Troubleshooting Broadcom BCM4360/BCM43602 Wi-Fi Issues on Debian 'bcmwl-kernel-source deb for bcm4360 14e4:43a0'

If you're experiencing difficulties connecting to your wireless network's 5GHz band using a device with an Intel Corporation Wireless-AC 7260 (Dual-Band + Bluetooth 4.2 ABG/Ni) adapter on Debian, this article is here to help.

The issue seems to be related to a channel problem rather than any inherent compatibility issues between the BCM4360 or BCM43602 chipsets and your operating system. To resolve this, try switching your wireless network's channel number down lower (ideally below 40). If you're unable to adjust these settings through your router's interface directly, look for options labeled in MHz instead of channels; setting it to either '5200 MHz' or '5280 MHz' might also work.

If changing the Wi-Fi frequency doesn't resolve the problem, another potential solution worth trying is ensuring that you have the correct driver installed and configured correctly. To do this:

1. Open a terminal window on your Debian system.

2. Type `sudo apt-get update` to ensure all package lists are up-to-date.

3. Next, reinstall the bcmwl-kernel-source package using: `sudo apt-get install -reinstall bcmwl-kernel-source`

4. Once completed, reload the wl module with: `sudo modprobe wl`

After completing these steps, check your system logs for any informative messages related to the Broadcom drivers by typing:

`dmesg | grep wl`

This command will output all kernel log entries that contain either 'wl' or 'WL,' which should help identify if there are still issues preventing a stable connection.

Finally, keep in mind that even though you're running Debian with a 3.16.x kernel (thanks to Jeremy31 for pointing this out!), it appears that apt is attempting to install the wrong version of the bcmwl-kernel-source package - specifically, one intended for Ubuntu 14.04 rather than your current distribution.

I hope these suggestions have been helpful in resolving any Wi-Fi connectivity issues you've encountered on your Debian system!

Bcmwl-kernel-source deb for bcm4360 14e4:43a0