This method of installing Debian requires a functioning internet connection during installation. Compared to other methods you end up downloading fewer files as the process will be tailored to your requirements. Ethernet and wireless connections are supported. Internal ISDN cards are unfortunately not supported.
There are four options for installs over the network:
The following are image files which are up to 180 MB in size, making them suitable for writing to small CD-R(W) media, 80 mm/3.1" in diameter. Choose you processor architecture below.
The following are image files which are up to 40 MB in size, making them suitable for writing to business card-shaped CDs (available in differing sizes, e.g. 58×75 mm/2.3×3" in diameter). For details, please see: Network install from a minimal CD
You can download a couple of image files the size of a floppy disk or another removable media of similar small size, write them to the media, and then start the installation by booting from that.
There is some diversity in the support for installing from various very small images between the architectures. Here are the links to the available image files (look at the MANIFEST file for information):
For details, please refer to the
installation manual for
your architecture, especially the chapter
Obtaining System Installation Media
.
You set up a TFTP and a DHCP (or BOOTP, or RARP) server which will serve the installation media to machines on your local network. If your client machine's BIOS supports it, you can then boot the Debian installation system from the network (using PXE and TFTP), and proceed with installing the rest of Debian from the network.
Not all machines support booting from the network. Because of the additional work required, this method for installing Debian is not recommended for novice users.
Here are the links to the image files (look at the MANIFEST file for information):
For details, please refer to the
installation manual for
your architecture, especially the chapter
Preparing Files for TFTP Net Booting
.