Difference running freedombox from debian 13 or a freedombox download?

Support
1

My understanding is that freedombox is in the debian 13 repository. So you can install debian 13 on a computer and run a freedombox instance from the debian 13 computer. Or you can download freedombox from the freedombox website and install it. What difference does it make if you run freedombox from debian 13 or download a freedombox and install it?
Thanks.

2

I just glanced at the manual before answering. Here’s the relevant manual section which looks to me like it isn’t very clear at the moment.

On a supported single board computer the best way is to use an installation image downloaded from freedombox.org. You’ll see that there are many supported devices. If you are using a PC then installing FreedomBox after a Debian installation is the way to do it. I think the idea here is that installing Debian on a PC is easier than on the embedded SBC systems which usually have some details that you’d need to know about. So, the images are for the SBC non-expert user where the FreedomBox team handles the obscure details that would stop many people from completing an installation.

Have a look at the Debian installation section of the freedombox manual when you plan to install. I missed the part about NetworkManager in Tips and Troubleshooting point #1 on my first installation.

2 Likes
3

yeah if its a pi or some arm board just flash the freedombox image, getting debian on those from scratch is a pain. if you already run debian 13 on a pc just apt install freedombox, its the same apps on top of what you have. i wasted an evening flashing an image onto a box that already had debian on it lol

1 Like
4

Following are the differences between setup using a FreedomBox image vs. installing FreedomBox using a Debian package on an existing Debian installation:

  1. Filesystem: The disk images have btrfs as the filesystem. When installing a Debian package, the existing filesystem is not altered. The snapshots feature is currently only available if btrfs is the filesystem. So, for those wanting to install freedombox .deb package, it is recommended that they install Debian on a btrfs filesystem first.
  2. First Wizard: When installing from a Debian package, FreedomBox will ask for a secret (stored at a path on the disk) during first wizard. The secret is for security has no relevance after the first wizard is completed. This secret is not asked if first wizard is run from a disk image (as hardware is expected to be in possessed by the user and user won’t be able to easily peak the secret on the disk without running the first wizard first).
  3. Networking: When disk image is booted, all the Ethernet and Wi-Fi devices are automatically configured to be managed by Network Manager. When FreedomBox is installed from Debian package, existing network connection are not reconfigured. These network interfaces can later be reconfigured (by commenting out entries in /etc/network/interfaces) to be managed by Network Manager.

I will update the manual page for installing from Debian package to note these differences.

2 Likes