[Bug 29566] Re: Missing firmware for bcm43xx/b43 driver during install

[Chris Bainbridge]

@Colin Watson  I just noticed linux-firmware-nonfree now includes the
b43 firmware? Did the legal situation get resolved? Is redistribution
now allowed? This would be very good news for everyone, but I just
checked http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Firmware and
http://wireless.kernel.org/en/users/Drivers/b43 and both still say that
redistribution of the b43 firmware is illegal!?

It appears from changelog [0] that Tim Gardner added the b43 firmware
files to linux-firmware-nonfree back in September 2011, so I'm surprised
that nobody has noticed this yet.

[0] https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/oneiric/+source/linux-firmware-
nonfree/+changelog

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/29566

Title:
  Missing firmware for bcm43xx/b43 driver during install

Status in Ubuntu:
  Invalid
Status in “hw-detect” package in Ubuntu:
  Confirmed
Status in Debian GNU/Linux:
  Fix Released

Bug description:
  On AMD64 using daily dapper 20050124.

  During the install the installer offers to configure the bcm43xx
  device on my laptop, but the search for wireless networks fails to
  find any networks. The message simply says no networks could be found,
  but investigation shows that the firmware for the device could not be
  loaded, because it is not available.

  Ideally the firmware should be included, but that is probably
  imposable because of licensing so the bcm43xx device should probably
  not be listed as a usable network device during the install. Just my
  $.02

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