Dell Wireless and Ubuntu Hardy Heron

I have a Dell Inspiron 1520 with the Dell Wireless 1390 WLAN Mini-Card, one that has given many Linux users big headaches.

After trying many different approaches suggested all over the web, and gathering clues in many Ubuntu forum posts, I finally worked out this solution:

First of all you must check if you have the correct card:

lspci -nn | grep 14e4

Result: 05:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Broadcom Corporation BCM94311MCG wlan mini-PCI [14e4:4311 (rev 01)]

Then proceed to the first step:

1. blacklist bcm43xx

echo blacklist bcm43xx | sudo tee -a /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist

2. install ndiswrapper and related files

sudo apt-get install ndiswrapper-common ndiswrapper-utils-1.9 ndisgtk

3. download http://ftp.us.dell.com/network/R174291.exe

this is a ridiculous bit of bloat, but the most complete INF for 43xx devices

4. Unzip the drivers.

5. go into folder DRIVER_US inside the result of what you did above

6. use ndiswrapper to install bcmwl5.inf

System -> Administration -> Windows Wireless Drivers -> Install New Driver -> Select bcmwl5.inf from ~/R151517/DRIVER_US

7. Modify rc.local

gksudo gedit /etc/rc.local

Insert these lines ABOVE “exit 0″ line:

modprobe -r b44
modprobe -r ssb
modprobe -r ndiswrapper
modprobe ndiswrapper
modprobe ssb
modprobe b44

8. Restart or simply paste one by one the following lines:

$ sudo rmmod b44
$ sudo rmmod ssb
$ sudo rmmod ndiswrapper
$ sudo modprobe ndiswrapper
$ sudo modprobe ssb
$ sudo modprobe b44

You should see the WiFi led on and you are good to go.