firmware-b43-installer fails due to suspended domain

[Jeremy]

[ Impact ]

The lwfinger.com domain has been suspended and downloading isn't possible, users are seeing this in terminal trying to install

A card known to work was found.
Unknown device(s) found: PCI id
Trying to install latest firmware 6.30.163.46 .
--2025-07-14 10:11:20-- https://www.lwfinger.com/b43-firmware/broadcom-wl-6.30.
163.46.tar.bz2
Resolving www.lwfinger.com (www.lwfinger.com)... 173.254.30.178
Connecting to www.lwfinger.com (www.lwfinger.com)|173.254.30.178|:443... connect
ed.
HTTP request sent, awaiting response... 302 Found
Location: https://www.lwfinger.com/cgi-sys/suspendedpage.cgi [following]
--2025-07-14 10:11:20-- https://www.lwfinger.com/cgi-sys/suspendedpage.cgi
Reusing existing connection to www.lwfinger.com:443.
HTTP request sent, awaiting response... 200 OK
Length: unspecified [text/html]
Saving to: ‘broadcom-wl-6.30.163.46.tar.bz2’

broadcom-wl-6.30.16 [ <=> ] 891 --.-KB/s in 0s

2025-07-14 10:11:21 (39.2 MB/s) - ‘broadcom-wl-6.30.163.46.tar.bz2’ saved [891]

broadcom-wl-6.30.163.46.tar.bz2: FAILED
sha512sum: WARNING: 1 computed checksum did NOT match
/var/lib/dpkg/info/firmware-b43-installer.postinst: Downloaded firmware did not
match known SHA512 checksum, aborting.
dpkg: error processing package firmware-b43-installer (--configure):
 installed firmware-b43-installer package post-installation script subprocess re
turned error exit status 1
Errors were encountered while processing:
 firmware-b43-installer
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

[ Test Plan ]

Install package and verify the firmware is downloaded and extracted properly. Verify that package installation succeeds.

[ Where Problems Could Occur ]

New firmware gets installed and is being loaded by the kernel on supported HW. As with any other firmware this can result in kernel stack traces, hangs, crashes, ...

[Jeremy (wa113y3s)]

Looks like Debian is working on it

https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=1109025

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[Macray (macrayb)]

Recently installed Mint 22.1 Cinnamon 6.4.6 Kernel 6.8.0-51-generic onto a 2015 MacBook Air and getting the same issue. Somewhat new to linux, very grateful to see Debian is working on this. Cheers. My error report:

macray@macray-LIPPLE:~$ sudo apt-get install firmware-b43-installer
[sudo] password for macray:
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
firmware-b43-installer is already the newest version (1:019-11build1).
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 375 not upgraded.
1 not fully installed or removed.
After this operation, 0 B of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n] y
Setting up firmware-b43-installer (1:019-11build1) ...
No chroot environment found. Starting normal installation
No supported device found.
But firmware is installed unconditionally
Unsupported device(s) found: PCI id * 14e4:43a0
Unknown device(s) found: PCI id * 14e4:43a0
Trying to install latest firmware 6.30.163.46 .
--2025-07-16 16:30:42-- https://www.lwfinger.com/b43-firmware/broadcom-wl-6.30.163.46.tar.bz2
Resolving www.lwfinger.com (www.lwfinger.com)... 15.197.172.60
Connecting to www.lwfinger.com (www.lwfinger.com)|15.197.172.60|:443... connected.
HTTP request sent, awaiting response... 200 OK
Length: 114 [text/html]
Saving to: ‘broadcom-wl-6.30.163.46.tar.bz2’

broadcom-wl-6.30.16 100%[===================>] 114 --.-KB/s in 0s

2025-07-16 16:30:43 (22.1 MB/s) - ‘broadcom-wl-6.30.163.46.tar.bz2’ saved [114/114]

broadcom-wl-6.30.163.46.tar.bz2: FAILED
sha512sum: WARNING: 1 computed checksum did NOT match
/var/lib/dpkg/info/firmware-b43-installer.postinst: Downloaded firmware did not match known SHA512 checksum, aborting.
dpkg: error processing package firmware-b43-installer (--configure):
 installed firmware-b43-installer package post-installation script subprocess returned error exit status 1
Errors were encountered while processing:
 firmware-b43-installer
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

[Mason Riley (myotonic-mason)]

I have gone through both mint and ubuntu installations on this 2020 IMAC with my head in my hands for the last 5 days trying to figure out and fuck around with what possibly could be wrong with all of this. It's been a nightmare. thank god its being worked on x-x. Heres my error report, not much different than the rest of ya but it's all I got

tadpole@monkey-thought-translator:~$ sudo apt install firmware-b43-installer
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
The following additional packages will be installed:
  b43-fwcutter bzip2
Suggested packages:
  bzip2-doc
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  b43-fwcutter bzip2 firmware-b43-installer
0 upgraded, 3 newly installed, 0 to remove and 15 not upgraded.
Need to get 67.6 kB of archives.
After this operation, 238 kB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n] y
Get:1 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu noble/main amd64 b43-fwcutter amd64 1:019-11build1 [27.3 kB]
Get:2 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu noble-updates/main amd64 bzip2 amd64 1.0.8-5.1build0.1 [34.5 kB]
Get:3 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu noble/multiverse amd64 firmware-b43-installer all 1:019-11build1 [5,678 B]
Fetched 67.6 kB in 1s (69.5 kB/s)
Preconfiguring packages ...
Selecting previously unselected package b43-fwcutter.
(Reading database ... 188638 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../b43-fwcutter_1%3a019-11build1_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking b43-fwcutter (1:019-11build1) ...
Selecting previously unselected package bzip2.
Preparing to unpack .../bzip2_1.0.8-5.1build0.1_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking bzip2 (1.0.8-5.1build0.1) ...
Selecting previously unselected package firmware-b43-installer.
Preparing to unpack .../firmware-b43-installer_1%3a019-11build1_all.deb ...
Unpacking firmware-b43-installer (1:019-11build1) ...
Setting up bzip2 (1.0.8-5.1build0.1) ...
Setting up b43-fwcutter (1:019-11build1) ...
Setting up firmware-b43-installer (1:019-11build1) ...
No chroot environment found. Starting normal installation
No supported device found.
But firmware is installed unconditionally
Unknown device(s) found: PCI id
Trying to install latest firmware 6.30.163.46 .
--2025-07-16 22:13:23-- https://www.lwfinger.com/b43-firmware/broadcom-wl-6.30.
163.46.tar.bz2
Resolving www.lwfinger.com (www.lwfinger.com)... 173.254.30.178
Connecting to www.lwfinger.com (www.lwfinger.com)|173.254.30.178|:443... connect
ed.
HTTP request sent, awaiting response... 302 Found
Location: https://www.lwfinger.com/cgi-sys/suspendedpage.cgi [following]
--2025-07-16 22:13:23-- https://www.lwfinger.com/cgi-sys/suspendedpage.cgi
Reusing existing connection to www.lwfinger.com:443.
HTTP request sent, awaiting response... 200 OK
Length: unspecified [text/html]
Saving to: ‘broadcom-wl-6.30.163.46.tar.bz2’

broadcom-wl-6.30.16 [ <=> ] 891 --.-KB/s in 0s

2025-07-16 22:13:24 (129 MB/s) - ‘broadcom-wl-6.30.163.46.tar.bz2’ saved [891]

broadcom-wl-6.30.163.46.tar.bz2: FAILED
sha512sum: WARNING: 1 computed checksum did NOT match
/var/lib/dpkg/info/firmware-b43-installer.postinst: Downloaded firmware did not...

[Finn W Kann (khan-404)]

same error

[sudo] password for khan404:
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
0 to upgrade, 0 to newly install, 0 to remove and 16 not to upgrade.
1 not fully installed or removed.
After this operation, 0 B of additional disk space will be used.
Setting up firmware-b43-installer (1:019-11build1) ...
No chroot environment found. Starting normal installation
A card known to work was found.
Unknown device(s) found: PCI id
Trying to install latest firmware 6.30.163.46 .
--2025-07-17 21:04:37-- https://www.lwfinger.com/b43-firmware/broadcom-wl-6.30.163.46.tar.bz2
Resolving www.lwfinger.com (www.lwfinger.com)... 15.197.172.60
Connecting to www.lwfinger.com (www.lwfinger.com)|15.197.172.60|:443... connected.
HTTP request sent, awaiting response... 200 OK
Length: 114 [text/html]
Saving to: ‘broadcom-wl-6.30.163.46.tar.bz2’

broadcom-wl-6.30.16 100%[===================>] 114 --.-KB/s in 0s

2025-07-17 21:04:38 (12.2 MB/s) - ‘broadcom-wl-6.30.163.46.tar.bz2’ saved [114/1
14]

broadcom-wl-6.30.163.46.tar.bz2: FAILED
sha512sum: WARNING: 1 computed checksum did NOT match
/var/lib/dpkg/info/firmware-b43-installer.postinst: Downloaded firmware did not
match known SHA512 checksum, aborting.
dpkg: error processing package firmware-b43-installer (--configure):
 installed firmware-b43-installer package post-installation script subprocess re
turned error exit status 1
Errors were encountered while processing:
 firmware-b43-installer
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

[Jeremy (wa113y3s)]

As a work around try

wget https://github.com/minios-linux/b43-firmware/releases/download/b43-firmware/broadcom-wl-6.30.163.46.tar.bz2

tar xjf broadcom-wl-6.30.163.46.tar.bz2

sudo apt install b43-fwcutter

sudo b43-fwcutter -w /lib/firmware broadcom-wl-*.o

You may see some errors during the install of b43-fwcutter but still try the last command and reboot

[Thomas Sidlo (tsidlo)]

I am getting this error. I have been able to connect to the router but no internet access. I am currently using a mobile hotspot to have internet access. When go to Software & Updates settings to activate the Additional Drivers tab. I select Using dkms Broadcom STA wireless driver it will not work. My ethernet conection will not work as well.

Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
Calculating upgrade... Done
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  linux-headers-6.15.7-x64v2-xanmod1 linux-image-6.15.7-x64v2-xanmod1
The following upgrades have been deferred due to phasing:
  ubuntu-drivers-common
The following packages will be upgraded:
  gnome-initial-setup linux-xanmod-x64v2
2 upgraded, 2 newly installed, 0 to remove and 1 not upgraded.
1 not fully installed or removed.
Need to get 118 MB of archives.
After this operation, 714 MB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n] y
Get:1 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu noble-updates/main amd64 gnome-initial-setup amd64 46.3-1ubuntu3~24.04.2 [603 kB]
Get:2 http://deb.xanmod.org releases/main amd64 linux-headers-6.15.7-x64v2-xanmod1 amd64 6.15.7-x64v2-xanmod1-0~20250719.g5708a07 [9,195 kB]
Get:3 http://deb.xanmod.org releases/main amd64 linux-image-6.15.7-x64v2-xanmod1 amd64 6.15.7-x64v2-xanmod1-0~20250719.g5708a07 [108 MB]
Get:4 http://deb.xanmod.org releases/main amd64 linux-xanmod-x64v2 amd64 6.15.7-xanmod1-0 [936 B]
Fetched 118 MB in 19s (6,065 kB/s)
(Reading database ... 176154 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../gnome-initial-setup_46.3-1ubuntu3~24.04.2_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking gnome-initial-setup (46.3-1ubuntu3~24.04.2) over (46.3-1ubuntu3~24.04.1) ...
Selecting previously unselected package linux-headers-6.15.7-x64v2-xanmod1.
Preparing to unpack .../linux-headers-6.15.7-x64v2-xanmod1_6.15.7-x64v2-xanmod1-0~20250719.g5708a07_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking linux-headers-6.15.7-x64v2-xanmod1 (6.15.7-x64v2-xanmod1-0~20250719.g5708a07) ...
Selecting previously unselected package linux-image-6.15.7-x64v2-xanmod1.
Preparing to unpack .../linux-image-6.15.7-x64v2-xanmod1_6.15.7-x64v2-xanmod1-0~20250719.g5708a07_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking linux-image-6.15.7-x64v2-xanmod1 (6.15.7-x64v2-xanmod1-0~20250719.g5708a07) ...
Preparing to unpack .../linux-xanmod-x64v2_6.15.7-xanmod1-0_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking linux-xanmod-x64v2 (6.15.7-xanmod1-0) over (6.15.6-xanmod1-0) ...
Setting up linux-headers-6.15.7-x64v2-xanmod1 (6.15.7-x64v2-xanmod1-0~20250719.g5708a07) ...
Setting up firmware-b43-installer (1:019-11build1) ...
No chroot environment found. Starting normal installation
A card known to work was found.
Unknown device(s) found: PCI id
Trying to install latest firmware 6.30.163.46 .
--2025-07-19 12:03:58-- https://www.lwfinger.com/b43-firmware/broadcom-wl-6.30.163.46.tar.bz2
Resolving www.lwfinger.com (www.lwfinger.com)... 15.197.172.60
Connecting to www.lwfinger.com (www.lwfinger.com)|15.197.172.60|:443... connected.
HTTP request sent, awaiting response... 200 ...

[angelo (angelo-yin)]

For solution from #6, work for me.

Thank you very much.

debian 12

[Jeremy (wa113y3s)]

Another fix might be

sudo sed -i 's,https://www.lwfinger.com/b43-firmware/${DOWNLOAD},https://github.com/minios-linux/b43-firmware/releases/download/b43-firmware/${DOWNLOAD},' /var/lib/dpkg/info/firmware-b43-installer.postinst

[Philip Bernick (graymatter7)]

Solution #6 also worked for me.

Thank you!

[Jeremy (wa113y3s)]

Can someone put the version from questing into other supported Ubuntu repos as version 1:019-14 contains the URL fix

[Juerg Haefliger (juergh)]

If we're going through the trouble of fixing all releases, someone with that HW needs to verify the fix on every release. Are you willing to do that?

[Jeremy (wa113y3s)]

I don't have every release or the hardware to verify but the problem and solution is the same for every release that hasn't been fixed. Unfortunately Larry Finger died about 18 months ago and that URL doesn't exist. I have no idea how many users this may affect but there are some apt issues after attempting to install with the bad URL

[John Schroeder (jschroed)]

#9 worked for me. I recommend that solution since it updates the URL post install script so that the scripts can work again.

Thanks for all your hard work Larry Finger. Rest in Peace.

[Juerg Haefliger (juergh)]

debdiff for Noble

[Juerg Haefliger (juergh)]

debdiff for Jammy