How well does Gentoo work with a Broadcom Wireless adapter?

BerryMcCaulkiner · n00b Joined: 16 Nov 2009 Posts: 24

Hey everyone I have a Macbook (model Macbook 5,1) and according to http://kmuto.jp/debian/hcl/Apple/Macbook+5%2C1

my macbook uses a Broadcom Wireless adapter, specifically this one: Broadcom Corporation BCM4322 802.11a/b/g/n Wireless LAN Controller which uses the ssb kernel option. my question is this: How well does this wireless adapter work with Gentoo? I was told by a buddy of mine that Broadcoms suck for Gentoo and that i should in general stay away from them, but because of my desire to repartition my Macbook so I could install Gentoo alongside Mac OS X Snow Leopard, I have no choice but to use the Broadcom wireless adapter.. Any suggestions or tips?

erik258 · Posted: Sun May 16, 2010 11:22 pm Post subject:

Hello,

In terms of hardware support, gentoo is no different than any other distribution. The level of hardware support is typically dictated by the linux kernel drivers; in one sense, gentoo has better support than most because it tends to provide more modern kernels than many distributions 'by default'. However since it's less integrated than many distributions, you might have to piece together userspace and kernelspace hardware support a little more manually than might otherwise be the case. You might also be able to get away with a lot more, since the level of automation in, say, Ubuntu can sometimes get in the way.

I don't have any experience - that I know of - with the 4322s, but I will say that Broadcom's drivers were recently rewritten to use the newer wireless stacks in the kernel and they seem pretty darn good. You'll require external firmware but the b43 driver should work well for you, if I'm not mistaken. At any rate, it should work as well or better than on other distributions.

NotQuiteSane · Posted: Mon May 17, 2010 7:22 am Post subject:

Dunno about your card, but linux (gentoo on atom running zen kernel, etc, etc) runs this one fine*:

erik258 · Posted: Tue May 18, 2010 2:54 pm Post subject:

NQS,

In what way are you using a proprietary driver? Are you using a windows driver and ndiswrapper? Or are you referring to the broadcom firmware that needs to be used with the in-kernel drivers (which are GPL'd, but need the firmware to run)
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EatMeerkats · Apprentice Joined: 15 Mar 2006 Posts: 234

Works perfectly on my MacBook Pro 5,1. Just unmask and emerge broadcom-sta and go.

NotQuiteSane · Posted: Tue May 18, 2010 8:20 pm Post subject: