diff --git a/content/posts/tech/apple-debian-wireless-issues.md b/content/posts/tech/apple-debian-wireless-issues.md index f8fb717..8080e77 100644 --- a/content/posts/tech/apple-debian-wireless-issues.md +++ b/content/posts/tech/apple-debian-wireless-issues.md @@ -1,8 +1,9 @@ --- -title: "Apple Wireless Card issues on Debian Trixie (13)" +title: "Apple Wireless Card Issues on Debian Trixie" subtitle: "" author: Hyperling date: "2025-11-19T13:00:00-07:00" +toc: true tags: - tech - networking @@ -26,27 +27,33 @@ series: categories: - guides aliases: +draft: true --- ## Disclaimer -This article assumes that your laptop has recently had the wireless card working on Debian recently. I have a Macbook Air (7,2? ~2015) with a BCM4360 [14e4:43a0] and use the `wl` driver. +This article assumes that your laptop has had the wireless card working on Debian recently. + +I have a Macbook Air 7,2 (early 2015, i5) with a BCM4360 [14e4:43a0] and use the `wl` driver. ``` $ sudo apt list broadcom* broadcom-sta-common/stable 6.30.223.271-26 amd64 broadcom-sta-dkms/stable,now 6.30.223.271-26 amd64 [installed] broadcom-sta-source/stable 6.30.223.271-26 amd64 - ``` -## Introduction +I do not have experience with other Macbooks, the Debian wiki and forums are your best bet if this article does not apply to you. + +{{< external-link "Debian Wiki: Macbooks" "url tbd" >}} + +## Introduction -- Define the Problem If your wireless card is no longer being recognized on a Debian device, ensure the latest version of the Linux kernal came with its headers. -I'm not sure why this happened, but it was when the kernel version jumped from `6.12.41` to `6.12.43` that its symptoms showed up. I had already migrated from Bookworm to Trixie and thought I had already went through a few kernel updates since then without issues. +I'm not sure why this happened, but it was when the kernel version jumped from `6.12.41` to `6.12.43` that its symptoms showed up. I had already migrated from Bookworm to Trixie and thought I had went through a few kernel updates since then without issues. -Later versions such as `6.12.48` and `6.12.58` continued to get pulled and I'd try them before rebooting to `6.12.41`. With the newer versions `/sbin/iwconfig` showed no wireless network and GNOME didn't even have a Wi-Fi listing in the Settings app top top menu. +Later versions such as `6.12.48` and `6.12.57` continued to get pulled and I'd try them before having to reboot back to `6.12.41`. While booten into the newer kernel versions `/sbin/iwconfig` would show no wireless network and GNOME didn't have a Wi-Fi button listed in the Settings app nor its system menu. Then I tried this: ``` $ sudo modprobe wl @@ -54,7 +61,7 @@ modprobe: FATAL: Module wl not found in directory /lib/modules/6.12.57+deb13-amd $ ``` -I then realized that the wl module wasn't being loaded. What was confusing was that it said it was not foud, even though I knew it was installed since it was working on other kernel versions. I saw no error when the new versions were being instaleld, either. And thus began my discovery... +After realizing that the wl module wasn't being loaded I thought maybe there was a packaging issue. I was confused since it said it was not found, even though I knew it was installed since it was still working if I booted to the older installed kernel versions. I saw no error when the new versions were being installed, either. And thus began my discovery... ## Solution -- Install Headers Automagically @@ -64,7 +71,9 @@ Ubuntu provides the packages `linux-image-generic` and `linux headers-generic`. sudo apt install linux-image-amd64 linux-headers-amd64 --reinstall ``` -Some sources say that Debian has no generic/meta package for the kernel and its headers. I can't find any information as to the release date of these to confirm/deny that claim. I'm just glad they work! +Some sources say that Debian has no generic/meta package for the kernel and its headers. I can't find any information as to the release date of these to confirm/deny that claim. + +I'm just glad they work to now keep the headers installed automatically! ## Still Not Working? @@ -73,6 +82,7 @@ If you're still having problems then it may be something else. Some good troubleshooting commands are below, as well as examples of when I was running them trying to troubleshoot my system. ``` +tbd change this to an unordered list with `` on each command. uname -a lspci -vnn | grep -i net /sbin/iwconfig @@ -83,6 +93,8 @@ apt list ### Missing Kernel Headers Example +tbd make these individual code blocks. + ``` [user@hostname ~]$ uname -a Linux debian 6.12.57+deb13-amd64 #1 SMP PREEMPT_DYNAMIC Debian 6.12.57-1 (2025-11-05) x86_64 GNU/Linux @@ -300,6 +312,8 @@ broadcom-sta-source/stable 6.30.223.271-26 amd64 ### Working Example +tbd make these individual code blocks. + ``` ---