[solved]Debian 11, firefox-esr is not supported for online meetings

[sspphheerraa]

Hello. I need to participate in online webinars here. But firefox-esr (78.13.0esr) is not supported. In another computer I have Gentoo linux and there, firefox (same version) passes test successfully.
Any ideas?

[cds60601]

in the Firefox address bar, enter the following

Code: Select all

about:config

then hit enter. Next - search for

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media.peerconnection.enabled

See if it's set to true

[Gerowen]

I use the regular Firefox release; you can just download the tarball from the website. I checked my Firefox ESR from Debian at that link and it also fails the test, but using the regular Firefox release it passes. The archive Mozilla provides is already compiled so all you have to do is extract it and run the binary executable. The only down-side is that since it's not a Debian package you have to remember to manually check for updates once and a while.

[sspphheerraa]

in the Firefox address bar, enter the following

Code: Select all

about:config

then hit enter. Next - search for

Code: Select all

media.peerconnection.enabled

See if it's set to true

Yes, it is "true". But no test pass.

[majpooper]

FF-esr is a pain
Here is a little script I use to install Firefox on Debian.
This comes from a bigger script written by a member of the Bodhi forum to install the Bodhi DE on Debian 11 but it will install Firefox as well. This is just the Firefox install portion.

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# Script Begins Here 
# Alternatively, bullseye repositories contain firefox-esr (extended service release version)
# and current chromium packages. 
# Firefox (current Mozila stable version from debian "unstable" repository) 
echo "deb http://deb.debian.org/debian/ unstable main contrib non-free" | tee -a /etc/apt/sources.list 
echo "Package: * 
Pin: release a=stable 
Pin-Priority: 100 
Package: * 
Pin: release a=unstable 
Pin-Priority: 10"|sudo tee /etc/apt|sudo tee /etc/apt/preferences.d/debian-unstable-pin     # prevent apt installing from unstable repository 
                                                                                            # unless specified 
apt update 
apt install -y -t unstable firefox	 
apt install -y webext-ublock-origin-firefox                                                 # optional add blocker				 

[4D696B65]

FF-esr is a pain
Here is a little script I use to install Firefox on Debian.
This comes from a bigger script written by a member of the Bodhi forum to install the Bodhi DE on Debian 11 but it will install Firefox as well. This is just the Firefox install portion.

Code: Select all

# Script Begins Here 
# Alternatively, bullseye repositories contain firefox-esr (extended service release version)
# and current chromium packages. 
# Firefox (current Mozila stable version from debian "unstable" repository) 
echo "deb http://deb.debian.org/debian/ unstable main contrib non-free" | tee -a /etc/apt/sources.list 
echo "Package: * 
Pin: release a=stable 
Pin-Priority: 100 
Package: * 
Pin: release a=unstable 
Pin-Priority: 10"|sudo tee /etc/apt|sudo tee /etc/apt/preferences.d/debian-unstable-pin     # prevent apt installing from unstable repository 
                                                                                            # unless specified 
apt update 
apt install -y -t unstable firefox	 
apt install -y webext-ublock-origin-firefox                                                 # optional add blocker				 

FrankenDebian
https://wiki.debian.org/DontBreakDebian ... nkenDebian

[sunrat]

FF-esr is a pain
Here is a little script I use to install Firefox on Debian.
This comes from a bigger script written by a member of the Bodhi forum to install the Bodhi DE on Debian 11 but it will install Firefox as well. This is just the Firefox install portion.

Code: Select all

# Script Begins Here 
# Alternatively, bullseye repositories contain firefox-esr (extended service release version)
# and current chromium packages. 
# Firefox (current Mozila stable version from debian "unstable" repository) 
echo "deb http://deb.debian.org/debian/ unstable main contrib non-free" | tee -a /etc/apt/sources.list 
echo "Package: * 
Pin: release a=stable 
Pin-Priority: 100 
Package: * 
Pin: release a=unstable 
Pin-Priority: 10"|sudo tee /etc/apt|sudo tee /etc/apt/preferences.d/debian-unstable-pin     # prevent apt installing from unstable repository 
                                                                                            # unless specified 
apt update 
apt install -y -t unstable firefox	 
apt install -y webext-ublock-origin-firefox                                                 # optional add blocker				 

What is the purpose of pinning stable priority at 100? It would be 500 by default and there is no reason to change it.

[pcalvert]

I use the regular Firefox release; you can just download the tarball from the website. I checked my Firefox ESR from Debian at that link and it also fails the test, but using the regular Firefox release it passes. The archive Mozilla provides is already compiled so all you have to do is extract it and run the binary executable. The only down-side is that since it's not a Debian package you have to remember to manually check for updates once and a while.

This is a better way to install the regular Firefox release:
https://sourceforge.net/p/ubuntuzilla/wiki/Main_Page/

That way, you only need to install it once -- there is no need to manually reinstall it every time a new version of Firefox is released.

Phil

[Ardouos]

The wiki provides information on installing the current release of Firefox. You download the files and shove it in /home or /opt.
https://wiki.debian.org/Firefox#From_Mozilla_binaries

[kedaha]

firefox-esr not supported for online meetings? I suppose it depends on what is used. It works fine for me with Jitsi Meet. Chromium is an alternative.

[cds60601]

I use the regular Firefox release; you can just download the tarball from the website. I checked my Firefox ESR from Debian at that link and it also fails the test, but using the regular Firefox release it passes. The archive Mozilla provides is already compiled so all you have to do is extract it and run the binary executable. The only down-side is that since it's not a Debian package you have to remember to manually check for updates once and a while.

This is a better way to install the regular Firefox release:
https://sourceforge.net/p/ubuntuzilla/wiki/Main_Page/

That way, you only need to install it once -- there is no need to manually reinstall it every time a new version of Firefox is released.

Phil

You missed the post above from 4D696B65 ...
FrankenDebian
https://wiki.debian.org/DontBreakDebian


Flatpaks and Snaps are alternatives to using an unsupported site/PPA/repo

[craigevil]

Current Firefox is in the Snap-store, no need to be crazy and mix Stable with Sid.
Firefox version 92.0-3
Yes I know a lot of people do not like snaps. But this is easier and safer than mixing releases or using a PPA.

[sspphheerraa]

Thanks, but all suggestions are about alternatives. I want to understand why the build from main repo can't pass the test, while the Gentoo build does.
And can it be fixed through about:config ?

[craigevil]

Thanks, but all suggestions are about alternatives. I want to understand why the build from main repo can't pass the test, while the official binary from Mozilla does.
And can it be fixed through about:config ?

Download Firefox from Mozilla, run it once then close it. Then navigate to the new Firefox dir and open pref.js and compare it to the firefox-esr.

[pcalvert]

You missed the post above from 4D696B65 ...
FrankenDebian
https://wiki.debian.org/DontBreakDebian

I didn't miss anything. But you did -- you didn't read the info I posted. Click on link and read the page. It's a generic DEB that contains the same binaries that Mozilla provides.

Phil

[sspphheerraa]

Thanks for suggestions about "about:config". I set the "media.webrtc.hw.h264.enabled" to "true" and the test is passing. By default that option is disabled for some reason (however, in the Mozilla build it is disabled either).

[Alberto60]

I have installed Firefox-esr manually on LM 20.2 and this option is to false as default. Not coming from Debian install but from Firefox itself.