[SOLVED] Freia Unable to Detect Network Hardware

RecklessEpoch · 2026-09-03 13:57:50

ISO: Freia NetInstall (20260819)
Device: ThinkPad T16
CPU: Ryzen AI 450 Pro
Wireless Card: MediaTek Wi-Fi 7 MT7925 2x2 BE & Bluetooth® 5.4
USB Media: Venoty 1.1.17

Description:

When trying to install Devuan Freia, the following error message shows up -

Some of your hardware needs non-free firmware files to operate. The firmware can be loaded from removable media, sub as a UBS stick or floppy.

Missing firmware files are:
mediatek/mt7925/WIFI_MT7925_PATCH_MCU_1_1_hdr.bin
mediatek/mt7925/WIFI_RAM_CIDE_MT7925_1_1.bin

I am unable to proceed with the installation due to the lack of an ethernet port.
From my understanding Linux Kernel 7.1.8 should have the files already included by default. I have no such issues when using Debian Forky's NetInstall ISO. Any help would be appreciated.

kapqa · 2026-09-03 15:03:09

since when is T series lacking Ethernet port?
~~would rather return the laptop, and get one with an Ethernet port.~~
pleasee mark solved.

Last edited by kapqa (2026-09-03 18:35:53)

Calamity · 2026-09-03 16:28:33

Modern laptops... le sigh. And even some Mini-PCs these days come without the wired port!

You could try plugging an Ethernet USB adapter. They should be recognized by the kernel out of the box... I have a Type-C one and it works fine.

rbit · 2026-09-03 16:53:46

Thanks for reporting this. I'll update the freia installer soon... it still was using the excalibur Contents-firmware file which I believe is the source of your issue.

RecklessEpoch · 2026-09-04 00:10:49

@kapqa @Calamity Thank you for the suggestions. The laptop does have an ethernet port, I just don't have access to a network where I can connect using an ethernet cable under the current circumstances.

@rbit Thank you, I'll mark the issue as solved. Looking forward to the updated Installer.

Last edited by RecklessEpoch (2026-09-04 00:11:17)

rbit · 2026-09-04 01:03:43

Please, when you have an opportunity, test the new devuan_freia_7.0-202609031921_amd64_netinstall.iso - it should be on the mirrors by now. And if you don't mind, report back whether that fixes the issue.

kapqa · 2026-09-04 11:03:45

@RecklessEpoch if forced you need to use a WiFi there is things called "Travel Router" that lets you bridge and use an Ethernet cable on device instead, but myself never used one, cannot vouche for it.

on first years of University, remember the scarce laptop positions used to have shared spaces, with 3 ethernet cables, so you got to sit around a table(t), and actually chit-chat if you wanted, that was rather nice!

nowadays is focered wiFi and no Fun at all.

RecklessEpoch · Yesterday 15:40:33

@ribit I have tested using the new ISO that you have listed. Unfortunately the issue still exists giving the same error code.

greenjeans · Yesterday 16:06:02

@ribit I have tested using the new ISO that you have listed. Unfortunately the issue still exists giving the same error code.

Curious as to why this thread is marked "solved" then?

Does the netinstall iso have firmware-mediatek on it? Can't seem to find a package list for it.

The Mediatek stuff used to be in firmware-misc-nonfree, but got split off as of excalibur.

Last edited by greenjeans (Yesterday 16:07:47)

jw4791 · Yesterday 16:12:01

@greenjeans, you mean it used to be part of the big, monolithic FW packages? Looks like it's still in non-free firmware to me for excalibur:

us.deb.devuan.org/merged/pool/DEBIAN/non-free-firmware/f/firmware-nonfree/firmware-mediatek_20250410-2_all.deb

ovi · Yesterday 20:22:41

Seems that WI-FI chip was released around May 2024. Maybe Excalibur firmware is too old for this chip. Not having an Ethernet port, RecklessEpoch depends on the ISO to install Devuan. Calamity has right, is such a stupidity how the modern consumers laptops are done. I could find the firmware-mediatek in the firmware-nonfree repo on Freia.

fsmithred · Today 00:06:25

@RecklessEpoch: Sometimes if you continue past that first note about adding the missing firmware from removable media, you can still set up the wireless when the installer gets to the network setup. The firmware is in that iso. Did you try that, or just bail out of the installer when you got that message?

rbit · Today 00:17:50

greenjeans wrote:

Does the netinstall iso have firmware-mediatek on it?

Yes, there's firmware-mediatek_20260810-1_all.deb

However, I found in firmware/Contents-firmware:

/usr/lib/firmware/mediatek/mt7925/BT_RAM_CODE_MT7925_1_1_hdr.bin firmware-mediatek_20260622-1_all.deb non-free-firmware
/usr/lib/firmware/mediatek/mt7925/WIFI_MT7925_PATCH_MCU_1_1_hdr.bin firmware-mediatek_20260622-1_all.deb non-free-firmware
/usr/lib/firmware/mediatek/mt7925/WIFI_RAM_CODE_MT7925_1_1.bin firmware-mediatek_20260622-1_all.deb non-free-firmware

So it appears I need to update the Contents-firmware file to the correct version on the disc image.
Hopefully it will all be good in the next iso (check mirrors in a while)

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#1 2026-09-03 13:57:50

[SOLVED] Freia Unable to Detect Network Hardware

#2 2026-09-03 15:03:09

Re: [SOLVED] Freia Unable to Detect Network Hardware

#3 2026-09-03 16:28:33

Re: [SOLVED] Freia Unable to Detect Network Hardware

#4 2026-09-03 16:53:46

Re: [SOLVED] Freia Unable to Detect Network Hardware

#5 2026-09-04 00:10:49

Re: [SOLVED] Freia Unable to Detect Network Hardware

#6 2026-09-04 01:03:43

Re: [SOLVED] Freia Unable to Detect Network Hardware

#7 2026-09-04 11:03:45

Re: [SOLVED] Freia Unable to Detect Network Hardware

#8 Yesterday 15:40:33

Re: [SOLVED] Freia Unable to Detect Network Hardware

#9 Yesterday 16:06:02

Re: [SOLVED] Freia Unable to Detect Network Hardware

#10 Yesterday 16:12:01

Re: [SOLVED] Freia Unable to Detect Network Hardware

#11 Yesterday 20:22:41

Re: [SOLVED] Freia Unable to Detect Network Hardware

#12 Today 00:06:25

Re: [SOLVED] Freia Unable to Detect Network Hardware

#13 Today 00:17:50

Re: [SOLVED] Freia Unable to Detect Network Hardware

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