Re: why doesn't d-i include firmware-b43-installer and firmware-b43legacy-installer?

["Andrew M.A. Cater" <amacater@einval.com>]

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&section=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