BUG: DKMS Build Failure for Broadcom BCM4360 [14e4:43a0] on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS (Kernel 6.8) - Unpatched timer_setup
https://askubuntu.com/questions/1565684/bug-dkms-build-failure-for-broadcom-bcm4360-14e443a0-on-ubuntu-24-04-lts-ke
- Environment & Hardware
Machine: Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch (Late 2013)
Network Controller: Broadcom Inc. and subsidiaries BCM4360 802.11ac Wireless Network Adapter [14e4:43a0]
OS: Ubuntu 24.04 LTS (Clean install, LUKS encrypted LVM)
Kernel Version: 6.8.0-45-generic
Issue Summary
No Wi-Fi connectivity post-installation. The proprietary Broadcom drivers (broadcom-sta-dkms / bcmwl-kernel-source) fail to compile via DKMS on Kernel 6.8 due to deprecated kernel API usage (specifically, the old init_timer function instead of the modern timer_setup).
Troubleshooting Steps Performed
To rule out user error, missing dependencies, or broken package states, the following steps were executed using a USB tethered connection:
Clean State & Prerequisites: * Performed a full system update (apt update && apt upgrade -y) bringing the system to Kernel 6.8.0-45.
Installed required build tools: sudo apt install build-essential linux-headers-$(uname -r).
Package Cleanup: * Forced removal of previously failed GUI installations to break the apt broken-install loop using:
sudo dpkg -P --force-all bcmwl-kernel-source broadcom-sta-dkms
Cleared cache and verified system integrity (apt clean, apt --fix-broken install).
Driver Installation Attempt: * Attempted to install the community-maintained package: sudo apt install broadcom-sta-dkms (also attempted bcmwl-kernel-source).
- Result & Root Cause Analysis
The DKMS build process fails consistently. Upon inspecting the make.log (/var/lib/dkms/bcmwl/.../build/make.log), the compilation aborts with the following critical error:
error: implicit declaration of function 'timer_setup'
Conclusion:
The source code provided in the current broadcom-sta-dkms (and bcmwl-kernel-source) packages within the Ubuntu 24.04 noble repositories has not been patched to support Kernel 6.8. The proprietary Broadcom code still relies on the deprecated init_timer function, causing an inevitable compilation failure on modern kernels.
Request:
Looking for information on whether a patched version of broadcom-sta-dkms for Kernel 6.8+ is planned for the 24.04 repositories, or if there is an officially recommended PPA/workaround for BCM4360 chips in the meantime, aside from manually patching the .c files locally.