# Bluetooth help.



## BKRCreed (Apr 29, 2009)

Yeahyeah.. I need some help.

Running Windows Vista, using bluetooth for my mouse and keyboard (Rocketfish).

I started using Windows Sidebar a while back, and every time it opened, it'd go "Configuring Bluetooth software". No clue what it was doing, but soon after, my mouse and keyboard stopped autoconnecting on startup.
I can use my tablet to log myself in and manually reconnect my mouse and keyboard, yes, but I'm curious as to how to fix this.
I've tried reinstalling the Bluetooth software and drivers multiple times. That didn't fix much, unfortunately.
In my Networks folder, there's a connection for Bluetooth software... not sure what that does, but I've disabled-enabled it a few times after this all started. That didn't help anything either.
If it's any help, pushing the button on the dongle (WTF kinda word is that?) doesn't do anything anymore - it should start blinking the little LED light on it, but it just sits there.

My keyboard and mouse are getting a bit old, really - about a year old, but they're so heavily used that the keys are wearing off on the keyboard and rightclick is breaking on the mouse. I'm gonna have to replace them sooner or later, but I'm going to get the same type - rocketfish bluetooth mouse/keyboard. With luck, that'd fix things. Probably not though.

Many thanks if anyone can help D:


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## Irreverent (Apr 29, 2009)

Auto-reconnection with Bluetooth devices is usually a condition of "trust."  If you trust it, it will autoconnect, if you don't, you have to manually connect.

In your bluetooth config screen, look for a box marked "trust" or "auto connect" and set it on.  Or type Winkey+R (opens run box) devmgmt.msc (enter), look for a bluetooth device (might be under network adapters) and see what options are there.

It might be an RTFM interrupt issue, try here.


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## BKRCreed (Apr 29, 2009)

I see about... four bluetooth things; two under Bluetooth Radios (? the Dongle is under there), and two under Network Adapters. (One's called "RFCOMM Protocol TDI", so I have a feeling that's Rocketfish..)

Under my bluetooth config thing through Control Panel, it says that "Allow Bluetooth devices to connect to this computer" is on.

How does one change the trusted'ness (for lack of words) of a device? 

great many thanks for helping btw-- i appreciate it, haha.


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## Irreverent (Apr 29, 2009)

BKRCreed said:


> Under my bluetooth config thing through Control Panel, it says that "Allow Bluetooth devices to connect to this computer" is on.



Good.



> How does one change the trusted'ness (for lack of words) of a device?



The auto-pairing procedure appears to be on page 15-16 of the manual in the like I sent you.  Are the batteries in the keyboard and mouse fresh?


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## BKRCreed (Apr 29, 2009)

Irreverent said:


> The auto-pairing procedure appears to be on page 15-16 of the manual in the like I sent you.  Are the batteries in the keyboard and mouse fresh?



I'm not sure, really. I tried using some rechargeable batteries, but they would -not- hold a charge (about a week with recharge vs. a few months non-recharge).
I'll go see if we have any fresh batteries and change them in a minute.

When I push the button on the Bluetooth dongle thing though, nothing happens. The light doesn't blink or anything.
If I plug the dongle into another USB port though, Windows goes all "New Hardware Found" on me. The dongle's connected through a USB hub.


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## Irreverent (Apr 29, 2009)

Some nicads only put out 1.2v when fully charged, not 1.5v.  Switch to alkaline may fix it.

Also, because this keyboard is designed to be used at POST-time, it may want the dongle attached to a USB on the motherboard, and not cascaded off a hub.  And an unpowered hub might not have enough bus voltage to drive the dongle.  

 Try that after you change the batteries.


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## BKRCreed (Apr 30, 2009)

Mm, I disconnected the keyboard/mouse, took the dongle thing off of the hub and plugged it into the front of my computer (hooray front USB ports).
It looked like it was autopairing with the keyboard and mouse when I plugged it into the front, but it didn't do anything. Manually re-connected the keyboard and mouse, and now it came up in the corner with the "Installing Device Drivers" for HID devices, which is good, I think..
I'll leave the computer off for tonight and see if they'll autoconnect in the morning.


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## Shino (Apr 30, 2009)

Bluetooth in Vista/7 is simply flaky. You're not alone. It seems that all USB-based profile 1.1/1.3 Bluetooth protocols have issues talking to the updated HAL (even more so with the x64 kernel), and tend to be intermittent at best. I've found that profile 2.0 fixes this, however, to cut costs, Best Buy built your keyboard and mouse with a lower profile standard, so changing the dongle wouldn't help.

To this day, I have to keep my Recording Properties panel open to allow my headset mic to work. I'm not bothering to get a new dongle, though, because the tablet I'm getting eventually will have 2.0 integrated.


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## BKRCreed (Apr 30, 2009)

Mm, the reconnection this morning didn't work.
And, 2.0? I'm new to the bluetooth stuff..


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## Irreverent (Apr 30, 2009)

BKRCreed said:


> Mm, the reconnection this morning didn't work.
> And, 2.0? I'm new to the bluetooth stuff..



unistall it all, then reconnect to a motherboard connected USB, then follow the auto pair instructions on page 14-16 of the manual.  should do it.


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## ToeClaws (Apr 30, 2009)

Easier advice: Don't use Bluetooth.  I mean, what's the point?  Use wired stuff - cheaper and more reliable.  Shutdown the bluetooth services, and don't bother with it.  Bluetooth is a cute idea, but buggy behaviour on the service and products in general, as well as bad security (for communications stuff using bluetooth) are reasons enough not to bother with it.


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## BKRCreed (May 1, 2009)

meep, i need to check this more often. >>;

Anyway.
Just dumped Bluetooth from computer [uninstalled all devices I could, too]. After that was done and rebooted, plugged in the dongle directly to the USB port on the front of my computer, and the "Cannot find device drivers, what do you want Windows to do" window popped up.
Reinstalled software [Pushed button on dongle before/after reinstalling, dongle began blinking like it should, but refused to connect the mouse or keyboard]. Rebooted after reinstall (took forever to shut down), attempted auto-pairing, dongle refuses to autopair - dongle's LED should begin blinking when button is held down; nothing happens here. Connected keyboard and mouse through the bluetooth menu, shall see tomorrow if it remains connected - just made sure that "Allow devices to connect to this computer" was enabled.
Just tried browsing the Rocketfish/Broadcom sites to see if there were any patches for vista, out of curiosity. Rocketfish's got nothing, and Broadcom wasn't much help.

And again, many thanks for all the help, haha..


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## Irreverent (May 1, 2009)

If manual connection is working and auto-pairing doesn't, it could be a OS compatibility issue or it could also just be hooped.  Do you have another system to try it on?


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## BKRCreed (May 2, 2009)

Mm, I have my dad's XP computer [hah, the one mentioned in the manual] I could test this on. I don't think that's ever had any bluetooth on it yet.
Dad should be home sometime later today, I'll ask him if I can mess with his computer for a bit.

I'm not sure if it's an OS compatibility thing though. These were autopairing by themselves just fine with Vista for months before this started.
Then again, Vista is wonky, anything can happen. -shrug-


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