Linux

45488 readers

1938 users here now

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

Rules

Posts must be relevant to operating systems running the Linux kernel. GNU/Linux or otherwise.
No misinformation
No NSFW content
No hate speech, bigotry, etc

Related Communities

Community icon by Alpár-Etele Méder, licensed under CC BY 3.0

founded 5 years ago

MODERATORS

[email protected]

Install deb packages with its dependencies manually on mac mini - Broadcom firmware (feddit.it)

submitted 4 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

13 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Hi, I installed ubuntu server on a mac mini late 2012, and I have now (as expected) a problem with the firmware for the Broadcom network adapter / wifi card.

I could install those firmware quite easily with the package firmware-b43-installer but I obviously cannot use apt to download and install this package.

Then I thought to manually download the package from another computer and install it manually in Ubuntu. I saved the .deb into a USB stick and tried to install it, but this package depends on other packages that are not installed on the machine.

Then I thought "ok, I'll do the same for the dependencies and I will install the manually before install the firmware-b43-installer".

The problem is, of course, that also those packages depends on something else.

I don't think is a good idea to go down into the dependency hole and look manually for all the depndendencies of the dependencies... there is a more efficient way to do this? There is a way to download a package with its recursive dependencies?

Or somebody installed already Ubuntu (or a debian based distro) on a mac mini with Broadcom chip that can put me on the right direction?

Thanks a lot.

all 16 comments

sorted by: hot top controversial new old

[–] [email protected] 23 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (3 children)

If you have an android phone, plug it into the macmini via usb, connect to wifi and enable usb tethering.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 4 months ago

Amazing. It worked, thanks a lot

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 months ago

+1 Happy usb tethering user here. 👍

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago

iPhones work too

[–] [email protected] 6 points 4 months ago (2 children)

Copying this package over USB will not work anyway, even if you get all the dependencies, since firmware-b43-installer is just a script that downloads the firmware (probably because it is illegal for Debian/Ubuntu to redistribute this firmware because of the license).

You need internet. You'll need to use a different network device for this, or use a phone as the other person said.

Or you can copy the firmware files over by hand, from a different Ubuntu/Linux computer. They should be under /usr/lib/firmware/b43.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

Here is a manual on how to obtain firmware without using the script.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 months ago

Right. I solved using the connection of my phone

[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 months ago (1 children)

A quick search tells me that mac mini's have ethernet. Are you able temporarily connect that way to fetch the wifi drivers?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 months ago

Unfortunately also the ethernet connection wasn't detected. I solved using my phone in USB tethering

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 months ago

One approach here is the Ubuntu CD/DVD images. You can (could?) use the disk as a package source for apt to install from.