Tiny Core Linux

Tiny Core Base => CorePlus => Topic started by: Onktebong on December 22, 2025, 03:45:47 PM

Title: Wifi doesn't work and firmware b43 not found
Post by: Onktebong on December 22, 2025, 03:45:47 PM

I've installed CorePlus to the HDD and am using an Ethernet cable ... because Wifi doesn't work.
During bootup I get the message:
ERROR: 'Firmware file "b43/ucode13.fw" not found' and a link to download it from kernel.org ... which doesn't work ... but I still managed to get the file from Github:
broadcom-wl-6.30.163.46.tar.bz2
Now, what do I do with it, where do I put it?
Thank you.

Title: Re: Wifi doesn't work and firmware b43 not found
Post by: patrikg on December 22, 2025, 04:25:37 PM

The firmware in tc are in tcz like:

Code: [Select]

firmware-broadcom_bcm43xx.tcz
firmware-broadcom_bnx2.tcz
firmware-broadcom_bnx2x.tcz
You can see the list here:
http://tinycorelinux.net/16.x/x86/tcz/ (http://tinycorelinux.net/16.x/x86/tcz/)

So i think firmware-broadcom_bcm43xx.tcz whould be first candidate. :)

Title: Re: Wifi doesn't work and firmware b43 not found
Post by: Rich on December 22, 2025, 04:41:15 PM

Hi Onktebong
Install  squashfs-tools.tcz.
Then:

Code: [Select]

mkdir -p pkg/lib/firmware/broadcom/b43/
cp ucode13.fw pkg/lib/firmware/broadcom/b43/
mksquashfs pkg ucode13.tcz -noappend
Copy  ucode13.tcz  to your  tce/optional/  directory.
Place  ucode13.tcz  on the first line of  tce/onboot.lst

Title: Re: Wifi doesn't work and firmware b43 not found
Post by: Rich on December 22, 2025, 04:46:59 PM

Hi patrikg
I don't see  ucode13.fw  listed in:
http://tinycorelinux.net/16.x/x86/tcz/provides.db

Title: Re: Wifi doesn't work and firmware b43 not found
Post by: aus9 on December 22, 2025, 07:12:54 PM

I am on TC64 16x on a tower no wifi card

Code: [Select]

tce-load -i wireless-KERNEL
modinfo b43 | grep firmware
firmware:       b43/ucode9.fw
firmware:       b43/ucode42.fw
firmware:       b43/ucode40.fw
firmware:       b43/ucode5.fw
firmware:       b43/ucode30_mimo.fw
firmware:       b43/ucode33_lcn40.fw
firmware:       b43/ucode29_mimo.fw
firmware:       b43/ucode26_mimo.fw
firmware:       b43/ucode25_mimo.fw
firmware:       b43/ucode25_lcn.fw
firmware:       b43/ucode24_lcn.fw
firmware:       b43/ucode16_mimo.fw
firmware:       b43/ucode16_lp.fw
firmware:       b43/ucode15.fw
firmware:       b43/ucode14.fw
firmware:       b43/ucode13.fw
firmware:       b43/ucode11.fw
If your dmesg claims you only need one then download and inject one.
You may like to report the output of

Code: [Select]

dmesg | grep firmware
dmesg | grep error
anyhow you need the raw file and I found one here
https://github.com/OpenELEC/wlan-firmware/raw/refs/heads/master/firmware/b43/ucode13.fw

assuming firmware pathway is /usr/local/lib/firmware/b43
then use root powers to copy from Downloads dir to that path something like

Code: [Select]

cd Downloads
[ -d /usr/local/lib/firmware/b43 ] || sudo mkdir -p /usr/local/lib/firmware/b43
sudo cp ucode13.fw  /usr/local/lib/firmware/b43/
add usr/local/lib/firmware/b43 to your backup file called /opt/.filetool.lst

reboot and try again...depending on your dmesg errors
good luck

You may need more firmware

Title: Re: Wifi doesn't work and firmware b43 not found
Post by: Rich on December 22, 2025, 08:23:44 PM

Hi Onktebong
Correction to reply #2, it should be:

Install  squashfs-tools.tcz.
Then:

Code: [Select]

mkdir -p pkg/usr/local/lib/firmware/broadcom/b43/
cp ucode13.fw pkg/usr/local/lib/firmware/broadcom/b43/
mksquashfs pkg ucode13.tcz -noappend
Copy  ucode13.tcz  to your  tce/optional/  directory.
Place  ucode13.tcz  on the first line of your  tce/onboot.lst  file.

Title: Re: Wifi doesn't work and firmware b43 not found
Post by: Onktebong on December 23, 2025, 02:53:21 PM

Quote from: patrikg on December 22, 2025, 04:25:37 PM

The firmware in tc are in tcz like:

Code: [Select]

firmware-broadcom_bcm43xx.tcz
firmware-broadcom_bnx2.tcz
firmware-broadcom_bnx2x.tcz
You can see the list here:
http://tinycorelinux.net/16.x/x86/tcz/ (http://tinycorelinux.net/16.x/x86/tcz/)

So i think firmware-broadcom_bcm43xx.tcz whould be first candidate. :)

I've installed firmware-broadcom_bcm43xx.tcz through Apps.
Now what do I do?

Title: Re: Wifi doesn't work and firmware b43 not found
Post by: Onktebong on December 23, 2025, 03:16:12 PM

Quote from: Rich on December 22, 2025, 08:23:44 PM

Hi Onktebong
Correction to reply #2, it should be:

Install  squashfs-tools.tcz.
Then:

Code: [Select]

mkdir -p pkg/usr/local/lib/firmware/broadcom/b43/
cp ucode13.fw pkg/usr/local/lib/firmware/broadcom/b43/
mksquashfs pkg ucode13.tcz -noappend
Copy  ucode13.tcz  to your  tce/optional/  directory.
Place  ucode13.tcz  on the first line of your  tce/onboot.lst  file.

Installed squashfs-tools.tcz
Ran mkdir -p pkg/usr/local/lib/firmware/broadcom/b43
Then cp ucode13.fw pkg/usr/local/lib/firmware/broadcom/b43
Error message:

Code: [Select]

cp: can't stat 'ucode13.fw': No such file or directorySo what can I do now?

Title: Re: Wifi doesn't work and firmware b43 not found
Post by: Rich on December 23, 2025, 04:18:25 PM

Hi Onktebong
You need to download the firmware file before you can copy it somewhere:

Code: [Select]

wget https://github.com/OpenELEC/wlan-firmware/raw/refs/heads/master/firmware/b43/ucode13.fw
mkdir -p pkg/usr/local/lib/firmware/broadcom/b43/
cp ucode13.fw pkg/usr/local/lib/firmware/broadcom/b43/
mksquashfs pkg ucode13.tcz -noappend
Then:
Copy  ucode13.tcz  to your  tce/optional/  directory.
Place  ucode13.tcz  on the first line of your  tce/onboot.lst  file.

It should now find the firmware next time you reboot.