diff --git a/install.sh b/install.sh
index 736b0f6..0e4468b 100755
--- a/install.sh
+++ b/install.sh
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 # Reticulum BLE Interface Installation Script
-# This script installs the BLE interface to an existing Reticulum installation
+# This script installs the BLE interface and all its prerequisites
+# Handles: basic system packages, Reticulum Network Stack, system dependencies, and BLE interface
 
 set -e  # Exit on error
 
@@ -34,6 +35,20 @@ print_info() {
     echo -e "${BLUE}ℹ${NC} $1"
 }
 
+# Helper function: pip install with compatibility across all OS versions
+pip_install() {
+    local packages="$*"
+
+    # Check if pip supports --break-system-packages flag (pip 23.0+, PEP 668)
+    if pip3 install --help 2>/dev/null | grep -q -- --break-system-packages; then
+        # Debian 12+, Trixie, Ubuntu 24.04+ with externally-managed-environment
+        pip3 install $packages --break-system-packages
+    else
+        # Ubuntu 22.04 and earlier (pip 22.x without the flag)
+        pip3 install $packages
+    fi
+}
+
 # Parse command line arguments
 CUSTOM_CONFIG_DIR=""
 while [[ $# -gt 0 ]]; do
@@ -74,8 +89,49 @@ fi
 print_header "Reticulum BLE Interface Installer"
 echo
 
+# Step 0: Ensure basic prerequisites are installed
+print_header "Checking Basic Prerequisites"
+
+# Check if we have package manager access
+if command -v apt-get &> /dev/null; then
+    # Debian/Ubuntu - check for basic packages
+    MISSING_PACKAGES=()
+    for pkg in python3 python3-pip git; do
+        if ! dpkg -l | grep -q "^ii  $pkg "; then
+            MISSING_PACKAGES+=($pkg)
+        fi
+    done
+
+    if [ ${#MISSING_PACKAGES[@]} -gt 0 ]; then
+        print_info "Installing basic prerequisites: ${MISSING_PACKAGES[*]}"
+        sudo apt-get update -qq
+        sudo apt-get install -y -q ${MISSING_PACKAGES[*]}
+        print_success "Basic prerequisites installed"
+    else
+        print_success "Basic prerequisites already installed"
+    fi
+elif command -v pacman &> /dev/null; then
+    # Arch Linux - check for basic packages
+    MISSING_PACKAGES=()
+    for pkg in python python-pip git; do
+        if ! pacman -Q $pkg &> /dev/null; then
+            MISSING_PACKAGES+=($pkg)
+        fi
+    done
+
+    if [ ${#MISSING_PACKAGES[@]} -gt 0 ]; then
+        print_info "Installing basic prerequisites: ${MISSING_PACKAGES[*]}"
+        sudo pacman -S --noconfirm ${MISSING_PACKAGES[*]}
+        print_success "Basic prerequisites installed"
+    else
+        print_success "Basic prerequisites already installed"
+    fi
+fi
+
+echo
+
 # Step 1: Check for Reticulum installation
-print_info "Checking for Reticulum installation..."
+print_header "Checking for Reticulum"
 
 RNS_VENV=""
 RNS_PYTHON=""
@@ -114,12 +170,25 @@ if command -v rnsd &> /dev/null; then
         fi
     fi
 else
-    print_error "Reticulum (rnsd) not found!"
-    echo
-    echo "Please install Reticulum first:"
-    echo "  pip install rns"
-    echo "Or visit: https://reticulum.network"
-    exit 1
+    print_warning "Reticulum (rnsd) not found"
+    print_info "Installing Reticulum Network Stack..."
+
+    # Install Reticulum using our pip helper function
+    pip_install rns
+
+    # Verify installation
+    if command -v rnsd &> /dev/null; then
+        print_success "Reticulum installed successfully"
+        INSTALL_MODE="system"
+        RNS_PYTHON="python3"
+    else
+        print_error "Reticulum installation failed"
+        echo
+        echo "Please try installing manually:"
+        echo "  pip install rns"
+        echo "Or visit: https://reticulum.network"
+        exit 1
+    fi
 fi
 
 echo
@@ -171,7 +240,7 @@ if [ "$INSTALL_MODE" = "venv" ]; then
     # Install only packages not provided by system packages
     # System packages provide: PyGObject (gi), dbus-python (dbus), pycairo (cairo)
     # We need to install: bleak, bluezero
-    pip install bleak==1.1.1 bluezero
+    pip_install bleak==1.1.1 bluezero
     print_success "Python dependencies installed in virtual environment"
     print_info "Note: Using system-provided PyGObject, dbus-python, and pycairo"
 
@@ -179,14 +248,9 @@ elif [ "$INSTALL_MODE" = "system" ]; then
     print_info "Installing system-wide Python packages"
 
     # Install only packages not provided by system packages
-    # Try without sudo first
-    if pip install bleak==1.1.1 bluezero 2>/dev/null; then
-        print_success "Python dependencies installed (user)"
-    else
-        print_warning "User install failed, trying with sudo..."
-        sudo pip install bleak==1.1.1 bluezero
-        print_success "Python dependencies installed (system)"
-    fi
+    # Use pip_install helper for compatibility
+    pip_install bleak==1.1.1 bluezero
+    print_success "Python dependencies installed"
     print_info "Note: Using system-provided PyGObject, dbus-python, and pycairo"
 else
     print_error "Could not determine installation mode"
diff --git a/tests/test_installer.sh b/tests/test_installer.sh
index 7bc4b66..0d0e8fb 100755
--- a/tests/test_installer.sh
+++ b/tests/test_installer.sh
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 # Integration test for install.sh on fresh Debian/Ubuntu systems
-# This script is meant to run in a fresh container to verify the installer works correctly
+# This script tests that install.sh works correctly on a completely fresh system
+# with no prerequisites installed
 
 set -e
 
@@ -15,23 +16,11 @@ ln -fs /usr/share/zoneinfo/UTC /etc/localtime
 echo "=== Testing install.sh on fresh system ==="
 echo "OS: $(cat /etc/os-release | grep PRETTY_NAME | cut -d= -f2 | tr -d '"')"
 echo ""
-
-# Step 1: Install prerequisites (what a user would have)
-echo "Step 1: Installing base prerequisites..."
-apt-get update -qq
-apt-get install -y -q \
-    -o DPkg::Pre-Install-Pkgs::=/bin/true \
-    -o DPkg::Post-Install-Pkgs::=/bin/true \
-    sudo python3 python3-pip git
-
-# Install Reticulum (prerequisite for BLE interface)
-echo "Installing Reticulum..."
-pip3 install rns 2>&1 | grep -v "WARNING" || true
-
+echo "NOTE: install.sh will handle all prerequisites (Python, pip, Reticulum, etc.)"
 echo ""
 
-# Step 2: Run installer
-echo "Step 2: Running install.sh..."
+# Run installer - it now handles everything from basic packages to Reticulum
+echo "Running install.sh (self-contained installer)..."
 # Navigate to repository root (script is in tests/ directory)
 cd "$(dirname "$0")/.."
 chmod +x install.sh
@@ -44,8 +33,8 @@ EOF
 
 echo ""
 
-# Step 3: Verify installation
-echo "Step 3: Verifying installation..."
+# Verify installation
+echo "=== Verifying Installation ==="
 echo ""
 
 # Check system packages
@@ -72,6 +61,14 @@ python3 -c "import cairo; print('  ✓ cairo imported successfully')" || { echo
 
 echo ""
 
+# Check Reticulum installation
+echo "Checking Reticulum installation..."
+command -v rnsd || { echo "FAIL: rnsd command not found"; exit 1; }
+echo "  ✓ rnsd command available"
+python3 -c "import RNS; print('  ✓ RNS version:', RNS.version)" || { echo "FAIL: Cannot import RNS"; exit 1; }
+
+echo ""
+
 # Check pip packages
 echo "Checking pip-installed packages..."
 python3 -c "import bleak; print('  ✓ bleak version:', bleak.__version__)" || { echo "FAIL: Cannot import bleak"; exit 1; }
@@ -119,8 +116,10 @@ echo ""
 echo "=== SUCCESS: All tests passed ==="
 echo ""
 echo "Installation summary:"
-echo "  • System packages: python3-gi, python3-dbus, python3-cairo, bluez"
-echo "  • Pip packages: bleak, bluezero"
-echo "  • Install method: System packages (no compilation)"
-echo "  • Time: Fast (< 1 minute)"
+echo "  • install.sh is fully self-contained (handles all prerequisites)"
+echo "  • Reticulum Network Stack: installed via pip"
+echo "  • System packages: python3, python3-pip, git, python3-gi, python3-dbus, python3-cairo, bluez"
+echo "  • Pip packages: rns, bleak, bluezero"
+echo "  • Install method: System packages for compiled deps (no build tools needed)"
+echo "  • Installation time: Fast (< 2 minutes)"
 echo ""