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Netinst Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211 firmware

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HydraGene
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Joined: 2015-10-28 19:58

Netinst Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211 firmware

#1 Post by HydraGene »

I have a rather nee laptop with Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211.
Running the netinst iso installation usb, it tells me that first there is firmware missing, and then that my ethernet device can not be found. First I tried stable bullseye release, then testing bookworm.
I need iwlwifi-so-a0-gf-a0-72.ucode till "-39.ucode. I quess only one of those would really be needed. Is this correct?

I've seen at https://wireless.wiki.kernel.org/en/use ... rs/iwlwifi that this network card is only supported by kernel 5.14 or later. So I guess I need to install bookworm, since that has 5.18. Is this correct or will stable (5.10) do too?

I've downloaded the firmware package from bullseye and bookworm, but they but don't contain the firmware that I need. Looking inside those packages I can't find any ucode file named like above. But downloading the latest tar from here https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/ke ... rmware.git, I've found the firmware that I need. At least I see "-71.ucode.

Now I've placed .deb packages, tar.gz / tar.xz packages, even ucode itself into /firmware as described here https://d-i.debian.org/doc/installation ... 06s04.html. I've even placed those file in the root and in /firmware/dep11 but all got the same results. The installation usb still can not find the firmware that I need.

What else can I try?

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Head_on_a_Stick
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Re: Netinst Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211 firmware

#2 Post by Head_on_a_Stick »

Try linux-image-amd64 from the bullseye-backports repository. Or the "desktop" kernel from Liquorix (ask a search engine).
deadbang

HydraGene
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Re: Netinst Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211 firmware

#3 Post by HydraGene »

Do I just copy linux-image-amd64.deb to /firmware on the installation usb?
I have not managed to install debian yet.. I need to first install it properly before I can upgrade to any backports software. And to properly install debian, I need access to the internet with the netinst iso. But it won't work, because I am missing firmware.

I'm not sure how to install these packages with the installation usb.

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Re: Netinst Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211 firmware

#4 Post by Head_on_a_Stick »

HydraGene wrote: 2022-08-07 16:48 Do I just copy linux-image-amd64.deb to /firmware on the installation usb?
No. That won't work because it's a metapackage. You would have to also install the matching kernel .deb. Remember to add the backports repositories afterwards though to keep the kernel updated.
HydraGene wrote: 2022-08-07 16:48I need to first install it properly before I can upgrade to any backports software. And to properly install debian, I need access to the internet with the netinst iso.
Debian can be installed from any live ISO image by following https://www.debian.org/releases/bullsey ... 03.en.html — Arch should support your card so use that as the Debian installation medium. They even have debootstrap in their repositories ('pacman -Sy debootstrap' from the ISO).

I used to provide ISO images with a backported kernel & new firmware pre-installed but I had to decamp from the GitHub hosting because they're Evil. I might set up something similar elsewhere if I get bored enough.
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Re: Netinst Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211 firmware

#5 Post by bw123 »

...First I tried stable bullseye release, then testing bookworm.
I need iwlwifi-so-a0-gf-a0-72.ucode till "-39.ucode. I quess only one of those would really be needed. Is this correct?
If the stable installer asked for this firmware, then I would assume the stable installer kernel supports the device.

How did you arrive at your conclusion?
...I've seen at https://wireless.wiki.kernel.org/en/use ... rs/iwlwifi that this network card is only supported by kernel 5.14 or later...
Good Hint, but the best way to determine kernel support is by pci id, and check kernel module. Debian may have an odd way of supporting things upstream, while appearing to be backwards.
https://wiki.debian.org/HowToIdentifyADevice/PCI

I did a search and saw this may be a different type of device on an m2 connection? If so, you might want to take that into account and adjust your searches accordingly.

I would get the device vendor:id and compare it to strings in modinfo iwlwifi on kernel, if the strings match, it's good.
...I've found the firmware that I need. At least I see "-71.ucode.

Now I've placed .deb packages, tar.gz / tar.xz packages, even ucode itself into /firmware
Yeah I never had luck with providing firmware during install, but you can't use a .tar the link you gave says, "...and unpack it to the file system" and you need to use , "...FAT as that is most certain to be supported during the early stages of the installation. ."

good luck.

If it was me, I'd complete netinstall without net connection. It's a very basic system, then poke around and identify hardware, then copy the firmware to the correct place. Then get network connectivity and build up a nice system. It's not brain surgery, but it's a little harder than putting together a cheeseburger. Most people could handle it. Using a live system was great advice also!

adios,
bw
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