Issue installing Signal on Debian

R

RazorEdge

New Member
Joined
Mar 10, 2022
Messages
8
Reaction score
0
Credits
70
Hey guys,

I'm trying to install Signal on Debian 11 using the provided command line instructions - https://www.signal.org/download/linux/

I've done it multiple times before with no issues, so I'm not quite sure what's going wrong in this case. The first two commands worked fine:

wget -O- https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/keys.asc | gpg --dearmor > signal-desktop-keyring.gpg
cat signal-desktop-keyring.gpg | sudo tee -a /usr/share/keyrings/signal-desktop-keyring.gpg > /dev/null

However, the third command seems to get stuck somewhere. It will process for a long time (10+ minutes), showing the > symbol, but not complete. I'm able to cancel it with CTRL-C. The third command is:

echo 'deb [arch=amd64 signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/signal-desktop-keyring.gpg] https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt xenial main' |\

See below screenshot:

Screenshot.png

Any idea what's going on here? Any help is appreciated, thanks :)
 


kc1di

kc1di

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 14, 2021
Messages
976
Reaction score
824
Credits
6,955
tI notice that it's trying to make a repository entry for xenial main which is a Ubuntu repository. At best it may work at worst it may bork your upgrade system. It is never a good Idea to install ubuntu repositories on a Debian machine.

the key ring for Debian may not be available.
I quote the very first line of the text on their install page
Linux distributions such as Ubuntu, Mint etc.
Click to expand...
This would seem to indicate to me that it is meant for only ubuntu and derivative Distros. and does not include Debian.
I did not search any further but maybe they have different instructions for Debian installs.
 
forester

forester

Active Member
Joined
Mar 5, 2022
Messages
289
Reaction score
167
Credits
2,090
A lot of users, including some devs, it seems, incorrectly view the ubuntu family as Debian.
Viewing some download sites for the software in question, it is available in Signal-desktop version for
Arch, PCLOS and Solus
and via snapcraft.io for Debian
On installing packages it becomes obvious, that first statement of mine.
Hope this helps!
 
Lord Boltar

Lord Boltar

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 24, 2020
Messages
1,666
Reaction score
1,114
Credits
12,445
Those instructions on Signal site are a bit dated - try the following

1) First, get the GPG keys using wget to safely download the Signal Desktop app

Code: 
wget -O- https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/keys.asc | sudo apt-key add -

2) Now, add the Signal repository to your system

Code: 
echo "deb [arch=amd64] https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt xenial main" | sudo tee -a /etc/apt/sources.list.d/signal-xenial.list

3) Update your system's package list and download the Signal Desktop client

Code: 
sudo apt update
Code: 
sudo apt install signal-desktop

Note: Also check to see if that your key is going here - In Debian 11 and Ubuntu 22.04 they will no longer be in - etc/apt/trusted.gpg - this has been deprecated - all keys should be in /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/ so you will have to manually move any key to there via root once moved to that folder the key will be read and then you can install
 
Tolkem

Tolkem

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 6, 2019
Messages
1,398
Reaction score
1,136
Credits
10,095
First

1647873878696.png


As you may notice in the screenshot, the instructions are aimed at Debian-based distros, not Debian itself. From here https://github.com/signalapp/Signal-Desktop/issues/3506#issuecomment-689070645 it says
You can generate direct links to signal x86_64 xenial debs by running this command:

curl https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/dists/xenial/main/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | zcat | grep Filename | sed 's_Filename: _https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/_'

This is highly not recommended for most users. Using apt or building from source is preferred.
Click to expand...

I ran that here and got this
Code: 
$ curl https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/dists/xenial/main/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | zcat | grep Filename | sed 's_Filename: _https://updates.signal
.org/desktop/apt/_'
  % Total    % Received % Xferd  Average Speed   Time    Time     Time  Current
                                 Dload  Upload   Total   Spent    Left  Speed
100 10517  100 10517    0     0   3821      0  0:00:02  0:00:02 --:--:--  3821
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop/signal-desktop_5.35.0_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop/signal-desktop_5.34.0_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop/signal-desktop_5.33.0_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop/signal-desktop_5.32.0_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop/signal-desktop_5.31.1_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop/signal-desktop_5.31.0_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop/signal-desktop_5.30.0_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop/signal-desktop_5.29.1_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop/signal-desktop_5.29.0_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop/signal-desktop_5.28.0_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop/signal-desktop_5.27.1_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop/signal-desktop_5.27.0_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop/signal-desktop_5.26.1_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop/signal-desktop_5.26.0_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop/signal-desktop_5.25.1_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop/signal-desktop_5.25.0_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop/signal-desktop_5.24.0_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop/signal-desktop_5.23.1_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop/signal-desktop_5.23.0_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop/signal-desktop_5.22.0_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop/signal-desktop_5.21.0_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop/signal-desktop_5.20.0_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop/signal-desktop_5.19.0_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop/signal-desktop_5.18.1_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop/signal-desktop_5.18.0_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop/signal-desktop_5.17.2_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop/signal-desktop_5.17.1_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop/signal-desktop_5.17.0_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop/signal-desktop_5.16.0_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop/signal-desktop_5.15.0_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop/signal-desktop_5.14.0_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop/signal-desktop_5.13.1_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop/signal-desktop_5.13.0_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop/signal-desktop_5.12.2_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop/signal-desktop_5.12.1_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop/signal-desktop_5.12.0_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop/signal-desktop_5.11.0_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop/signal-desktop_5.10.0_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop/signal-desktop_5.9.0_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop-beta/signal-desktop-beta_5.36.0-beta.3_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop-beta/signal-desktop-beta_5.36.0-beta.2_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop-beta/signal-desktop-beta_5.36.0-beta.1_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop-beta/signal-desktop-beta_5.35.0-beta.1_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop-beta/signal-desktop-beta_5.34.0-beta.2_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop-beta/signal-desktop-beta_5.34.0-beta.1_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop-beta/signal-desktop-beta_5.33.0-beta.1_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop-beta/signal-desktop-beta_5.32.0-beta.1_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop-beta/signal-desktop-beta_5.31.0-beta.2_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop-beta/signal-desktop-beta_5.31.0-beta.1_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop-beta/signal-desktop-beta_5.30.0-beta.2_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop-beta/signal-desktop-beta_5.30.0-beta.1_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop-beta/signal-desktop-beta_5.29.0-beta.1_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop-beta/signal-desktop-beta_5.28.0-beta.1_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop-beta/signal-desktop-beta_5.27.0-beta.3_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop-beta/signal-desktop-beta_5.27.0-beta.2_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop-beta/signal-desktop-beta_5.27.0-beta.1_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop-beta/signal-desktop-beta_5.26.0-beta.3_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop-beta/signal-desktop-beta_5.26.0-beta.2_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop-beta/signal-desktop-beta_5.26.0-beta.1_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop-beta/signal-desktop-beta_5.25.0-beta.2_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop-beta/signal-desktop-beta_5.25.0-beta.1_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop-beta/signal-desktop-beta_5.24.0-beta.2_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop-beta/signal-desktop-beta_5.24.0-beta.1_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop-beta/signal-desktop-beta_5.23.0-beta.1_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop-beta/signal-desktop-beta_5.22.0-beta.2_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop-beta/signal-desktop-beta_5.22.0-beta.1_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop-beta/signal-desktop-beta_5.21.0-beta.2_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop-beta/signal-desktop-beta_5.21.0-beta.1_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop-beta/signal-desktop-beta_5.20.0-beta.1_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop-beta/signal-desktop-beta_5.19.0-beta.2_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop-beta/signal-desktop-beta_5.19.0-beta.1_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop-beta/signal-desktop-beta_5.18.0-beta.1_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop-beta/signal-desktop-beta_5.18.0-beta.2_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop-beta/signal-desktop-beta_5.17.2-beta.1_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop-beta/signal-desktop-beta_5.17.1-beta.1_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop-beta/signal-desktop-beta_5.17.0-beta.3_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop-beta/signal-desktop-beta_5.17.0-beta.2_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop-beta/signal-desktop-beta_5.17.0-beta.1_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop-beta/signal-desktop-beta_5.16.0-beta.1_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop-beta/signal-desktop-beta_5.15.0-beta.2_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop-beta/signal-desktop-beta_5.15.0-beta.1_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop-beta/signal-desktop-beta_5.14.0-beta.3_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop-beta/signal-desktop-beta_5.14.0-beta.2_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop-beta/signal-desktop-beta_5.14.0-beta.1_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop-beta/signal-desktop-beta_5.13.0-beta.2_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop-beta/signal-desktop-beta_5.13.0-beta.1_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop-beta/signal-desktop-beta_5.12.0-beta.3_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop-beta/signal-desktop-beta_5.12.0-beta.2_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop-beta/signal-desktop-beta_5.12.0-beta.1_amd64.deb
https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop-beta/signal-desktop-beta_5.11.0-beta.3_amd64.ded

You could do that, then just copy the URL for some version and in the same terminal run something like:
Code: 
wget https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/pool/main/s/signal-desktop/signal-desktop_5.35.0_amd64.deb
once the pkg's been downloaded, open your file manager, navigate to it's location, select and right-click, from the context menu select copy adress/path, then in the terminal type
Code: 
sudo apt install ./paste-the-.deb-path-here
Or,
Code: 
cd /signal-desktop.deb/path
from a terminal and then
Code: 
sudo apt install ./signal-desktop.deb
Note that by doing this, you will have to install updates manually, i.e. run that curl once in a while to check for newer version, download and repeat the above process.

Hope this helps! :)
 
f33dm3bits

f33dm3bits

Gold Member
Gold Supporter
Joined
Dec 11, 2019
Messages
4,618
Reaction score
3,325
Credits
33,512
Last edited:
Tolkem

Tolkem

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 6, 2019
Messages
1,398
Reaction score
1,136
Credits
10,095
K

KGIII

Super Moderator
Staff member
Gold Supporter
Joined
Jul 23, 2020
Messages
6,154
Reaction score
5,523
Credits
49,608
kc1di

kc1di

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 14, 2021
Messages
976
Reaction score
824
Credits
6,955
One of the problems is that He's trying to install a Ubuntu package on a debian machine. Which is never recommended.
The snap or flatpack might be the way to go. If there is no Debian package for the program. Appimage would work also.
 
OP
R

RazorEdge

New Member
Joined
Mar 10, 2022
Messages
8
Reaction score
0
Credits
70
Thanks so much guys! I see my mistake with the instructions. I'll give the Flatpak a try, cheers
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
$100 Digital Ocean Credit
Get a free VM to test out Linux!

Staff online

Members online

Total: 437 (members: 5, guests: 432)

Latest posts

Top