On Wed, Apr 14, 2021 at 09:13:20AM +0200, Tomas Pospisek wrote: > In #740499 Chris Bainbridge writes that: > > > [...] but firmware-7.4.0-amd64-netinst.iso does not contain > > Broadcom firmware (at least not b43). > > I can see that there are firmware packages for Broadcom b43 in contrib: > > https://packages.debian.org/search?suite=bullseye§ion=all&arch=any&searchon=names&keywords=firmware-b > > Could anybody in the known comment why those firmware packages are not > included in the non-free installer images? Is there anything preventing > their inclusion? Or asked in a different way: could they be included so the > Debian installer supports the users with that hardware? > > Thanks, > *t >
I think this is because this is the infamous Broadcom chipset which uses a firmware cutter script to extract the blob needed from something like a Windows driver - it's not something we can distribute and this is the only way round it. So the script is in contrib because it depends on something that we can't package as non-free but can be accessed over the web. As ever, WiFi hardware is difficult - if you can once install using Ethernet / a cable to a Wifi point then you're fixed. Hope this helps, Andy C
