---
name: "bwi"
section: "4freebsd"
platform: "linux"
package: "freebsd-manpages"
version: "12.2-2"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/bwi/4freebsd"
---

# bwi(4freebsd)

Broadcom BCM43xx IEEE 802.11b/g wireless network driver

## NAME

**bwi** – Broadcom BCM43xx IEEE 802.11b/g wireless network driver

## SYNOPSIS

To compile this driver into the kernel, place the following lines in your kernel configuration file:

**device bwi** **device wlan** **device wlan\_amrr** **device firmware**

Alternatively, to load the driver as a module at boot time, place the following line in [loader.conf(5)](/loader.conf/5.md):

```
if_bwi_load="YES"
```

## DESCRIPTION

The **bwi** driver provides support for Broadcom BCM43xx based PCI/CardBus network adapters.

It supports **station** and **monitor** mode operation. Only one virtual interface may be configured at any time. For more information on configuring this device, see [ifconfig(8)](/ifconfig/8.md).

This driver requires firmware to be loaded before it will work. The *ports/net/bwi-firmware-kmod* port needs to be installed before [ifconfig(8)](/ifconfig/8.md) will work.

## HARDWARE

The **bwi** driver supports Broadcom BCM43xx based wireless devices, including:

| | | | |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| *Card* | *Chip* | *Bus* | *Standard* |
| Apple Airport Extreme | BCM4306 | PCI | b/g |
| Apple Airport Extreme | BCM4318 | PCI | b/g |
| ASUS WL-100g | BCM4306 | CardBus | b/g |
| ASUS WL-138g | BCM4318 | PCI | b/g |
| Buffalo WLI-CB-G54S | BCM4318 | CardBus | b/g |
| Buffalo WLI-PCI-G54S | BCM4306 | PCI | b/g |
| Compaq R4035 onboard | BCM4306 | PCI | b/g |
| Dell Wireless 1390 | BCM4311 | Mini PCI | b/g |
| Dell Wireless 1470 | BCM4318 | Mini PCI | b/g |
| Dell Truemobile 1300 r2 | BCM4306 | Mini PCI | b/g |
| Dell Truemobile 1400 | BCM4309 | Mini PCI | b/g |
| HP nx6125 | BCM4319 | PCI | b/g |
| Linksys WPC54G Ver 3 | BCM4318 | CardBus | b/g |
| Linksys WPC54GS Ver 2 | BCM4318 | CardBus | b/g |
| TRENDnet TEW-401PCplus | BCM4306 | CardBus | b/g |
| US Robotics 5411 | BCM4318 | CardBus | b/g |

The **bwi** driver uses the older v3 version of Broadcom's firmware. While this older firmware does support most BCM43xx parts, the [bwn(4)](/bwn/4.md) driver works better for the newer chips it supports. You must use the **bwi** driver if you are using older Broadcom chipsets (BCM4301, BCM4303 and BCM4306 rev 2). The v4 version of the firmware that [bwn(4)](/bwn/4.md) uses does not support these chips.

## EXAMPLES

Join an existing BSS network (i.e., connect to an access point):

```
ifconfig wlan create wlandev bwi0 inet 192.168.0.20 \
    netmask 0xffffff00
```

Join a specific BSS network with network name “my\_net”:

```
ifconfig wlan create wlandev bwi0 ssid my_net up
```

Join a specific BSS network with 64-bit WEP encryption:

```
ifconfig wlan create wlandev bwi0 ssid my_net \
        wepmode on wepkey 0x1234567890 weptxkey 1 up
```

## SEE ALSO

[arp(4)](/arp/4.md), [cardbus(4)](/cardbus/4.md), [intro(4)](/intro/4.md), [pci(4)](/pci/4.md), [wlan(4)](/wlan/4.md), [wlan\_amrr(4)](/wlan_amrr/4.md), [ifconfig(8)](/ifconfig/8.md), [wpa\_supplicant(8)](/wpa_supplicant/8.md)

## HISTORY

The **bwi** driver first appeared in FreeBSD 8.0.

## AUTHORS

The **bwi** driver was written for DragonFly BSD by Sepherosa Ziehau and subsequently ported to FreeBSD.

## BUGS

Some card based on the BCM4306 and BCM4309 chips do not work properly on channel 1, 2 and 3.