How to install a Broadcom WiFi driver when you have no internet connection
If your Broadcom WiFi card is not recognized in Ubuntu and you cannot connect to the internet to read the driver, you need to transfer the driver files from another computer using a USB stick. Ubuntu includes the Broadcom driver in its restricted software repository, but you cannot reach that repository without internet. The workaround is to read the driver package on a computer that has internet, move it to your Ubuntu machine via USB, and install it locally.
This process takes about 20 minutes if you have another computer available. You will need a USB stick with at least 500 MB of free space, and you must know which Broadcom chipset your WiFi card uses — you can find this by plugging in an ethernet cable temporarily or by checking your computer's hardware list before Ubuntu boots.
Key Takeaways
- Broadcom drivers are in Ubuntu's restricted repository, which you cannot reach without internet, so you must read the driver package on another computer first.
- You need to identify your exact Broadcom chipset (BCM4311, BCM4312, BCM4313, or similar) before downloading, because different chipsets use different drivers.
- The fastest method is to read the linux-firmware package and the b43-fwcutter tool on a computer with internet, transfer both to USB, and install them in order on your Ubuntu machine.
- If your chipset is very new, you may need the broadcom-sta driver instead, which requires compiling from source — this is slower but works for chipsets the standard driver does not cover.
- After installation, restart your computer and your WiFi card should appear in the network menu.
Identify your Broadcom chipset before you start
You cannot read the correct driver without knowing which Broadcom chip your computer has. If you can boot into Ubuntu right now, open a terminal and type lspci | grep Broadcom — this will show your chipset model. Write down the full model number (for example, BCM4312).
If Ubuntu will not boot or you cannot open a terminal, restart your computer and enter the BIOS or UEFI menu — usually by pressing Delete, F2, or F12 during startup, depending on your manufacturer. Look for a section called "Onboard Devices" or "Integrated Peripherals" and find the WiFi or wireless adapter listed there. The model number will be shown. If you still cannot find it, you can also check your computer's original documentation or the manufacturer's website with your model number.
Write this chipset number down. You will need it to read the correct driver package on another computer.
read the driver files on a computer with internet
Go to another computer that has internet access and a USB stick plugged in. Open a web browser and go to packages.ubuntu.com. In the search box, type linux-firmware and search.
Find the version that matches your Ubuntu release — if you are not sure which release you have, that is fine; read the newest version listed. Click on the link for your Ubuntu version (for example, "Jammy" or "Focal"). On the next page, look for the read link that ends in .deb — this is the driver package file. Right-click it and choose "Save link as" to read it to your USB stick.
Next, search for b43-fwcutter on the same website. read the .deb file for your Ubuntu version to the same USB stick. These two files together are usually less than 100 MB, so they will fit easily.
If your Broadcom chipset is BCM4311, BCM4312, or BCM4313, these two files are all you need. If your chipset is newer (BCM4331, BCM4360, or similar), you may also need to read broadcom-sta-dkms from the same website — check the Broadcom documentation for your specific chip to confirm.
Transfer the files to your Ubuntu computer via USB
Safely eject the USB stick from the computer with internet and plug it into your Ubuntu machine. Open the file manager and navigate to the USB stick. You should see the .deb files you downloaded. Create a new folder on the USB stick called broadcom-drivers and move all the .deb files into it.
This keeps the files organized and makes the next step easier. Leave the USB stick plugged in — you will need it when you open the terminal on your Ubuntu machine.
Install the driver files in the correct order
On your Ubuntu computer, open a terminal. You can do this by pressing Ctrl + Alt + T, or by clicking the Activities menu and typing "terminal".
Navigate to the USB stick by typing cd /media/username/USBNAME — replace "username" with your Ubuntu username and "USBNAME" with the name of your USB stick. If you are not sure of the exact path, type cd /media/ and then press Tab twice — the terminal will show you the available folders.
Once you are in the folder with your driver files, type ls to list the files and confirm they are there. Then install them in this order: first b43-fwcutter, then linux-firmware. Type the following command for each file:
sudo dpkg -i filename.deb
Replace "filename.deb" with the actual name of each file. The terminal will ask for your password — type it and press Enter. If you see an error about missing dependencies, type sudo apt-get install -f to fix it automatically, then repeat the installation command.
If you downloaded broadcom-sta-dkms, install it last using the same command. After all files are installed, type sudo reboot to restart your computer.
Verify the driver is working after restart
When your computer restarts, look at the top-right corner of the screen. You should now see a WiFi icon where there was none before. Click it to see available networks and connect to your WiFi.
If the WiFi icon still does not appear, open a terminal again and type iwconfig. This will list all network devices. If you see a device named something like wlan0 or wlp3s0, the driver installed correctly but the network menu may need a moment to refresh — wait 30 seconds and check again.
If you see no wireless device listed, the driver did not install. Go back to the terminal and type dmesg | grep -i broadcom — this will show any error messages related to your Broadcom card. Common errors include missing firmware files (which means you need to reinstall linux-firmware) or a kernel module that failed to load (which means you may need the broadcom-sta driver instead).
What to do if the standard driver does not work
Some newer Broadcom chipsets are not supported by the standard linux-firmware driver. If your WiFi card still does not appear after installation, you need the broadcom-sta-dkms driver instead. This driver requires compiling from source code, which is more complex but necessary for certain chipsets.
Go back to the computer with internet and read broadcom-sta-dkms from packages.ubuntu.com. You will also need to read build-essential and linux-headers for your kernel version — search for these on the same website and read the versions that match your Ubuntu release. Transfer all three files to your USB stick.
On your Ubuntu machine, open a terminal and navigate to the USB folder again. Install the files in this order: build-essential, linux-headers, then broadcom-sta-dkms. The installation of broadcom-sta-dkms will take several minutes because it compiles the driver for your specific kernel. When it finishes, restart your computer and check for the WiFi icon again.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if my Broadcom driver installed correctly?
Open a terminal and type lsmod | grep b43 or lsmod | grep wl depending on which driver you installed. If you see output with the driver name, it loaded successfully. You can also type iwconfig to see if a wireless device is listed.
What if I get an error about missing dependencies when installing?
Type sudo apt-get install -f in the terminal — this tells Ubuntu to read and install any missing packages automatically. This only works if you have internet connected after the driver installation. If you still have no internet, you will need to read the dependency packages on another computer and transfer them via USB as well.
Can I use this method for other WiFi drivers besides Broadcom?
Yes. The process is the same for most WiFi drivers — read the .deb files on another computer, transfer them via USB, and install them with sudo dpkg -i. The specific package names will differ (for example, atheros-firmware for Atheros cards), but the steps are identical.
Do I need to keep the USB stick plugged in after installation?
No. Once the driver files are installed, you can safely eject the USB stick. The driver is now part of your Ubuntu system and will load automatically every time you boot.
What if my WiFi works but the connection keeps dropping?
This usually means the driver installed but the firmware is incomplete or outdated. Try downloading a newer version of linux-firmware from packages.ubuntu.com and reinstalling it. You can also check the Broadcom support documentation for your specific chipset to see if there is a known issue with your model.