How to fix Wireless Network Issue in Ubuntu Linux

After dual booting Mac-book Air with Ubuntu, when I logged in to Ubuntu I found that Ubuntu did not detect any wireless network. Networking was on but it said 'no network devices available'.

Indeed it is a common issue not only with Broad-com network adapters but other network adapters as well in Ubuntu Linux.

A relief is that Ubuntu provides additional drivers specifically for various wireless adapters. But the issue is that to install additional drivers in  Ubuntu

you will need a network connection. If you have a wired connection, it will be very easy to install the additional drivers. But if you are restricted to the wireless network only, you'll have look for alternate methods.

In this tutorial, I'll show you a few of steps to fix the issue in Ubuntu and other Debian based distributions such as Linux mint, Elementary OS etc.

Fix no WiFi issue in Ubuntu based Linux distributions.

First, find out the network adapter in your system. You can find typing this 'sudo lshw -C network', if there are property drivers available, this method will easily work for you. You will need the ISO image of the Ubuntu.

Method 1: Use the ISO image to install additional wifi drivers in Ubuntu.

Step 1:

Get the ISO image of Ubuntu if you just had a fresh install, you must have this ISO image in some other system or same system in another OS dual boot. Copy it to an external device such as USB or DVD. Just copy it, don't burn it as booteable USB.

Now boot into Ubuntu and copy this Ubuntu ISO image to you home directory.

Step 2:

Open a terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T) and use the following commands:

sudo mkdir /media/cdrom

cd ~

sudo mount -o loop ubuntu-* /media/cdrom

Basically, we just manually mounted the ISO image as if it was a CD.

Step 3:

Go to unity Dash and look for Software & Updates:

In the fist tab Ubuntu Software. check the opinion of the CD Rom with Ubuntu...

It will ask for your password and reload the software sources. Next is to go in the Additional Drivers tab and select the property driver and click Apply Changes.

Once the drivers has been installed, you'll need see that Ubuntu now recognizes the wireless networks in range.

It may happen that Ubuntu doesn’t show additional drivers for your system or you may not be able to install the additional driver. It could also be the case that despite the additional drivers installed, the WiFi still doesn’t work.

In that case, you may refer to the next method but keep in mind that it is exclusively for systems with Broad-com wireless adapters.

Method 2: Fix no WiFi on Ubuntu with Broad-com wireless adapters. 

This method is exclusively for Broad-com 43 series of wireless adapters. So make sure that you have these adapters by using this command:

sudo lshw -C network

If you see a wireless network adapter starting BCM43 , then only you should go ahead with this part of the tutorial.

*-network
description: Wireless interface
product: BCM4360 802.11ac Wireless Network Adapter
vendor: Broadcom Corporation
physical id: 0
bus info: pci@0000:03:00.0
logical name: wlan0

Step 1:

The first step is to remove any Broad-com drivers already installed on your system. Open a terminal and use the following command:

sudo apt remove broadcom-sta-dkms bcml

Step 2: If you are connected to internet via ethernet

If you are connected to internet via LAN/Ethernet cable, you can install different broadcom drivers using this command:

sudo apt install firmware-b43-installer

Once the install is finished doing it works, you'll need to reboot. After you log back in, you'll be able to see and access your WiFi connections.

Step 3: If you don't have any internet connections

If you don't have ethernet, you may still be able to pull this off. But you'll need another system (Linux, Windows or MacOS) with active internet connection.

What you are going to do here is to download the driver manually and then transfer it to your problematic Linux system and install it there.

First check wich is your Ubuntu version with the following command:

lsb_release -a 

Now go to this link to download the WiFi driver for your Ubuntu version. Download b43 firmware

Thanks!!!.