How to install firmware-b43-installer in Debian 12?

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Hello friends

For a laptop HP Pavilion g4-1387la was installed Debian 12 Desktop

The ethernet and wifi connections are possible.

But when only the WIFI is used (no ethernet cable connected) exists the problem that the internet speed is very slow. I put the same WIFI connection settings according with other laptops in the same LAN, all of them based with other Linux distributions. Of course the ipv4 is unique

The wireless card is as follows (let me know if you need more data - pls indicate me the command execute to share the info):

lspci -vq | grep -i wireless
02:00.0 Network controller: Broadcom Inc. and subsidiaries BCM4313 802.11bgn Wireless Network Adapter (rev 01)
Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company BCM4313 802.11bgn Wireless Network Adapter

I had a similar problem about a WIFI connection through PeppermintOS based on Debian according with:

https://sourceforge.net/p/peppermintos/pepos/net/thread/b3d502f094/

The point is that theoretically the solution is install:

  • firmware-b43-installer
  • firmware-b43legacy-installer

When is opened the Synaptic Package Manager tool does not appear both.

Thus the goal is get both packages to be installed as shown through PeppermintOS

To accomplish this goal was done the following tasks:

In the /etc/apt/sources.list.d directory was executed the nano debian-backports.list command and was added the following line:

  • deb http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm-backports main contrib non-free-firmware

Once saved and closed the file was executed the apt update command

But even if the OS is restarted the Synaptic Package Manager tool does not show both packages. And just in case through:

  • Settings → Repositories → Other Software

Appears the new repository as an item

How to accomplish this goal?

Thank You

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Hi Manuel,
I think you need to manually import the new repository key before doing apt-update.

This link shows how to import key
https://linuxize.com/post/how-to-add-apt-repository-in-ubuntu/

Another link that explains it better

Regards
Neville

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Try to specify the backports repo.

Edit: I’m rethinking this.

Edit2:

Looking at it closer, I find both packages are present in the stable repo, but not in the backports.
So a regular apt install firmware-b43-installer or apt install firmware-b43legacy-installer should install it.

I suspect you need to need check your “normal” repos, and if necessary, enable the missing ones, especially non-free-firmware:

deb http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm main contrib non-free non-free-firmware

I have this line in /etc/apt/sources.list

Edit3:

Look at this maybe:

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As usual huge thanks for the polite and valuable replies

Neville:

Thanks for the two links 
 :handshake:

LĂĄszlĂł

Try to specify the backports repo.

Do you mean about to use command line and referring explicitly to the backports repository? If yes as follows an excellent tutorial and more about that

I had in mind the command line too, but was confuse that Synaptic Package Manager tool did not show the expected packages. I thought that the GUI tool is a mirror of the command line about to show repositories. So based on my experience with PeppermintOS for the same tool it was confuse

Looking at it closer, I find both packages are present in the stable repo, but not in the backports.
So a regular apt install firmware-b43-installer or apt install firmware-b43legacy-installer should install it.

It is interesting, according with the 2 following links both appear on the contrib instead (not stable repo)

And my main concern is when was executed the apt list | grep firmware-b43 command the two expected packages does not appear

I suspect you need to need check your “normal” repos, and if necessary, enable the missing ones, especially non-free-firmware: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm main contrib non-free non-free-firmware I have this line in /etc/apt/sources.list

Thanks for your line, against mine are very similar:

deb http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm-backports main contrib non-free-firmware (Mine)
deb http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm main contrib non-free non-free-firmware  (Yours)

Edit3: Look at this maybe: (GitHub link) 


Thanks for that link, according with its comments is better use deb.debian.org instead. Thus I am going to try with these lines instead:

deb http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
deb-src http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm main contrib non-free non-free-firmware

deb http://deb.debian.org/debian-security bookworm-security main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
deb-src http://deb.debian.org/debian-security bookworm-security main contrib non-free non-free-firmware

deb http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm-updates main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
deb-src http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm-updates main contrib non-free non-free-firmware

It according with:

Very similar than the Github suggested source

Let’s see what happens

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I meant the install command, just I edited my post couple times and I messed it up (in this regard).

I meant, if want to install something specifically from the backports repo (after you enabled it), do it like this:

apt install -t stable-backports the-new-package-needed
Note the -t stable-backports, that tells apt to install the package from that repository instead of the default.
But I gues your problem was not this, as those b43 packages are not in the backports repo :wink:
Hence my edits, and screwing up my original advice :slight_smile:

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Thanks for the reply

Here my advance.

First, for complete information, as follows the content of the /etc/apt/sources.list file:

#deb cdrom:[Debian GNU/Linux 12.8.0 _Bookworm_ - Official amd64 DVD Binary-1 with firmware 20241109-11:05]/ bookworm contrib main non-free-firmware

deb http://deb.debian.org/debian/ bookworm main non-free-firmware
deb-src http://deb.debian.org/debian/ bookworm main non-free-firmware

deb http://security.debian.org/debian-security bookworm-security main non-free-firmware
deb-src http://security.debian.org/debian-security bookworm-security main non-free-firmware

# bookworm-updates, to get updates before a point release is made;
# see https://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/debian-reference/ch02.en.html#_updates_and_backports
deb http://deb.debian.org/debian/ bookworm-updates main non-free-firmware
deb-src http://deb.debian.org/debian/ bookworm-updates main non-free-firmware

And again the content of the custom /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian-backports.list file

deb http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm-backports main contrib non-free-firmware

Thus the set of lines suggested by either Github and StackOverflow links are practically reflected in these two files

Now, I executed the following set of commands:

apt install

root@mjordan-hp:~# apt install firmware-b43-installer
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
E: Unable to locate package firmware-b43-installer

root@mjordan-hp:~# apt install firmware-b43legacy-installer
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
E: Unable to locate package firmware-b43legacy-installer
root@mjordan-hp:~#

apt search

root@mjordan-hp:~# apt search firmware-b43-installer
Sorting... Done
Full Text Search... Done

root@mjordan-hp:~# apt search firmware-b43legacy-installer
Sorting... Done
Full Text Search... Done
root@mjordan-hp:~#

apt search -t bookworm-backports

root@mjordan-hp:~# apt search -t bookworm-backports firmware-b43-installer
Sorting... Done
Full Text Search... Done

root@mjordan-hp:~# apt search -t bookworm-backports firmware-b43legacy-installer
Sorting... Done
Full Text Search... Done
root@mjordan-hp:~#

apt-cache search -t bookworm-backports

root@mjordan-hp:~# apt-cache search -t bookworm-backports firmware-b43-installer

root@mjordan-hp:~# apt-cache search -t bookworm-backports firmware-b43legacy-installer

apt install -t bookworm-backports

root@mjordan-hp:~# apt install -t bookworm-backports firmware-b43-installer
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
E: Unable to locate package firmware-b43-installer

root@mjordan-hp:~# apt install -t bookworm-backports firmware-b43legacy-installer
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
E: Unable to locate package firmware-b43legacy-installer
root@mjordan-hp:~#

BTW was used -t bookworm-backports according with the How to enable Debian 12 Backports repository tutorial and because was declared deb http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm-backports .... in the custom .list file. I mean the bookworm-backports part

Thus so far is not possible install these two packages

Thank You

Some ideas are well welcomed

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I see you enabled the non-free-firmware repo.
Unfortunately I was wrong again, what you are looking for is in the contrib repo, not in the non-free.firmware. My bad :frowning:

laco@DellG3:~$ apt-cache policy firmware-b43-installer
firmware-b43-installer:
  TelepĂ­tve: (nincs)
  Jelölt:    1:019-8
  VerziĂłtĂĄblĂĄzat:
     1:019-8 500
        500 http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm/contrib amd64 Packages
        500 http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm/contrib i386 Packages
laco@DellG3:~$

So you need to add ‘contrib’ in order to reach that package.

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Hello Laszlo

I see you enabled the non-free-firmware repo.
Unfortunately I was wrong again, what you are looking for is in the contrib repo, not in the non-free.firmware.

Correct, it is located in the contrib repo

laco@DellG3:~$ apt-cache policy firmware-b43-installer

Thanks for the command

In my case happens the following:

root@mjordan-hp:~# apt-cache policy firmware-b43-installer
N: Unable to locate package firmware-b43-installer

root@mjordan-hp:~# apt-cache policy firmware-b43legacy-installer
N: Unable to locate package firmware-b43legacy-installer
root@mjordan-hp:~#

What extra configuration you would have vs my side?

So you need to add ‘contrib’ in order to reach that package.

Pls, where and how to do that?: I am doing this question because contrib already is defined through

deb http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm-backports main contrib non-free-firmware

So, I don’t understand your point

Thank You

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As I already told, it’s not in the backports repos.
instead
deb http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm-backports main contrib non-free-firmware

better add
deb http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm main contrib non-free-firmware

Does it work so?

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I wonder, does @Manuel_Jordan need to have the backports repo defined in /etc/apt.?
Should he perhaps remove it?
Is it not likely to cause some other update issues?

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For that b43-thing the backports is not needed. However, having it specified, does not cause any problem.
I have backports too, because I like a few things from there - Libreoffice for example.
Apt is configured in a way that backports has little priority. So no package present both in normal and backports repos are updated automatically to the newer, backported version. Once a package is installed from there, it will be updated if the repo gets updated with a newer version.
So it is safe to have backports enabled, it does not cause update issues.

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Thank you, I did not understand how that would work out.

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LĂĄszlĂł

Huge thanks for the guidance:

As I already told, it’s not in the backports repos.
instead
deb http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm-backports main contrib non-free-firmware
better add
deb http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm main contrib non-free-firmware
Does it work so?

Yes it works!. Finally solved. In the same /etc/apt/sources.list file was edited

from:

#deb cdrom:[Debian GNU/Linux 12.8.0 _Bookworm_ - Official amd64 DVD Binary-1 with firmware 20241109-11:05]/ bookworm contrib main non-free-firmware

deb http://deb.debian.org/debian/ bookworm main non-free-firmware
deb-src http://deb.debian.org/debian/ bookworm main non-free-firmware

...

To:

#deb cdrom:[Debian GNU/Linux 12.8.0 _Bookworm_ - Official amd64 DVD Binary-1 with firmware 20241109-11:05]/ bookworm contrib main non-free-firmware

deb http://deb.debian.org/debian/ bookworm contrib main non-free-firmware
deb-src http://deb.debian.org/debian/ bookworm contrib main non-free-firmware

...

I tried your version

  • ... bookworm main contrib non-free-firmware

But I remember was mandatory comment the first line (it to avoid a failure when the apt update command is executed and does not find the CD mounted) and I did do realize that it has a little slight difference about order as follows:

  • ... bookworm contrib main non-free-firmware

Therefore main contrib vs contrib main. If my memory does not fail me it is not a problem. Anyway just in case I tried both and work. It by using the Synaptic Package Manager tool where appears both packages listed

Neville

I wonder, does @Manuel_Jordan need to have the backports repo defined in /etc/apt.? Should he perhaps remove it? Is it not likely to cause some other update issues?

It is interesting because in Ubuntu, if my memory does not fail me, in the /etc/apt/sources.list file is indicated through a comment to not touch the file itself and a create custom .list files in the /etc/apt/sources.list.d directory. That note does not appear explicitly in Debian.

Furthermore in many tutorials about how to add these repositories - for Ubuntu and Debian - is used both approaches: either edit the file itself or create a custom file in the mentioned directory. But I took the latter as a best practice.

Thank you, I did not understand how that would work out.

Important information in these links:

To all

After to have installed these packages, in the same machine when the ping command is executed to other PC in the same LAN it is fast as if the same command was executed in other PC in the same LAN but sadly when is opened a Web Browser, it can work fast but randomly goes slow again. It is very strange.

In the other post soon as I can I am going to share its respective feedback

As a note, is important have disable bluetooth. In some way it has an impact in the speed

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I think either will work. sources.list.d is a modern idea.

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Correct, both work but is suggested the directory approach. And in case of migration is easier reuse that directory. I think the other main reason is to avoid break something if the main file is edited incorrectly

So far I edited twice the main file


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What do you call modern?

Anything after 2000? :smiley:

I recall seeing /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ since at least Debian Jessie circa 2015 :smiley:

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This computer world moves faster than I do. Showing my age again.
I really dont see the point of providing a separate place for user edits of config files.
There are too many places now
 is it in /etc or is it in a dot file or is it in /usr/share?

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Hi @Manuel_Jordan ,

I’m really glad I could help with your install problem.

No, the order does not matter there. Component1, component2, etc ar just -I’d say’ sub-directories in the repository, so the non-free, contrib, and so on.
It really does not matter in which order do you specify them there.

https://wiki.debian.org/SourcesList

I left Ubuntu long ago, I did not remember this :slight_smile: But if I’m not wrong, these “don’t edit this file” warnings are there for files which may get overwritten by the system, kind of auto-gerated files

Maybe Ubuntu does such things?
I started my Debian era with Debian 10, I always added my own repositories to /etc/apt/sources.list file, so far never had a problem doing so.
As for the “.d” sub-directories, it seems to be common to use such a dir for config-snippets. Like Dovecot has its main config in /etc/dovecot/dovecot.conf, it reads snippets from /etc/dovecot/conf.d/ where there are such things, like 10-auth.conf, 10-ssl.conf, etc.
These make it just easier to maintain, so if I want to change the lmtp specific settings, I need to look for it in conf.d/20-lmtp.conf, and not look for it in a single huuuge config file.
I believe that sources.list.d serves similar purpose.
I like to have all strictly core Debian related repositories specified in the usual source.list file, and the different repositories related to other softwares in their sources.list.d/[software name].list file. Som of those softwares create this .list file upopn first install via dpkg, so it’s kind of a default behavior.
So I have a softmaker.list file for Freeofice from Softmaker, spotify.list for Spotify client, and so on

If I don’t want a repo to be present anymore in my system, I just remove/rename the list file which refers to it, run apt update, and done.
It’s just easier to maintain, and maintaining/adding/removing repos are scriptable way much easier that way.
Other than that, having only /etc/apt/sources.list would be enough anyway.

Unfortunately I cannot help with this. :frowning:
Did you try both b43 installers? I saw there are 2 of those.

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Perhaps you should run sudo apt update, then retry the listing command. If your local apt database isn’t up to date, some packages may not be displayed.

HTH,

Ernie

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Hello friends

LĂĄszlĂł

Unfortunately I cannot help with this. :frowning:

I am going to create a new post to share more details, who knows a spark of light resolves everything

Did you try both b43 installers? I saw there are 2 of those.

Yes, were installed both and more 
 I am going to share a set of Figures in the other post.

Ernest

Perhaps you should run sudo apt update, then retry the listing command. If your local apt database isn’t up to date, some packages may not be displayed.

That command works according with the set of repositories defined. Thus because was updated the /etc/apt/sources.list file was possible install both packages

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