# Install Broadcom BCM4352 driver WITHOUT internet



## svincec (Mar 16, 2021)

Hi,

I have an absolute unit of a PC on my desk at home and am unable to connect to the wifi (because of the lack of the driver)

I am unable to use ethernet or a mobile hotspot. I am willing to use a VM to fetch the driver.

Can anyone help me please? Thanks


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## SirDice (Mar 16, 2021)

Try bwi(4) or bwn(4). But if it's not detected then it's likely not supported. Nothing to download.


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## svincec (Mar 16, 2021)

Didn't it say it needed a port installed too? I installed via memstick image by the way.


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## SirDice (Mar 17, 2021)

Is the card detected? It doesn't need the firmware for that.


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## svincec (Mar 17, 2021)

Yes, running pciconf shows the network card.


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## SirDice (Mar 17, 2021)

svincec said:


> Yes, running pciconf shows the network card.


That's just an enumeration of what's in the machine. That doesn't mean the card is detected by bwn(4) or bwi(4).


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## svincec (Mar 17, 2021)

Oh, so how do I check if bwn or bwi detect it?


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## mark_j (Mar 17, 2021)

dmesg|grep -E "bwi|bwn"


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## SirDice (Mar 17, 2021)

`sysctl net.wlan.devices`

32.3. Wireless Networking


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## svincec (Mar 18, 2021)

No devices are shown after running both commands,


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## SirDice (Mar 18, 2021)

svincec said:


> No devices are shown after running both commands,


Then the device is not supported. Loading the firmware isn't going to help with that. What version of FreeBSD did you try? You could try the new 13.0-RC2, maybe it's already been added.


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## svincec (Mar 29, 2021)

I was on 12.2. I've given up as apparantly FreeBSD doesn't support 802.11ac, which my network card uses.

I use FreeBSD on my laptop now;


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## Alexander88207 (Mar 30, 2021)

svincec said:


> I've given up as apparantly FreeBSD doesn't support 802.11ac, which my network card uses.



Even though FreeBSD does not currently support 802.11ac, it does not mean that the card is completely useless. 802.11a/g etc.. is still available. Unless your card only supports ac.


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## bxbzq (Apr 1, 2021)

svincec said:


> Hi,
> 
> I have an absolute unit of a PC on my desk at home and am unable to connect to the wifi (because of the lack of the driver)
> 
> ...



How about using smart cell phone via usb tethering?


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## svincec (Apr 2, 2021)

bxbzq said:


> How about using smart cell phone via usb tethering?


data limits are the problem


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## Alexander88207 (Apr 2, 2021)

svincec said:


> data limits are the problem



What data limits?


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## SirDice (Apr 2, 2021)

Alexander88207 said:


> What data limits?


Mobile phone providers typically have metered internet bandwidth. So you're stuck with a datalimit. Which you will exceed quite quickly if you try to install FreeBSD or a bunch of packages over it.


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## Alexander88207 (Apr 2, 2021)

SirDice said:


> Mobile phone providers typically have metered internet bandwidth. So you're stuck with a datalimit. Which you will exceed quite quickly if you try to install FreeBSD or a bunch of packages over it.



It is possible to use wifi and mobile data via USB tethering. I thought that he had a problem in the wifi variant.


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## svincec (Apr 3, 2021)

Alexander88207 said:


> It is possible to use wifi and mobile data via USB tethering.


Ordinary wifi can only be shared with Android or a jailbroken iPhone with TetherMe, which is not free. I have an iPhone and I can't pay for TetherMe so that's unfortunately not an option


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