Playing with Bluetooth

[GreyGeek]

I hadn't tried to connect my iPhone6+ to Neon so I thought I'd give it a try using Bluetooth.

My phone could see it but wouldn't connect. First clue: KSystemLog showed that bluez.org wasn't connecting during boot up. After a DDG search I installed every package with bluez in the name and rebooted. Bluez.org connection was made but my iPhone still wouldn't connect.

rfkill list

showed that

0: phy0: Wireless LAN
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: no
1: acer-wireless: Wireless LAN
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: no
2: acer-bluetooth: Bluetooth
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: no
3: hci0: Bluetooth
Soft blocked: yes
Hard blocked: no

rfkill unblock 3:
worked (but unblocking 2: didn't help)

sudo /etc/init.d/bluetooth start
started bluetooth. A check of the status revealed

$ sudo systemctl status dbus.service
● dbus.service - D-Bus System Message Bus
Loaded: loaded (/lib/systemd/system/dbus.service; static; vendor preset: enabled)
Active: active (running) since Fri 2018-01-05 11:16:54 CST; 1h 8min ago
Docs: man:dbus-daemon(1)
Main PID: 1008 (dbus-daemon)
CGroup: /system.slice/dbus.service
└─1008 /usr/bin/dbus-daemon --system --address=systemd: --nofork --nopidfile --systemd-activation

Jan 05 11:18:56 jerry-Aspire-V3-771 dbus[1008]: [system] Successfully activated service 'org.kde.powerdevil.discretegpuhelper'
Jan 05 11:18:56 jerry-Aspire-V3-771 dbus[1008]: [system] Activating service name='org.kde.powerdevil.backlighthelper' (using servicehelp
Jan 05 11:18:56 jerry-Aspire-V3-771 org.kde.powerdevil.backlighthelper[2239]: QDBusArgument: read from a write-only object
Jan 05 11:18:56 jerry-Aspire-V3-771 org.kde.powerdevil.backlighthelper[2239]: QDBusArgument: read from a write-only object
Jan 05 11:18:56 jerry-Aspire-V3-771 org.kde.powerdevil.backlighthelper[2239]: QDBusArgument: read from a write-only object
Jan 05 11:18:56 jerry-Aspire-V3-771 dbus[1008]: [system] Successfully activated service 'org.kde.powerdevil.backlighthelper'
Jan 05 11:19:11 jerry-Aspire-V3-771 dbus[1008]: [system] Activating via systemd: service name='org.freedesktop.PackageKit' unit='package
Jan 05 11:19:12 jerry-Aspire-V3-771 dbus[1008]: [system] Successfully activated service 'org.freedesktop.PackageKit'
Jan 05 11:19:16 jerry-Aspire-V3-771 dbus[1008]: [system] Activating via systemd: service name='org.freedesktop.nm_dispatcher' unit='dbus
Jan 05 11:19:16 jerry-Aspire-V3-771 dbus[1008]: [system] Successfully activated service 'org.freedesktop.nm_dispatcher'
...skipping...
~
● dbus.service - D-Bus System Message Bus
Loaded: loaded (/lib/systemd/system/dbus.service; static; vendor preset: enabled)
Active: active (running) since Fri 2018-01-05 11:16:54 CST; 1h 8min ago
Docs: man:dbus-daemon(1)
Main PID: 1008 (dbus-daemon)
CGroup: /system.slice/dbus.service
└─1008 /usr/bin/dbus-daemon --system --address=systemd: --nofork --nopidfile --systemd-activation

Jan 05 11:18:56 jerry-Aspire-V3-771 dbus[1008]: [system] Successfully activated service 'org.kde.powerdevil.discretegpuhelper'
Jan 05 11:18:56 jerry-Aspire-V3-771 dbus[1008]: [system] Activating service name='org.kde.powerdevil.backlighthelper' (using servicehelp
Jan 05 11:18:56 jerry-Aspire-V3-771 org.kde.powerdevil.backlighthelper[2239]: QDBusArgument: read from a write-only object
Jan 05 11:18:56 jerry-Aspire-V3-771 org.kde.powerdevil.backlighthelper[2239]: QDBusArgument: read from a write-only object
Jan 05 11:18:56 jerry-Aspire-V3-771 org.kde.powerdevil.backlighthelper[2239]: QDBusArgument: read from a write-only object
Jan 05 11:18:56 jerry-Aspire-V3-771 dbus[1008]: [system] Successfully activated service 'org.kde.powerdevil.backlighthelper'
Jan 05 11:19:11 jerry-Aspire-V3-771 dbus[1008]: [system] Activating via systemd: service name='org.freedesktop.PackageKit' unit='package
Jan 05 11:19:12 jerry-Aspire-V3-771 dbus[1008]: [system] Successfully activated service 'org.freedesktop.PackageKit'
Jan 05 11:19:16 jerry-Aspire-V3-771 dbus[1008]: [system] Activating via systemd: service name='org.freedesktop.nm_dispatcher' unit='dbus
Jan 05 11:19:16 jerry-Aspire-V3-771 dbus[1008]: [system] Successfully activated service 'org.freedesktop.nm_dispatcher'

bluetoothctl gave

[NEW] Controller 44:6D:576:92:E8 jerry-Aspire-V3-771 [default]
[NEW] Device 54:9F:13:4A:FE:13 Jerry L's iPhone
[bluetooth]# list
Controller 44:6D:576:92:E8 jerry-Aspire-V3-771 [default]

[bluetooth]# help
Available commands:

list List available controllers
show [ctrl] Controller information
select <ctrl> Select default controller
devices List available devices
paired-devices List paired devices
power <on/off> Set controller power
pairable <on/off> Set controller pairable mode
discoverable <on/off> Set controller discoverable mode
agent <on/off/capability> Enable/disable agent with given capability
default-agent Set agent as the default one
set-scan-filter-uuids [uuid1 uuid2 ...] Set scan filter uuids
set-scan-filter-rssi [rssi] Set scan filter rssi, and clears pathloss
set-scan-filter-pathloss [pathloss] Set scan filter pathloss, and clears rssi
set-scan-filter-transport [transport] Set scan filter transport
set-scan-filter-clear Clears discovery filter.
scan <on/off> Scan for devices
info [dev] Device information
pair [dev] Pair with device
trust [dev] Trust device
untrust [dev] Untrust device
block [dev] Block device
unblock [dev] Unblock device
remove <dev> Remove device
connect <dev> Connect device
disconnect [dev] Disconnect device
list-attributes [dev] List attributes
select-attribute <attribute> Select attribute
attribute-info [attribute] Select attribute
read Read attribute value
write <data=[xx xx ...]> Write attribute value
notify <on/off> Notify attribute value
register-profile <UUID ...> Register profile to connect
unregister-profile Unregister profile
version Display version
quit Quit program

[bluetooth]# devices
Device 54:9F:13:4A:FE:13 Jerry L's iPhone
[bluetooth]# show
Controller 44:6D:576:92:E8
Name: jerry-Aspire-V3-771
Alias: jerry-Aspire-V3-771
Class: 0x0c010c
Powered: yes
Discoverable: yes
Pairable: yes
UUID: Headset AG (00001112-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb)
UUID: Generic Attribute Profile (00001801-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb)
UUID: A/V Remote Control (0000110e-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb)
UUID: Generic Access Profile (00001800-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb)
UUID: PnP Information (00001200-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb)
UUID: A/V Remote Control Target (0000110c-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb)
UUID: Audio Sink (0000110b-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb)
UUID: Audio Source (0000110a-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb)
Modalias: usb:v1D6Bp0246d0525
Discovering: no
[bluetooth]# exit

My laptop appeared on my iPhone but my iPhone never appeared on my lapsotp in KDEConnect or Devices.
Regardless, when I used my stylus on the iPhone a click sounded in my laptop headset. I played a YT video and the audio of it played in my headset. The connection appeared as a nonfuctional network connection.



And KDEConnect never saw my iPhone even though I was listening to YT videos playing on my iPhone.

[joneall]

What bluetooth adaptor are you using in Neon?

I'm still trying to get one running, but am plagued with errors "Not enough free handles...", which have sparked numerous complaints on the web but still no resolution, aside from "Wait till the bug gets fixed."

[oshunluvr]

AFAIK, KDEconnect uses the network. If the phone is on the same network as the PC they can connect. I'm connected to my phone right now and bluetooth is off. I even reply to text messages from my PC when my phone is in the other room.

Having said that, it's still not super-reliable.

[GreyGeek]

What bluetooth adaptor are you using in Neon?

I'm still trying to get one running, but am plagued with errors "Not enough free handles...", which have sparked numerous complaints on the web but still no resolution, aside from "Wait till the bug gets fixed."

00:14.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation 7 Series/C210 Series Chipset Family USB xHCI Host Controller (rev 04)

The "not enough handles" error msgs disappeared when I got bluez.org connected during boot.

[joneall]

bluez.org? Does it have to be connected to a site somewhere. I think I have to look up bluez. How did a simple wireless communication protocol become so complicated?

[oshunluvr]

The cheap USB bluetooth controller I've been using had oodles of issues in 14.04 but has been rock solid in 16.04.

[dequire]

Same here. Mine's rather ancient (at least 6-7 years) but works like a champ!

D-Link DBT-120 Wireless Bluetooth USB Adapter

[joneall]

Even Think Penguin dongle does not work

Still have the same ^&*().

I broke down and purchased the dongle recommended, Think Penguin.

lsusb reports it as

Bus 003 Device 002: ID 0a12:0001 Cambridge Silicon Radio, Ltd Bluetooth Dongle (HCI mode)

Nothing I see has changed. The software just does not see any device -- and still for the same annoying reason:

$grep -i bluetooth syslog
Jan 30 11:35:59 jon-neon bluetoothd[1066]: Endpoint unregistered: sender=:1.57 path=/MediaEndpoint/A2DPSink
Jan 30 11:35:59 jon-neon systemd[1]: Stopped target Bluetooth.
Jan 30 11:35:59 jon-neon systemd[1]: Stopping LSB: Bluetooth monitoring daemon...
Jan 30 11:36:54 jon-neon kernel: [ 3.721795] Bluetooth: Core ver 2.21
Jan 30 11:36:54 jon-neon kernel: [ 3.721807] Bluetooth: HCI device and connection manager initialized
Jan 30 11:36:54 jon-neon kernel: [ 3.721809] Bluetooth: HCI socket layer initialized
Jan 30 11:36:54 jon-neon kernel: [ 3.721811] Bluetooth: L2CAP socket layer initialized
Jan 30 11:36:54 jon-neon kernel: [ 3.721816] Bluetooth: SCO socket layer initialized
Jan 30 11:36:54 jon-neon kernel: [ 32.089364] Modules linked in: hid_logitech_hidpp(+) usblp nvidia_uvm(POE) joydev hid_logitech_dj nvidia_drm(POE) nvidia_modeset(POE) intel_rapl x86_pkg_temp_thermal nvidia(POE) intel_powerclamp coretemp kvm irqbypass crct10dif_pclmul crc32_pclmul ghash_clmulni_intel cryptd serio_raw snd_hda_codec_hdmi snd_seq_midi btusb snd_hda_codec_realtek lpc_ich snd_hda_codec_generic snd_seq_midi_event btrtl snd_rawmidi btbcm snd_hda_intel mei_me snd_hda_codec mei btintel snd_hda_core snd_hwdep bluetooth snd_seq snd_pcm snd_seq_device snd_timer snd 8250_fintek shpchp soundcore tpm_infineon mac_hid parport_pc ppdev lp parport autofs4 btrfs xor raid6_pq dm_mirror dm_region_hash dm_log hid_generic usbhid hid i915 psmouse i2c_algo_bit drm_kms_helper syscopyarea ahci sysfillrect sysimgblt libahci fb_sys_fops r8169 drm mii video fjes
Jan 30 11:36:54 jon-neon systemd[1]: Starting Bluetooth service...
Jan 30 11:36:54 jon-neon systemd[1]: Starting Automatic USB/Bluetooth printer setup (-devices-pci0000:00-0000:00:14.0-usb3-3\x2d9)...
Jan 30 11:36:54 jon-neon bluetoothd[1038]: Bluetooth daemon 5.37
Jan 30 11:36:54 jon-neon bluetoothd[1038]: Starting SDP server
Jan 30 11:36:54 jon-neon kernel: [ 39.102981] Bluetooth: BNEP (Ethernet Emulation) ver 1.3
Jan 30 11:36:54 jon-neon kernel: [ 39.102983] Bluetooth: BNEP filters: protocol multicast
Jan 30 11:36:54 jon-neon kernel: [ 39.102987] Bluetooth: BNEP socket layer initialized
Jan 30 11:36:54 jon-neon bluetoothd[1038]: Bluetooth management interface 1.10 initialized
Jan 30 11:36:54 jon-neon bluetoothd[1038]: Failed to obtain handles for "Service Changed" characteristic
Jan 30 11:36:54 jon-neon bluetoothd[1038]: Not enough free handles to register service
Jan 30 11:36:54 jon-neon bluetoothd[1038]: Error adding Link Loss service
Jan 30 11:36:54 jon-neon bluetoothd[1038]: Not enough free handles to register service
Jan 30 11:36:54 jon-neon bluetoothd[1038]: Not enough free handles to register service
Jan 30 11:36:54 jon-neon bluetoothd[1038]: Not enough free handles to register service
Jan 30 11:36:54 jon-neon bluetoothd[1038]: Current Time Service could not be registered
Jan 30 11:36:54 jon-neon bluetoothd[1038]: gatt-time-server: Input/output error (5)
Jan 30 11:36:54 jon-neon bluetoothd[1038]: Not enough free handles to register service
Jan 30 11:36:54 jon-neon bluetoothd[1038]: Not enough free handles to register service
Jan 30 11:36:54 jon-neon bluetoothd[1038]: Sap driver initialization failed.
Jan 30 11:36:54 jon-neon bluetoothd[1038]: sap-server: Operation not permitted (1)
Jan 30 11:36:54 jon-neon systemd[1]: Started Bluetooth service.
Jan 30 11:36:54 jon-neon systemd[1]: Starting LSB: Bluetooth monitoring daemon...
Jan 30 11:36:54 jon-neon systemd[1]: Reached target Bluetooth.
Jan 30 11:36:55 jon-neon NetworkManager[1007]: <info> [1517308615.0257] Loaded device plugin: NMBluezManager (/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/NetworkManager/libnm-device-plugin-bluet
ooth.so)
Jan 30 11:36:55 jon-neon systemd[1]: Started LSB: Bluetooth monitoring daemon.
Jan 30 11:37:00 jon-neon systemd[1]: Started Automatic USB/Bluetooth printer setup (-devices-pci0000:00-0000:00:14.0-usb3-3\x2d9).
Jan 30 11:37:14 jon-neon bluetoothd[1038]: Endpoint registered: sender=:1.51 path=/MediaEndpoint/A2DPSource
Jan 30 11:37:14 jon-neon bluetoothd[1038]: Endpoint registered: sender=:1.51 path=/MediaEndpoint/A2DPSink
Jan 30 11:37:14 jon-neon kernel: [ 58.682090] Bluetooth: RFCOMM TTY layer initialized
Jan 30 11:37:14 jon-neon kernel: [ 58.682096] Bluetooth: RFCOMM socket layer initialized
Jan 30 11:37:14 jon-neon kernel: [ 58.682100] Bluetooth: RFCOMM ver 1.11

$ bluetoothctl
[NEW] Controller 00:1A:7DA:71:0A jon-neon [default]
[bluetooth]# devices

Something is running:

$ psg blue
root 1038 1 0 11:36 ? 00:00:00 /usr/lib/bluetooth/bluetoothd
jon 1984 1661 0 11:37 ? 00:00:00 /usr/bin/python3 /usr/bin/blueman-assistant
jon 1989 1681 0 11:37 ? 00:00:00 /usr/bin/python3 /usr/bin/blueman-applet
jon 2028 1 0 11:37 ? 00:00:00 /usr/lib/bluetooth/obexd
jon 2858 1949 0 11:45 pts/1 00:00:00 grep --color=auto blue

Help, please.

[GreyGeek]

What does
rfkill list
show?

[joneall]

$ rfkill list
0: hci0: Bluetooth
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: no

[joneall]

New kernel needed?

$ rfkill list
0: hci0: Bluetooth
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: no

I have contacted Penguin support, who has been very reactive. He suggested it's due to a bug which is resovled in kernel version 4.10. He suggested this command

sudo apt-get install linux-generic-hwe-16.04

which I ran and then rebooted. I don't know anything about kernel versions or what 16.04 refers to in terms of kernel. But it seems that now I see

$ ls /boot/vml*
/boot/vmlinuz-4.13.0-32-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-112-generic
/boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-103-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-112-generic.efi.signed
/boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-103-generic.efi.signed /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-77-generic
/boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-104-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-77-generic.efi.signed
/boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-104-generic.efi.signed

where the 4.13.0- (...32 Why 32?) was not there before. In any case, boot only allows 4.4 and I am still at

$ uname -a
Linux jon-neon 4.4.0-77-generic #98-Ubuntu SMP Wed Apr 26 08:34:02 UTC 2017 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

I am (or at least was) in Neon, so I wonder if that prevent might updating to a higher kernel. As you see, I am treading water in all this detail.

Several questions come to mind:

(1) Does bluetooth work in Neon?

(2) If not, do I have to go back to Kubuntu LTS?

(3) What version does it require and how do I install it?

I really don't understand why I am having so much trouble getting a chip which runs for everybody else to work for me!

[joneall]

Problem solved. I did not know zilch about bluetooth and so assumed that finding no devices meant it did not find the interface, the dongle. In fact, in bluetooth parlance, that seems to be the adapter and the device is the keyboard or whatever the external device (see?) is.

Ya gotta know... Thanks for your input.

[GreyGeek]

Looks the same as mine, except I also have a hardware bluetooth:

~$ rfkill list
0: phy0: Wireless LAN
        Soft blocked: no
        Hard blocked: no
1: acer-wireless: Wireless LAN
        Soft blocked: no
        Hard blocked: no
2: acer-bluetooth: Bluetooth
        Soft blocked: no
        Hard blocked: no
3:[B] hci0: Bluetooth
        Soft blocked: no
        Hard blocked: no[/B]

My wireless chip is an Atheros AAR9462 and I need a line in my ath9k.conf file in /etc/modules.d directory:

options ath9k btcoex=1

Does your wifi chip require it?