#1138628 installation-reports: Installation successful, but Wi-Fi not detected on HP EliteBook 840 G2 (Missing firmware)

#1138628#5
Date:
2026-06-01 13:49:48 UTC
From:
To:
(Please provide enough information to help the Debian
maintainers evaluate the report efficiently - e.g., by filling
in the sections below.)

Boot method: USB
Image version: https://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/daily-builds/daily/arch-latest/amd64/iso-cd/debian-testing-amd64-netinst.iso
Date: <Date and time of the install>

Machine: HP EliteBook 840 G2
Partitions: <df -Tl will do; the raw partition table is preferred>


Base System Installation Checklist:
[O] = OK, [E] = Error (please elaborate below), [ ] = didn't try it

Initial boot:           [O]
Detect network card:    [E]
Configure network:      [E]
Detect media:           [O]
Load installer modules: [O]
Clock/timezone setup:   [O]
User/password setup:    [O]
Detect hard drives:     [O]
Partition hard drives:  [O]
Install base system:    [O]
Install tasks:          [O]
Install boot loader:    [O]
Overall install:        [O]

Comments/Problems:

The installation completed successfully, but the Wi-Fi adapter was not detected during the installation process due to missing firmware.
The machine is an HP EliteBook 840 G2. I had to proceed without Wi-Fi.
It would be helpful if the required firmware for this specific Wi-Fi card is included or appropriately prompted during the netinst process.


Please make sure that any installation logs that you think would
be useful are attached to this report. (You can find them in the
installer system in /var/log/ and later on the installed system
under /var/log/installer.) Please compress large files using gzip.

#1138628#10
Date:
2026-06-01 15:13:45 UTC
From:
To:
Hello,

for

Broadcom Inc. and subsidiaries BCM43142

follow

https://wiki.debian.org/wl

This makes WLAN working after installation.

To get it working during installation I do not know what to do.

Rolf

Am 01.06.2026 um 15:49 schrieb Hesamedine Jannesari:

#1138628#15
Date:
2026-06-01 15:13:45 UTC
From:
To:
Hello,

for

Broadcom Inc. and subsidiaries BCM43142

follow

https://wiki.debian.org/wl

This makes WLAN working after installation.

To get it working during installation I do not know what to do.

Rolf

Am 01.06.2026 um 15:49 schrieb Hesamedine Jannesari:

#1138628#20
Date:
2026-06-01 18:17:23 UTC
From:
To:
It is a missing driver. A missing firmware would have been detected and
requested by the installer.

This device requires the 'wl' non-free driver which cannot be
distributed with the installer. You could build it from source with
package broadcom-sta-dkms and the installer kernel headers but that
would be overkill if you can use ethernet.