
CPU:
Topology: Dual Core model: Intel Core i5-5250U bits: 64 type: MT MCP
arch: Broadwell rev: 4 L2 cache: 3072 KiB
flags: lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx bogomips: 12806
Speed: 1625 MHz min/max: 500/2700 MHz Core speeds (MHz): 1: 1030
2: 1036 3: 1070 4: 955
Graphics:
Device-1: Intel HD Graphics 6000 vendor: Apple driver: i915 v: kernel
bus ID: 00:02.0
Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.20.3 driver: intel unloaded: modesetting
resolution: 1440x900~60Hz
OpenGL: renderer: Mesa DRI Intel HD Graphics 6000 (Broadwell GT3)
v: 4.5 Mesa 18.2.3 direct render: Yes
Audio:
Device-1: Intel Broadwell-U Audio vendor: Apple driver: snd_hda_intel
v: kernel bus ID: 00:03.0
Device-2: Intel Wildcat Point-LP High Definition Audio
driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel bus ID: 00:1b.0
Device-3: Broadcom Limited 720p FaceTime HD Camera driver: bdc-pci
bus ID: 02:00.0
Sound Server: ALSA v: k4.19.0-3-MANJARO
Network:
Device-1: Broadcom Limited BCM4360 802.11ac Wireless Network Adapter
vendor: Apple driver: bcma-pci-bridge v: N/A port: efa0 bus ID: 03:00.0
IF-ID-1: bnep0 state: unknown speed: N/A duplex: N/A mac:
Drives:
Local Storage: total: 113.00 GiB used: 6.28 GiB (5.6%)
ID-1: /dev/sda vendor: Apple model: SSD SM0128G size: 113.00 GiB
Partition:
ID-1: / size: 101.77 GiB used: 6.28 GiB (6.2%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda2
ID-2: swap-1 size: 8.80 GiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/sda3
Sensors:
System Temperatures: cpu: 49.0 C mobo: N/A
Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A
Info:
Processes: 170 Uptime: 12h 43m Memory: 7.69 GiB used: 1.11 GiB (14.4%)
Init: systemd Compilers: gcc: 8.2.1 Shell: bash v: 4.4.23 inxi: 3.0.27

inxi -SNxxz:
System:
Host: jared-pc Kernel: 4.19.0-3-MANJARO x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc
v: 8.2.1 Desktop: KDE Plasma 5.14.2 tk: Qt 5.11.2 wm: kwin_x11 dm: SDDM
Distro: Manjaro Linux
Network:
Device-1: Broadcom Limited BCM4360 802.11ac Wireless Network Adapter
vendor: Apple driver: bcma-pci-bridge v: N/A port: efa0 bus ID: 03:00.0
chip ID: 14e4:43a0

lsmod | grep BCM gives nothing.

Installing the latest driver for broadcom-wl from octopi says that it conflicts with the existing broadcom-wl.

Couldn't understand much from the arch wiki.

i'll be thankful for any insight i can get to make wifi work

Thanks and Cheers!

#2

"b43" is the Broadcom wireless chip module and it is installed. Take the BT tethering out of the equation - you are just adding complications. Take the Macbook to a known working good public WiFi connection and try to connect there, report back then when you have tested it elsewhere at at least two other woring WiFi routers without the tethering....

#3

Don't know what to tell u. But i have taken it to my friends and no wifi shows up. there's not even a button there to enable wifi. i basically have no connections showing at all anywhere. except when i tether(obviously). i tried it already mate. no luck. Anything else????

#4

Follow my guide here:

1 Like
#5

Interesting. So,
sudo pacman -Rns linux419-broadcom-wl issues these results
error: target not found: linux419-broadcom-wl
sudo pacman -S linux 419-headers are succesfully installed
rebbot
Wifi still not working
sudo pacman -S dkms sucessfully installed
reboot
still not working
sudo pacman -S broadcom-wl-dkms issues this
udo pacman -S broadcom-wl-dkms
warning: broadcom-wl-dkms-6.30.223.271-5 is up to date -- reinstalling
resolving dependencies...
looking for conflicting packages...

Packages (1) broadcom-wl-dkms-6.30.223.271-5

Total Installed Size: 7.68 MiB
Net Upgrade Size: 0.00 MiB

:: Proceed with installation? [Y/n] Y
(1/1) checking keys in keyring [###################] 100%
(1/1) checking package integrity [###################] 100%
(1/1) loading package files [###################] 100%
(1/1) checking for file conflicts [###################] 100%
(1/1) checking available disk space [###################] 100%
:: Running pre-transaction hooks...
(1/1) Remove DKMS modules
:: Processing package changes...
(1/1) reinstalling broadcom-wl-dkms [###################] 100%

To load the new module, run as root:

rmmod b43 b43legacy ssb bcm43xx brcm80211 brcmfmac brcmsmac bcma wl
modprobe wl

or just reboot the system.

:: Running post-transaction hooks...
(1/2) Install DKMS modules
==> Unable to install module broadcom-wl/6.30.223.271 for kernel 4.9.137-1-MANJARO: Missing kernel headers.
==> Unable to install module broadcom-wl/6.30.223.271 for kernel 4.19.0-3-MANJARO: Missing kernel headers.
==> Unable to install module broadcom-wl/6.30.223.271 for kernel 4.19.2-1-MANJARO: Missing kernel modules tree.
(2/2) Arming ConditionNeedsUpdate...
reboot
no difference
the blacklist file exists in /etc/modprobe.d/with all the contents
issuing sudo modprobe wl issues the following
modprobe: FATAL: Module wl not found in directory /lib/modules/4.19.0-3-MANJARO
sudo rfkill list
sudo rfkill list
0: hci0: Bluetooth
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: no
sudo rfkill unblock all successful
sudo depmod -a successful
sudo mkinitcpio -P image generation successful
reboot
No difference.
I'm losing all hope here
but as i see i have the supported chipset for broadcom-wl
BCM4360
Well... it's gonna be a long day folks

#6

Then follow the instructions at the bottom of the post and remove the wl driver and try using just the kernel modules.

It also wouldn't hurt to install and test kernel 4.14.It's possible the wl driver is not working with the newest kernel at the moment. Kernel changes often introduce new incompatabilities. They usually get resolved before too long as the new kernel becomes more mature.

#7

A user today reported that going all the way back to kernel 4.4 was necessary to get the broadcom adapter working with the broadcom kernel modules.

#8

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