Rewrite of NIC support, document wireless support (for selected arches) and explain issues surrounding drivers that require firmware

1 files changed, 85 insertions, 100 deletions

diff --git a/en/hardware/network-cards.xml b/en/hardware/network-cards.xml
index bf77e7303..263248d51 100644
--- a/en/hardware/network-cards.xml
+++ b/en/hardware/network-cards.xml
@@ -3,131 +3,54 @@
 
  <sect1 id="network-cards">
  <title>Network Connectivity Hardware</title>
+<para>
 
-<para arch="x86">
+Almost any network interface card (NIC) supported by the Linux kernel
+should also be supported by the installation system; modular drivers
+should normally be loaded automatically.
 
-<!-- last updated for kernel-image_2.0.36-2 -->
+<phrase arch="x86">This includes most PCI and PCMCIA cards.</phrase>
+<phrase arch="i386">Many older ISA cards are supported as well.</phrase>
 
-Most PCI and many older ISA network cards are supported.
-Some network interface cards are not supported by most Debian
-installation disks, such as AX.25 cards and protocols;
-NI16510 EtherBlaster cards; Schneider &amp; Koch G16 cards;
-and the Zenith Z-Note built-in network card. Microchannel (MCA) network
-cards are not supported by the standard installation system, but see
-<ulink url="&url-linux-mca;">Linux on MCA</ulink> for some (old)
-instructions.
-FDDI networks are also not supported by the installation disks, both
-cards and protocols.
-
-<!-- missing-doc FIXME You can create a custom kernel which supports an
-otherwise unsupported card and then substitute in the installer (see
-<xref linkend="rescue-replace-kernel"/>). -->
-
-</para><para arch="x86">
-
-As for ISDN, the D-channel protocol for the (old) German 1TR6 is not
-supported; Spellcaster BRI ISDN boards are also not supported by the
-&d-i;.
-
-</para>
-
-<para arch="m68k">
-
-Any network interface card (NIC) supported by the Linux kernel should
-also be supported by the boot disks.  You may need to load your
-network driver as a module.  Again, see
-<ulink url="&url-m68k-faq;"></ulink> for complete details.
-
-</para>
+<phrase arch="m68k">Again, see <ulink url="&url-m68k-faq;"></ulink>
+for complete details.</phrase>
 
 <para arch="sparc">
 
-The following network interface cards (NICs) are supported from the bootable
-kernel directly:
+This includes a lot of generic PCI cards (for systems that have PCI) and
+the following NICs from Sun:
 
 <itemizedlist>
- <listitem><para>
+<listitem><para>
 
 Sun LANCE
 
-
 </para></listitem>
- <listitem><para>
+<listitem><para>
 
 Sun Happy Meal
 
-
 </para></listitem>
-</itemizedlist>
-
-</para><para arch="sparc">
-
-The following network interface cards are supported as modules.  They
-can be enabled once the drivers are installed during the setup.
-However, due to the magic of OpenPROM, you still should be able to
-boot from these devices:
-
-<itemizedlist>
- <listitem><para>
+<listitem><para>
 
 Sun BigMAC
 
-
 </para></listitem>
- <listitem><para>
+<listitem><para>
 
 Sun QuadEthernet
 
 </para></listitem>
- <listitem><para>
+<listitem><para>
 
 MyriCOM Gigabit Ethernet
 
 </para></listitem>
 </itemizedlist>
 
-</para><para arch="alpha">
-
-Any network interface card (NIC) supported by the Linux kernel should
-also be supported by the boot disks.  You may need to load your
-network driver as a module.
-
-</para><para arch="powerpc">
-
-Any network interface card (NIC) supported by the Linux kernel should
-also be supported by the boot disks.  You may need to load your
-network driver as a module.
-
-</para><para arch="hppa">
-
-Any network interface card (NIC) supported by the Linux kernel should
-also be supported by the boot disks.  You may need to load your
-network driver as a module.
-
-</para><para arch="ia64">
-
-Any network interface card (NIC) supported by the Linux kernel should
-also be supported by the boot disks.  You may need to load your
-network driver as a module.
-
-</para><para arch="mips">
-
-Any network interface card (NIC) supported by the Linux kernel should
-also be supported by the boot disks.  You may need to load your
-network driver as a module.
-
-</para><para arch="mipsel">
-
-Due to kernel limitations only the onboard network interfaces on
-DECstations are supported, TurboChannel option network cards currently
-do not work.
-
 </para><para arch="s390">
 
-Any network interface card (NIC) supported by the Linux kernel is
-also be supported by the boot disks.  All network drivers are compiled
-as modules so you need to load one first during the initial network
-setup. The list of supported network devices is:
+The list of supported network devices is:
 
 <itemizedlist>
  <listitem><para>
@@ -157,14 +80,13 @@ OSA-Express in QDIO mode, HiperSockets and Guest-LANs
 <para arch="arm">
 
 The following network interface cards are supported directly by the
-boot disks on Netwinder and CATS machines:
+installation images for Netwinder and CATS machines:
 
 <itemizedlist>
  <listitem><para>
 
     PCI-based NE2000
 
-
 </para></listitem>
  <listitem><para>
 
@@ -176,7 +98,7 @@ boot disks on Netwinder and CATS machines:
 </para><para arch="arm">
 
 The following network interface cards are supported directly by the
-boot disks on RiscPCs:
+installation images for RiscPCs:
 
 <itemizedlist>
  <listitem><para>
@@ -204,11 +126,74 @@ disks.
 
 </para><para arch="arm">
 
-Any other network interface card (NIC) supported by the Linux kernel
-should also be supported by the boot disks.  You may need to load your
-network driver as a module; this means that you will have to install
-the operating system kernel and modules using some other media.
+Any other network interface card (NIC) supported by the Linux kernel should
+also be supported by the boot disks. You may need to load your network
+driver as a module; this means that you will have to install the operating
+system kernel and modules using some other media.
+
+</para><para arch="x86">
+
+As for ISDN, the D-channel protocol for the (old) German 1TR6 is not
+supported; Spellcaster BRI ISDN boards are also not supported by the
+&d-i;. Using ISDN during the installation is not supported.
 
 </para>
 
+  <sect2 arch="not-s390" id="nics-firmware">
+  <title>Drivers Requiring Firmware</title>
+<para>
+
+The installation system currently does not support retrieving firmware.
+This means that any network cards that use a driver that requires firmware
+to be loaded, is not supported by default.
+
+</para><para>
+
+If there is no other NIC you can use during the installation, it is still
+possible to install &debian; using a full CD-ROM or DVD image. Select the
+option to not configure a network and install using only the packages
+available from the CD/DVD. You can then install the driver and firmware you
+need after the installation is completed (after the reboot) and configure
+your network manually. Note that the firmware may be packaged separately
+from the driver and may not be available in the <quote>main</quote> section
+of the &debian; archive.
+
+</para><para>
+
+If the driver itself <emphasis>is</emphasis> supported, you may also be
+able to use the NIC during installation by copying the firmware from some
+medium to <filename>/usr/lib/hotplug/firmware</filename>. Don't forget to
+also copy the firmware to that location for the installed system before
+the reboot at the end of the installation.
+
+</para>
+  </sect>
+
+  <sect2 condition="supports-wireless" id="nics-wireless">
+  <title>Wireless Network Cards</title>
+<para>
+
+Wireless NICs are in general supported as well, with one big proviso.
+A lot of wireless adapters require drivers that are either non-free or have
+not been accepted into the official Linux kernel. These NICs can generally
+be made to work under &debian;, but are not supported during the installation.
+
+</para><para>
+
+If there is no other NIC you can use during the installation, it is still
+possible to install &debian; using a full CD-ROM or DVD image. Use the same
+procedure as described above for NICs that require firmware.
+
+</para><para>
+
+In some cases the driver you need may not be available as a Debian package.
+You will then have to look if there is source code available in the internet
+and compile the driver yourself. How to do this is outside the scope of this
+manual.
+<phrase arch="x86">If no Linux driver is available, your last resort is to
+use the <classname>ndiswrapper</classname> package, which allows you to use
+a Windows driver.</phrase>
+
+</para>
+  </sect2>
  </sect1>