Broadcom drivers with Linux

Hi.

I'm since many years a Windows user but now I want to give Linux a
try.
I don't want to erase Windows from my Laptop, so I boot Windows from
my CD.
The Linux distribution I use is Auditor (which is pretty much a
modified Knoppix distribution) [
http://new.remote-exploit.org/index.php/Auditor_main ].

My problem is that I have a Broadcom network card.
According to Auditor FAQ it says:
=============
Q: Is my XYZ broadcom chip based card supported in Auditor Security
Collection?

A: No, broadcom does not provide the nesscessairy chip information to
the public, so no real driver can be developed. As long there is not
driver, we will not include it.
=============

So if I get this right, you can't at all use Broadcom with Linux. But
at http://www.broadcom.com/drivers/downloaddrivers.php I can see that
they have a driver:
"Linux (i386/IA64/x86-64) 8.1.55 05/27/05 687KB"


So my question is? Is there anything I can do to use Linux on my
Laptop (and use my wireless network card)?

Should I switch from Auditor to some other Linux distribution? If I
should change, what distribution will support my Network card without
a lot of hazzle (and without requiring me to actually install Linux on
my laptop, I really would like to only boot Linux from CD until I feel
more confortable with it).
The reason why I choosed Auditor in the first place is because it
comes with several security-related software by default, and I want
use Linux for the purpose of learning more about security/hacking (for
educational purpose, I'm a graduate student with interest in this
field).


I'll be very happy for any suggestions or recommendations about what I
should do.


Best Regards
/Omid

On Mon, 30 May 2005 18:19:25 -0700, Omid wrote:

> Hi.
>
> I'm since many years a Windows user but now I want to give Linux a
> try.
> I don't want to erase Windows from my Laptop, so I boot Windows from
> my CD.
> The Linux distribution I use is Auditor (which is pretty much a
> modified Knoppix distribution) [
> http://new.remote-exploit.org/index.php/Auditor_main ].
>
> My problem is that I have a Broadcom network card.
> According to Auditor FAQ it says:
> =============
> Q: Is my XYZ broadcom chip based card supported in Auditor Security
> Collection?
>
> A: No, broadcom does not provide the nesscessairy chip information to
> the public, so no real driver can be developed. As long there is not
> driver, we will not include it.
> =============
>
> So if I get this right, you can't at all use Broadcom with Linux. But
> at http://www.broadcom.com/drivers/downloaddrivers.php I can see that
> they have a driver:
> "Linux (i386/IA64/x86-64) 8.1.55 05/27/05 687KB"
>
>
> So my question is? Is there anything I can do to use Linux on my
> Laptop (and use my wireless network card)?
>
> Should I switch from Auditor to some other Linux distribution? If I
> should change, what distribution will support my Network card without
> a lot of hazzle (and without requiring me to actually install Linux on
> my laptop, I really would like to only boot Linux from CD until I feel
> more confortable with it).
> The reason why I choosed Auditor in the first place is because it
> comes with several security-related software by default, and I want
> use Linux for the purpose of learning more about security/hacking (for
> educational purpose, I'm a graduate student with interest in this
> field).
>
>
> I'll be very happy for any suggestions or recommendations about what I
> should do.
>
>
> Best Regards
> /Omid

You can use the Windows driver with Ndiswrapper,

http://ndiswrapper.sourceforge.net/

General Schvantzkoph <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>On Mon, 30 May 2005 18:19:25 -0700, Omid wrote:
>>
>> My problem is that I have a Broadcom network card.

....

>You can use the Windows driver with Ndiswrapper,
>
> http://ndiswrapper.sourceforge.net/

Unfortunately that is for *wireless* drivers, not network
interface drivers.

--
Floyd L. Davidson <http://web.newsguy.com/floyd_davidson>
Ukpeagvik (Barrow, Alaska) (E-Mail Removed)

(E-Mail Removed) (Omid) wrote:
>The Linux distribution I use is Auditor (which is pretty much a
>modified Knoppix distribution) [
>http://new.remote-exploit.org/index.php/Auditor_main ].
....
>So if I get this right, you can't at all use Broadcom with Linux. But
>at http://www.broadcom.com/drivers/downloaddrivers.php I can see that
>they have a driver:
>"Linux (i386/IA64/x86-64) 8.1.55 05/27/05 687KB"

I'm not familiar with Auditor at all, and have only a passing
knowledge of Broadcom network interface cards. However, what
I do know is that they can *definitely* work under Linux. That
is true because there are thousands and thousands of Linksys
routers out there (WRT54G and other similar models) that run
Linux and have Broadcom network interfaces on them (as well
as Broadcom wireless chips).

>So my question is? Is there anything I can do to use Linux on my
>Laptop (and use my wireless network card)?

It would appear, from what you show above, that you could download
the driver module from the Broadcom site and use it with your
Auditor distribution.

The wireless part is also relatively easy, or it is if Auditor
has the complete wireless tools package. If it doesn't you have
the choice of installing them or finding a distribution that does
have them. Given what you say the intended purpose is, you might
as well learn how to install them...

As mentioned in another reply, ndiswrapper will install a wireless
driver. In that particular case I'm quite sure that it works well,
as I've used a couple of different Broadcom based wireless systems.

>Should I switch from Auditor to some other Linux distribution? If I
>should change, what distribution will support my Network card without
>a lot of hazzle (and without requiring me to actually install Linux on
>my laptop, I really would like to only boot Linux from CD until I feel
>more confortable with it).

I see your point, but don't recommend doing it that way. As long
as you boot from CD you are limited to what you can configure. You'd
be far better off to either dual boot, or simply run only Linux.

>The reason why I choosed Auditor in the first place is because it
>comes with several security-related software by default, and I want
>use Linux for the purpose of learning more about security/hacking (for
>educational purpose, I'm a graduate student with interest in this
>field).

All the more reason not to boot from a CD. You will *have* to
be making significant configuration and system changes.
Delaying the inevitable is a waste of time... :-)

--
Floyd L. Davidson <http://web.newsguy.com/floyd_davidson>
Ukpeagvik (Barrow, Alaska) (E-Mail Removed)

On Mon, 30 May 2005 22:01:12 -0800, Floyd L. Davidson wrote:

> General Schvantzkoph <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>>On Mon, 30 May 2005 18:19:25 -0700, Omid wrote:
>>>
>>> My problem is that I have a Broadcom network card.
>
> ...
>
>>You can use the Windows driver with Ndiswrapper,
>>
>> http://ndiswrapper.sourceforge.net/
>
> Unfortunately that is for *wireless* drivers, not network
> interface drivers.

I assume that the OP was asking about wireless drivers, Broadcom ethernet
NICs do have Linux support.

Omid wrote:
>
> So if I get this right, you can't at all use Broadcom with Linux. But
> at http://www.broadcom.com/drivers/downloaddrivers.php I can see that
> they have a driver:
> "Linux (i386/IA64/x86-64) 8.1.55 05/27/05 687KB"

Those drivers are for the BCM57xx series (Gigabit) and BCM44xx series
(10/100) wired NICs. If you have one of those, you can use those
drivers or the in-kernel tg3 (BCM57xx) or b44 (BCM44xx) drivers.

> So my question is? Is there anything I can do to use Linux on my
> Laptop (and use my wireless network card)?

Not with the above drivers. They're for wired cards. Others have
mentioned ndiswrapper, and I concur that is the best (perhaps *only*)
way to go.

John-Paul Stewart <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:<(E-Mail Removed)>...
> Omid wrote:
> >
> > So if I get this right, you can't at all use Broadcom with Linux. But
> > at http://www.broadcom.com/drivers/downloaddrivers.php I can see that
> > they have a driver:
> > "Linux (i386/IA64/x86-64) 8.1.55 05/27/05 687KB"
>
> Those drivers are for the BCM57xx series (Gigabit) and BCM44xx series
> (10/100) wired NICs. If you have one of those, you can use those
> drivers or the in-kernel tg3 (BCM57xx) or b44 (BCM44xx) drivers.
>
> > So my question is? Is there anything I can do to use Linux on my
> > Laptop (and use my wireless network card)?
>
> Not with the above drivers. They're for wired cards. Others have
> mentioned ndiswrapper, and I concur that is the best (perhaps *only*)
> way to go.

Thanks everyone for the advice and help.
You are right, those drivers were not for my wireless card. What I
wanted was of course drivers for my wireless card.
The ndiswrapper seems to be what I'm looking for, but will I be able
to use it since I boot Linux from CD (and I don't have it installed on
my hard drive). I really would like to continue having only Windows on
the hard drive and booting from Linux, do you guys think I will be
able to use ndiswrapper without having Linux installed on my computer?
I mean, after installing ndiswrapper, will I be forced to an restart
of Linux which will lead to that all settings go back to what is on
the CD when computer starts from boot CD.
Or can I install and use ndiswrapper without restarting my computer?

Once again, thanks to all of you helping me out with this.

/Omid

"Omid" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) om...
> John-Paul Stewart <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:<(E-Mail Removed)>...
> > Omid wrote:
> > >
> > > So if I get this right, you can't at all use Broadcom with Linux. But
> > > at http://www.broadcom.com/drivers/downloaddrivers.php I can see that
> > > they have a driver:
> > > "Linux (i386/IA64/x86-64) 8.1.55 05/27/05 687KB"
> >
> > Those drivers are for the BCM57xx series (Gigabit) and BCM44xx series
> > (10/100) wired NICs. If you have one of those, you can use those
> > drivers or the in-kernel tg3 (BCM57xx) or b44 (BCM44xx) drivers.
> >
> > > So my question is? Is there anything I can do to use Linux on my
> > > Laptop (and use my wireless network card)?
> >
> > Not with the above drivers. They're for wired cards. Others have
> > mentioned ndiswrapper, and I concur that is the best (perhaps *only*)
> > way to go.
>
> Thanks everyone for the advice and help.
> You are right, those drivers were not for my wireless card. What I
> wanted was of course drivers for my wireless card.
> The ndiswrapper seems to be what I'm looking for, but will I be able
> to use it since I boot Linux from CD (and I don't have it installed on
> my hard drive). I really would like to continue having only Windows on
> the hard drive and booting from Linux, do you guys think I will be
> able to use ndiswrapper without having Linux installed on my computer?
> I mean, after installing ndiswrapper, will I be forced to an restart
> of Linux which will lead to that all settings go back to what is on
> the CD when computer starts from boot CD.
> Or can I install and use ndiswrapper without restarting my computer?

Since you are a student in this area learning how to set up systems to get
around problems like this will/should be your stock in trade. Anyway,
I see a several of alternatives:
1. boot to a cd and use a modifying floppy disk to change your system
configuration so wireless can work. Some live linux cd's let you do
this.
2. If your laptop supports booting to USB, get a hard drive in a USB
caddy and boot to it with a custom linux install on it.
3. There are distributions that let you create your own custom live cd.
Do one of them to your likeing.

later,
charles.....