WiFi issue with iMac
from Ulrich@feddit.org to linux@lemmy.ml on 30 May 18:39
https://feddit.org/post/13349317

E: I AM NOT USING FEDORA. Please stop linking to guides for Fedora. They will not work. uBlue/Bazzite does not use dnf.

I got a free iMac. Installed Linux on an external drive. Bazzite, specifically. WiFi does not work. My research leads me to a problem with proprietary Broadcom drivers but no solutions. If you know how to get this working, your advice would be appreciated.

Also if there’s another distro that works “out of the box” on Macs with GNOME I’d be open to installing that as well.

E: “System information” says it is a

Broadcom BCM43xx 1.0 (7.77.111.1 AirPortDriverBrcmNIC-1772.1)

#linux

threaded - newest

Eat_Your_Paisley@lemm.ee on 30 May 19:01 next collapse

cyberciti.biz/…/fedora-linux-install-broadcom-wl-…

Ulrich@feddit.org on 30 May 19:12 collapse

I’m not using Fedora.

Eat_Your_Paisley@lemm.ee on 30 May 20:05 next collapse

Bazzite is based on Fedora so most/all Fedora stuff will work

Ulrich@feddit.org on 30 May 20:12 collapse

dnf does not.

Eat_Your_Paisley@lemm.ee on 30 May 20:19 next collapse

docs.bazzite.gg/…/rpm-ostree/

I’d also Google how to add the repo you need.

The only distros I’ve found that carry the broadcom drivers at install are the Ubunto families

Ulrich@feddit.org on 30 May 20:23 collapse

I know how to use rpm-ostree but thank you.

I don’t use Google.

Saying “use a search engine” is not helpful. I’ve already done that.

swelter_spark@reddthat.com on 31 May 04:19 collapse

Can you add the repo and then use whatever package manager you have to install the drivers from it?

pogodem0n@lemmy.world on 31 May 08:54 collapse

Fedora uses RPM packaging format and dnf is just a front-end for that. Atomic variants of Fedora and uBlue distros (they are based on the former) use rpm-ostree, which also works with RPM.

Also, please stop being so confident in your stance when you don’t know much about Linux or your distribution of choice. People are here to help you only out of kindness and not obligation.

Ulrich@feddit.org on 31 May 13:59 collapse

I already know all of that.

just_another_person@lemmy.world on 30 May 19:35 next collapse

Broadcom chips aren’t open source, and depending on which model of Mac you have, YMMV. Can you at least lock down the year or model number?

Ulrich@feddit.org on 30 May 19:39 collapse

Yeah its a 2017 27"

just_another_person@lemmy.world on 30 May 19:55 collapse

Similar chipset, try this: amirootyet.com/…/how-to-get-wifi-to-work-after/

Ulrich@feddit.org on 30 May 22:20 collapse

This is for Ubuntu

Dariusmiles2123@sh.itjust.works on 30 May 21:09 next collapse

This is where I got answers about how to get the wifi working on my wifés 2012 MacBook Pro running Fedora

discussion.fedoraproject.org/t/…/8

I don’t remember the steps but the answers are in there.

HexagonSun@sh.itjust.works on 30 May 22:58 next collapse

I have WiFi problems on most distros with my 2012 Retina MBP. Generally I can’t get it working.

I didn’t have as many issues in the past, but the only two distros I can get it working on these days are EndeavourOS and Linux Mint.

Mint requires installing the proprietary drivers after installation, which is easy to do.

EndeavourOS is actually easier and works “out of the box” for me. But I need to change it to use WPA2 instead of WPA3 for it to work on my Mac, being as old as it is.

Ulrich@feddit.org on 30 May 23:12 collapse

Mint requires installing the proprietary drivers after installation, which is easy to do.

I could do that. I’ve never actually tried Mint before. Do you have a link or instructions?

HexagonSun@sh.itjust.works on 31 May 07:03 collapse

From memory….

If you open Driver Manager after installation it will say you need to either connect to Ethernet or insert the installation USB. Using the Installation USB is fine.

It should then automatically detect you have a Broadcom WiFi module and just give you a checkbox you can click next to the correct driver.

It will install the driver from the USB, say you need to restart and then you should be done! Upon rebooting your Mac should immediately recognise available WiFi networks and let you join them.

Ulrich@feddit.org on 31 May 07:09 next collapse

That sounds pretty straightforward, I’ll give that a shot, thanks!

Ulrich@feddit.org on 31 May 07:26 collapse

Turns out Mint works just fine out of the box 😀

HexagonSun@sh.itjust.works on 31 May 07:32 collapse

Amazing!

That distro is highly deserving of the praise it gets.

Hope you get on ok with the rest of Mint (and Cinnamon) 👍

Ulrich@feddit.org on 31 May 15:23 next collapse

Unfortunately the audio outputs are not detected, the cursor blinks and disappears constantly, Steam wouldn’t launch, and my camera is activated constantly for some reason…

😔

Ulrich@feddit.org on 01 Jun 16:02 collapse

I was able to get audio working with this

github.com/davidjo/snd_hda_macbookpro

muusemuuse@lemm.ee on 31 May 06:28 next collapse

This is probably not the best system for bazzite. Stick with something with a longer track record like Debian/ubuntu or better documentation like arch.

Those old macs can get really pissy with Linux sometimes but it can be done. Their WiFi chips are incredibly obnoxious to deal with. Worst case scenario you can swap wifi cards in some those or even simply use a USB WiFi card instead.

Ulrich@feddit.org on 31 May 06:48 collapse

if there’s another distro that works “out of the box” on Macs with GNOME I’d be open to installing that as well.

muusemuuse@lemm.ee on 31 May 06:58 collapse

Google used to use Ubuntu on MacBooks though I’m not sure if that’s still the case. It has a reputation of being straightforward and well supported but not everyone likes what canonical is doing anymore.

Fedora is weirdly more complex and its documentation isn’t as great as it looks on the surface. It’s worth a try but honestly documentation is more important than out of box support at this point.

Arch needs a lot of handholding and it’s a bit of a handful but the wiki is amazing and frankly the best part of that particular distro. Unlike Ubuntu you would get a virgin GNOME experience more similar to fedora but it’s also easier to break things in arch than elsewhere so keep that in mind before you head down this road. Arch is an excellent education but not always a best place to live in.

Start with Ubuntu if you want to see how that hardware is supported. If it is a pain in the ass in Ubuntu, it’s likely to be a pain in the ass elsewhere too. Consider using a usb wifi nubbin and just moving in with that.

Ulrich@feddit.org on 31 May 07:08 next collapse

Ubuntu is literally the only distro that I object to LOL but I will give Linux Mint Ubuntu a try on this machine. I haven’t tried it before.

muusemuuse@lemm.ee on 31 May 19:24 collapse

Mint is in a weird place right now with their transition to Wayland. It’s not complete yet and in my opinion it’s not ready for daily use.

Ulrich@feddit.org on 31 May 21:05 collapse

Well the Wifi on Mint worked out of the box but the cursor would flash in and out, the audio didn’t work, Steam wouldn’t launch and my webcam was constantly lit up for some reason.

muusemuuse@lemm.ee on 31 May 21:36 collapse

Okay then try Fedora and look into power management settings for the WiFi adaptor

Ulrich@feddit.org on 31 May 22:23 collapse

How do you do that?

muusemuuse@lemm.ee on 01 Jun 07:29 collapse

Unfortunately I dont have specific instructions on how to tame an angry fedora. It’s not my main so I dont have that memorized, but I do know Ubuntu likes to include some quality of life tweaks out of box that other distros like fedora can omit, including power management settings that can help tame stubborn wireless cards like these.

Ulrich@feddit.org on 01 Jun 08:22 collapse

What does power management have to do with wireless cards?

muusemuuse@lemm.ee on 01 Jun 19:20 collapse

wireless cards have their own power management settings that typically arent shown in the GUI and in linux the defaults for some of them are so aggressive they cause problems. Intels are notorious for this but some older broadcom cards had this problem too.

Ulrich@feddit.org on 01 Jun 19:33 collapse

So if the wireless card draws too much power it won’t be visible?

muusemuuse@lemm.ee on 01 Jun 20:14 collapse

Opposite problem. Some wireless cards have unstable low power modes that get turned on anyway.

Ulrich@feddit.org on 01 Jun 20:29 collapse

Interesting, thanks for that perspective.

jjlinux@lemmy.ml on 01 Jun 01:42 collapse

I wanted to offer some friendly corrections and context on a few points:

  1. Google using Ubuntu on MacBooks
      While there have been rumors and isolated internal reports over the years of various corporate users trying out different Linux setups on Mac hardware, there’s no verified evidence that Google officially used Ubuntu on MacBooks as a standard environment. Google’s internal usage tends to be quite varied and often kept under wraps, so the claim might be more anecdotal than fact-based.

  2. Canonical and Ubuntu’s direction
      You mentioned that “not everyone likes what Canonical is doing anymore.” While Canonical’s moves (like the snap ecosystem and various design choices) have sparked debates, many users still appreciate Ubuntu’s focus on ease of use, hardware compatibility, and community support. It’s all about personal preference and the tradeoffs between innovation and long-term support.

  3. Fedora’s complexity and documentation
      Saying Fedora is “weirdly more complex” might be an oversimplification. Fedora often targets users who appreciate the latest upstream software and development practices, which can feel more hands-on. Its documentation is actually quite robust and maintained by a passionate community—even if the style and depth might differ from Ubuntu’s more streamlined guides. It comes down to what learning experience you value more.

  4. Arch Linux and its learning curve
      Your take on Arch is fair: its wiki is indeed one of the best resources out there, which is why many users swear by it as a learning tool. However, while it’s true that Arch offers a very pure, “vanilla” GNOME (or any desktop environment you set up) experience—similar in spirit to what Fedora might provide—it’s also worth noting that Arch’s philosophy means it won’t hold your hand. For newcomers, that means more risk of “breaking things,” but also an invaluable hands-on learning curve for those willing to dive in.

  5. Starting with Ubuntu for hardware compatibility
      The suggestion to use Ubuntu to test hardware support is a practical one. Since Ubuntu has a broad driver base and a large user community, it’s often a good first check for MacBook (and other hardware) compatibility. However, sometimes even if Ubuntu exhibits some quirks, other distros might work just as well or even better depending on the kernel versions, desktop customizations, or community-contributed fixes. A USB Wi-Fi adapter can indeed be a good temporary workaround for connectivity issues if they arise.

In summary, each Linux distribution has its own strengths and challenges. It really boils down to your priorities—whether it’s stability, a polished user experience, cutting-edge software, or a chance to learn more about the inner workings of a system. All these distros contribute to the vibrant, diverse Linux ecosystem, and exploring them is part of the fun!

Hope this helps provide a clearer picture, and just enjoy tinkering with Linux!

HaraldvonBlauzahn@feddit.org on 01 Jun 05:03 collapse

My experience (from using Linux since 1998) is that the best way to use Linux is to get compatible hardware (that is, unless you want to develop device drivers). And this doubly and triple for laptops and graphics cards. Refurbished business Thinkpads are a very good option.

Ulrich@feddit.org on 01 Jun 05:06 collapse

I got a free iMac