--- title: "Apple Wireless Card issues on Debian Trixie (13)" subtitle: "" author: Hyperling date: "2025-11-19T13:00:00-07:00" tags: - tech - networking - linux - wireless - apple - macbook air - kernel - broadcom - bcm4360 - wl - dkms - wireless-tools - iwconfig - uname - modprobe - lsmod - lspci series: - sysadmin categories: - guides aliases: --- ## 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. ``` $ 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 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. 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. ``` $ sudo modprobe wl modprobe: FATAL: Module wl not found in directory /lib/modules/6.12.57+deb13-amd64 $ ``` 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... ## Solution -- Install Headers Automagically Ubuntu provides the packages `linux-image-generic` and `linux headers-generic`. Debian names them slightly different. ``` 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! ## Still Not Working? If you're still having problems then it may be something else. ### Commands to try Some good troubleshooting commands are below, as well as examples of when I was running them trying to troubleshoot my system. ``` uname -a lspci -vnn | grep -i net /sbin/iwconfig lsmod modprobe apt list ``` #### Broken Kernel Example ``` [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 [user@hostname ~]$ --- [user@hostname ~]$ lspci -vnn | grep -i net 03:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Broadcom Inc. and subsidiaries BCM4360 802.11ac Dual Band Wireless Network Adapter [14e4:43a0] (rev 03) [user@hostname ~]$ --- [user@hostname ~]$ /sbin/iwconfig lo no wireless extensions. docker0 no wireless extensions. [user@hostname ~]$ --- [user@hostname ~]$ lsmod | sort ac 16384 0 acpi_als 16384 1 aesni_intel 122880 0 ahci 49152 3 apple_mfi_fastcharge 16384 0 applesmc 32768 0 applespi 53248 0 async_memcpy 16384 2 raid456,async_raid6_recov async_pq 16384 2 raid456,async_raid6_recov async_raid6_recov 20480 1 raid456 async_tx 16384 5 async_pq,async_memcpy,async_xor,raid456,async_raid6_recov async_xor 16384 3 async_pq,raid456,async_raid6_recov autofs4 57344 2 bcm5974 28672 0 binfmt_misc 28672 1 blake2b_generic 24576 0 bluetooth 1085440 6 btrtl,btmtk,btintel,btbcm,btusb bridge 389120 0 btbcm 24576 1 btusb btintel 69632 1 btusb btmtk 32768 1 btusb btrfs 2158592 0 btrtl 32768 1 btusb btusb 81920 0 button 24576 0 cec 69632 2 drm_display_helper,i915 configfs 69632 1 coretemp 16384 0 crc16 12288 3 bluetooth,ext4,applespi crc32c_generic 12288 0 crc32c_intel 16384 5 crc32_pclmul 12288 0 crct10dif_pclmul 12288 1 cryptd 28672 2 crypto_simd,ghash_clmulni_intel crypto_simd 16384 1 aesni_intel drm 774144 15 drm_kms_helper,drm_display_helper,drm_buddy,i915,ttm drm_buddy 24576 1 i915 drm_display_helper 274432 1 i915 drm_kms_helper 253952 2 drm_display_helper,i915 dw_dmac 12288 0 dw_dmac_core 40960 2 dw_dmac_pci,dw_dmac dw_dmac_pci 12288 2 ecdh_generic 16384 1 bluetooth efi_pstore 12288 0 efivarfs 28672 1 evdev 28672 24 ext4 1142784 2 fat 102400 1 vfat gf128mul 16384 1 aesni_intel ghash_clmulni_intel 16384 0 hid 262144 3 usbhid,hid_apple,hid_generic hid_apple 28672 0 hid_generic 12288 0 i2c_algo_bit 16384 1 i915 i2c_i801 36864 0 i2c_smbus 16384 1 i2c_i801 i915 4382720 21 industrialio 139264 3 industrialio_triggered_buffer,acpi_als,kfifo_buf industrialio_triggered_buffer 12288 1 acpi_als intel_cstate 20480 0 intel_pch_thermal 16384 0 intel_pmc_bxt 16384 1 iTCO_wdt intel_powerclamp 16384 0 intel_rapl_common 53248 1 intel_rapl_msr intel_rapl_msr 20480 0 intel_uncore 258048 0 ip_set 69632 1 xt_set ip_tables 28672 0 irqbypass 12288 1 kvm iTCO_vendor_support 12288 1 iTCO_wdt iTCO_wdt 16384 0 jbd2 200704 1 ext4 joydev 24576 0 kfifo_buf 12288 1 industrialio_triggered_buffer kvm 1396736 1 kvm_intel kvm_intel 413696 0 libahci 61440 1 ahci libata 462848 2 libahci,ahci libcrc32c 12288 5 nf_conntrack,nf_nat,btrfs,nf_tables,raid456 llc 16384 2 bridge,stp lp 20480 0 lpc_ich 28672 0 mbcache 16384 1 ext4 md_mod 229376 4 raid1,raid10,raid0,raid456 mei 188416 5 mei_hdcp,mei_pxp,mei_me mei_hdcp 28672 0 mei_me 57344 2 mei_pxp 16384 0 Module Size Used by msr 12288 0 nf_conntrack 204800 5 xt_conntrack,nf_nat,nft_ct,nft_masq,xt_MASQUERADE nf_defrag_ipv4 12288 1 nf_conntrack nf_defrag_ipv6 24576 1 nf_conntrack nf_nat 65536 3 nft_masq,nft_chain_nat,xt_MASQUERADE nfnetlink 20480 5 nft_compat,nf_tables,ip_set nf_reject_ipv4 16384 1 nft_reject_inet nf_reject_ipv6 20480 1 nft_reject_inet nf_tables 380928 681 nft_ct,nft_compat,nft_reject_inet,nft_masq,nft_chain_nat,nft_reject nft_chain_nat 12288 6 nft_compat 20480 6 nft_ct 28672 6 nft_masq 12288 1 nft_reject 12288 1 nft_reject_inet nft_reject_inet 12288 6 nls_ascii 12288 1 nls_cp437 16384 1 overlay 217088 0 parport 81920 3 parport_pc,lp,ppdev parport_pc 40960 0 pcspkr 12288 0 ppdev 24576 0 qrtr 57344 2 raid0 28672 0 raid10 77824 0 raid1 61440 0 raid456 200704 0 raid6_pq 122880 4 async_pq,btrfs,raid456,async_raid6_recov rapl 20480 0 rc_core 73728 1 cec rfkill 40960 4 bluetooth sbs 20480 0 sbshc 16384 1 sbs scsi_common 16384 6 scsi_mod,sd_mod,usb_storage,uas,libata,sg scsi_mod 327680 5 sd_mod,usb_storage,uas,libata,sg sd_mod 81920 3 sg 45056 0 sha1_ssse3 32768 0 sha256_ssse3 32768 0 sha512_ssse3 53248 0 snd 151552 15 snd_hda_codec_generic,snd_seq,snd_seq_device,snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hwdep,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec,snd_timer,snd_pcm snd_hda_codec 217088 4 snd_hda_codec_generic,snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec_cirrus snd_hda_codec_cirrus 24576 1 snd_hda_codec_generic 114688 1 snd_hda_codec_cirrus snd_hda_codec_hdmi 98304 1 snd_hda_core 143360 5 snd_hda_codec_generic,snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec,snd_hda_codec_cirrus snd_hda_intel 61440 2 snd_hrtimer 12288 1 snd_hwdep 20480 1 snd_hda_codec snd_intel_dspcfg 40960 1 snd_hda_intel snd_intel_sdw_acpi 16384 1 snd_intel_dspcfg snd_pcm 188416 4 snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec,snd_hda_core snd_seq 110592 7 snd_seq_dummy snd_seq_device 16384 1 snd_seq snd_seq_dummy 12288 0 snd_timer 53248 3 snd_seq,snd_hrtimer,snd_pcm soundcore 16384 1 snd spi_pxa2xx_core 32768 2 spi_pxa2xx_pci,spi_pxa2xx_platform spi_pxa2xx_pci 16384 0 spi_pxa2xx_platform 12288 0 stp 12288 1 bridge sunrpc 872448 1 thunderbolt 540672 0 ttm 106496 1 i915 uas 32768 0 usb_common 16384 2 xhci_hcd,usbcore usbcore 409600 9 xhci_hcd,usbhid,btmtk,bcm5974,apple_mfi_fastcharge,usb_storage,btusb,xhci_pci,uas usbhid 77824 0 usb_storage 94208 1 uas vfat 24576 1 video 81920 1 i915 watchdog 49152 1 iTCO_wdt wmi 28672 1 video x86_pkg_temp_thermal 16384 0 xfrm_algo 16384 1 xfrm_user xfrm_user 69632 1 xhci_hcd 364544 1 xhci_pci xhci_pci 24576 0 xor 20480 2 async_xor,btrfs x_tables 53248 6 xt_conntrack,nft_compat,xt_addrtype,xt_set,ip_tables,xt_MASQUERADE xt_addrtype 12288 4 xt_conntrack 12288 1 xt_MASQUERADE 16384 1 xt_set 20480 0 [user@hostname ~]$ --- [user@hostname ~]$ sudo modprobe wl modprobe: FATAL: Module wl not found in directory /lib/modules/6.12.57+deb13-amd64 [user@hostname ~]$ --- [user@hostname ~]$ 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 [user@hostname ~]$ --- ``` #### Working Kernel Example ``` --- [user@hostname ~]$ uname -a Linux debian 6.12.41+deb13-amd64 #1 SMP PREEMPT_DYNAMIC Debian 6.12.41-1 (2025-08-12) x86_64 GNU/Linux [user@hostname ~]$ --- [user@hostname ~]$ lspci -vnn | grep -i net 03:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Broadcom Inc. and subsidiaries BCM4360 802.11ac Dual Band Wireless Network Adapter [14e4:43a0] (rev 03) [user@hostname ~]$ --- [user@hostname ~]$ /sbin/iwconfig lo no wireless extensions. wlp3s0 IEEE 802.11 ESSID:"Private :)" Mode:Managed Frequency:2.412 GHz Access Point: na:na:na:na:na:na Retry short limit:7 RTS thr:off Fragment thr:off Power Management:off wg0-vpn no wireless extensions. docker0 no wireless extensions. [user@hostname ~]$ --- [user@hostname ~]$ lsmod | sort ac 16384 0 acpi_als 16384 1 aesni_intel 122880 0 ahci 49152 3 apple_mfi_fastcharge 16384 0 applesmc 32768 0 applespi 53248 0 async_memcpy 16384 2 raid456,async_raid6_recov async_pq 16384 2 raid456,async_raid6_recov async_raid6_recov 20480 1 raid456 async_tx 16384 5 async_pq,async_memcpy,async_xor,raid456,async_raid6_recov async_xor 16384 3 async_pq,raid456,async_raid6_recov autofs4 57344 2 bcm5974 28672 0 binfmt_misc 28672 1 blake2b_generic 24576 0 bluetooth 1081344 6 btrtl,btmtk,btintel,btbcm,btusb bridge 389120 0 btbcm 24576 1 btusb btintel 69632 1 btusb btmtk 32768 1 btusb btrfs 2150400 0 btrtl 32768 1 btusb btusb 81920 0 button 24576 0 cec 69632 2 drm_display_helper,i915 cfg80211 1392640 1 wl chacha_x86_64 28672 1 libchacha20poly1305 configfs 69632 1 coretemp 16384 0 crc16 12288 3 bluetooth,ext4,applespi crc32c_generic 12288 0 crc32c_intel 16384 5 crc32_pclmul 12288 0 crct10dif_pclmul 12288 1 cryptd 28672 2 crypto_simd,ghash_clmulni_intel crypto_simd 16384 1 aesni_intel curve25519_x86_64 36864 1 wireguard drm 774144 15 drm_kms_helper,drm_display_helper,drm_buddy,i915,ttm drm_buddy 24576 1 i915 drm_display_helper 274432 1 i915 drm_kms_helper 253952 2 drm_display_helper,i915 dw_dmac 12288 0 dw_dmac_core 40960 2 dw_dmac_pci,dw_dmac dw_dmac_pci 12288 0 efi_pstore 12288 0 efivarfs 28672 1 evdev 28672 24 ext4 1142784 2 fat 102400 1 vfat gf128mul 16384 1 aesni_intel ghash_clmulni_intel 16384 0 hid 262144 3 usbhid,hid_apple,hid_generic hid_apple 28672 0 hid_generic 12288 0 i2c_algo_bit 16384 1 i915 i2c_i801 36864 0 i2c_smbus 16384 1 i2c_i801 i915 4386816 22 industrialio 139264 3 industrialio_triggered_buffer,acpi_als,kfifo_buf industrialio_triggered_buffer 12288 1 acpi_als intel_cstate 20480 0 intel_pch_thermal 16384 0 intel_pmc_bxt 16384 1 iTCO_wdt intel_powerclamp 16384 0 intel_rapl_common 53248 1 intel_rapl_msr intel_rapl_msr 20480 0 intel_uncore 258048 0 ip6_udp_tunnel 16384 1 wireguard ip_set 69632 1 xt_set ip_tables 28672 0 irqbypass 12288 1 kvm iTCO_vendor_support 12288 1 iTCO_wdt iTCO_wdt 16384 0 jbd2 200704 1 ext4 joydev 24576 0 kfifo_buf 12288 1 industrialio_triggered_buffer kvm 1396736 1 kvm_intel kvm_intel 413696 0 libahci 61440 1 ahci libata 462848 2 libahci,ahci libchacha 12288 1 chacha_x86_64 libchacha20poly1305 16384 1 wireguard libcrc32c 12288 5 nf_conntrack,nf_nat,btrfs,nf_tables,raid456 libcurve25519_generic 45056 2 curve25519_x86_64,wireguard llc 16384 2 bridge,stp lp 20480 0 lpc_ich 28672 0 mbcache 16384 1 ext4 md_mod 229376 4 raid1,raid10,raid0,raid456 mei 188416 5 mei_hdcp,mei_pxp,mei_me mei_hdcp 28672 0 mei_me 57344 2 mei_pxp 16384 0 Module Size Used by msr 12288 0 nf_conntrack 204800 5 xt_conntrack,nf_nat,nft_ct,nft_masq,xt_MASQUERADE nf_defrag_ipv4 12288 1 nf_conntrack nf_defrag_ipv6 24576 1 nf_conntrack nf_nat 65536 3 nft_masq,nft_chain_nat,xt_MASQUERADE nfnetlink 20480 5 nft_compat,nf_tables,ip_set nf_reject_ipv4 16384 1 nft_reject_inet nf_reject_ipv6 20480 1 nft_reject_inet nf_tables 380928 783 nft_ct,nft_compat,nft_reject_inet,nft_masq,nft_chain_nat,nft_reject nft_chain_nat 12288 6 nft_compat 20480 6 nft_ct 28672 9 nft_masq 12288 1 nft_reject 12288 1 nft_reject_inet nft_reject_inet 12288 6 nls_ascii 12288 1 nls_cp437 16384 1 overlay 217088 0 parport 81920 3 parport_pc,lp,ppdev parport_pc 40960 0 pcspkr 12288 0 poly1305_x86_64 28672 1 libchacha20poly1305 ppdev 24576 0 qrtr 57344 2 raid0 28672 0 raid10 77824 0 raid1 61440 0 raid456 200704 0 raid6_pq 122880 4 async_pq,btrfs,raid456,async_raid6_recov rapl 20480 0 rc_core 73728 1 cec rfkill 40960 6 bluetooth,cfg80211 sbs 20480 0 sbshc 16384 1 sbs scsi_common 16384 6 scsi_mod,sd_mod,usb_storage,uas,libata,sg scsi_mod 327680 5 sd_mod,usb_storage,uas,libata,sg sd_mod 81920 3 sg 45056 0 sha1_ssse3 32768 0 sha256_ssse3 32768 0 sha512_ssse3 53248 0 snd 151552 15 snd_hda_codec_generic,snd_seq,snd_seq_device,snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hwdep,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec,snd_timer,snd_pcm snd_hda_codec 217088 4 snd_hda_codec_generic,snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec_cirrus snd_hda_codec_cirrus 24576 1 snd_hda_codec_generic 114688 1 snd_hda_codec_cirrus snd_hda_codec_hdmi 98304 1 snd_hda_core 143360 5 snd_hda_codec_generic,snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec,snd_hda_codec_cirrus snd_hda_intel 61440 2 snd_hrtimer 12288 1 snd_hwdep 20480 1 snd_hda_codec snd_intel_dspcfg 40960 1 snd_hda_intel snd_intel_sdw_acpi 16384 1 snd_intel_dspcfg snd_pcm 188416 4 snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec,snd_hda_core snd_seq 110592 7 snd_seq_dummy snd_seq_device 16384 1 snd_seq snd_seq_dummy 12288 0 snd_timer 53248 3 snd_seq,snd_hrtimer,snd_pcm soundcore 16384 1 snd spi_pxa2xx_core 32768 2 spi_pxa2xx_pci,spi_pxa2xx_platform spi_pxa2xx_pci 16384 0 spi_pxa2xx_platform 12288 0 stp 12288 1 bridge sunrpc 872448 1 thunderbolt 540672 0 ttm 106496 1 i915 uas 32768 0 udp_tunnel 32768 1 wireguard usb_common 16384 2 xhci_hcd,usbcore usbcore 409600 9 xhci_hcd,usbhid,btmtk,bcm5974,apple_mfi_fastcharge,usb_storage,btusb,xhci_pci,uas usbhid 77824 0 usb_storage 94208 1 uas vfat 24576 1 video 81920 1 i915 watchdog 49152 1 iTCO_wdt wireguard 118784 0 wl 6459392 0 wmi 28672 1 video x86_pkg_temp_thermal 16384 0 xfrm_algo 16384 1 xfrm_user xfrm_user 69632 1 xhci_hcd 364544 1 xhci_pci xhci_pci 24576 0 xor 20480 2 async_xor,btrfs x_tables 53248 6 xt_conntrack,nft_compat,xt_addrtype,xt_set,ip_tables,xt_MASQUERADE xt_addrtype 12288 4 xt_conntrack 12288 1 xt_MASQUERADE 16384 1 xt_set 20480 0 [user@hostname ~]$ --- [user@hostname ~]$ sudo modprobe wl [user@hostname ~]$ --- ```