Re: WiFi Hardware not detected, during Debian NetInst Install

[David Wright <deblis@lionunicorn.co.uk>]

On Wed 24 Mar 2021 at 17:58:58 (-0400), Cmdte Alpha Tigre Z wrote:
> 
> I saw the bug report.  Mr. Charles Curley provided relevant information
> about the installation process stored on log files.  Perhaps it would be good
> to follow Mr. David Wright's advice, you could help with bug-fixing process
> sending some installation log information to narrow what the developers
> should be looking for.  As for the reproduction of the bug, I think one
> would need a similar hardware configuration to reach the problem;
> at least you need the WiFi device, so it would be good if you could provide
> more details, if you have the time, of course.

I've just looked at bug report #985755 and there are, currently, a
mere four occurrences of the string 8723, only one of which is
actually in the text. Most of the logs appear to be about the
Intel PRO/Wireless 2200BG device, its module ipw2200 and firmware
ipw2200-bss.fw. My newly oldest computer, an Acer TravelMate 3201XCi,
built in 2004, contains one of these. If it's of any use to Charles,
I can warn that this laptop has the annoying habit of booting up
with the wifi blocked. (It has a pair of insanely placed toggling
buttons/lights for wifi and bluetooth, and I've never figured out
what the wifi light correlates with.) I know nothing about the R51
and whether there are any firmware buttons or function keys that
would affect its wifi.

As far as "my advice" is concerned (which really arose from an
apparent difference in how the d-i firmware is loaded in wheezy
and buster), we haven't yet been shown any direct evidence of
which module drives the 8723, nor of what firmware it uses.
(These can easily be determined from dmesg when the installed
system is running.) This should allow a more focussed report
from the installation logs (of which we've seen nothing IIRC).

Cheers,
David.