Enabling bluetooth on a newly installed combo chip

I just purchased a combination Wifi and bluetooth chip from the HP parts store. It's the Ralink RT3090BC4, which has 802.11n and bluetooth 2.1 built in (upgradeable to 3.0 too I think). I installed into my computer but I cannot figure out for the life of me how to enable the bluetooth hardware. The first time I turned the computer back on, Windows installed a generic driver for the wifi card. I installed Ralink's own drivers on top of that, so now in Device Manager it shows me "Ralink RT3090 802.11b/g/n" rather than just "802.11n Wifi". But bluetooth does not show up in the device manager, and trying to launch the bluetooth tray is fruitless.

I attempted to install one of HP's own drivers but it didn't work. It told me I had to enable the bluetooth hardware first.

if anyone can help me, I would really appreciate it. I spent a lot of money and time searching for and buying this chip, and I would rather it not all go to waste.

I am running:
Windows 7 Home Premium, x64
Sony VAIO NW 180J - see my signature for specifications
Wifi card: Ralink RT3090BC4
HP spare parts number: 602992-001

Thank you!

 

It almost sounds like the USB headers aren't connected in your VAIO. With a card like that, the WiFi will work over the PCI-e pins and the BT will work over the USB pins. Interesting. Can you see any unknown devices in the Device Manager?

 

It's a half size mini card. to be precise. I don't see any unknown devices in the device manager - it's as if the bluetooth part doesn't even exist.

I had no idea that the two parts would operate over two different interfaces - I had assumed that they would both work over PCIe. There weren't any additional plugs or antennas when I installed it - just the usual two for the half mini card.

If the USB headers aren't plugged in, can you tell me how to fix that? If it's fixable? The sony VAIO didn't come with bluetooth built in, and I'm trying to find a solution that keeps everything internal.

Thanks!!!

 

The pins concerning USB are a part of the PCI-e header. Like for instance, the Intel 5350 has WiFi and WiMax, the WiFi would connect through the PCI-e pins in the connector, and the WiMax half would connect though the USB pins inside the connector. The USB pins are inside the connector, and CAN be excluded from the final product like a LOT of netbooks and such. What you describe seems to make me think that the USB part of the PCI-e connector physically isn't there or isn't connected, which sometimes can be fixed and sometimes can't. To fix it would usually require soldering skills, and would 9/10 times void your warranty if you have any left. You would have to solder a new Mini PCI-e connector in place.

 

Oh that's just wonderful....so I really did buy this chip for nothing. Damn.
Are there any possible workarounds other than soldering the connections? I mean, I have access to soldering equipment and I know how to solder...but I have no experience in actually taking apart pre-assembled connectors and messing around with their internals.

The primary thing that I want is this: the ability to turn the bluetooth radio on or off without unplugging or plugging in additional devices. I purchased a cheap bluetooth dongle that just barely sticks out but it really doesn't work very well. I have a USB dongle but it protrudes by 1.5" and that's definitely not ideal. Is it possible to somehow attach the connections to a USB port?

 

Here is a picture of an OEM ALPS Bluetooth module from Sony. Notice the connector. This connector will snap into it's female port on the motherboard. The connector is about the width of your thumbnail. If you can see an empty port like this on your board, most everytime it's on the bottom side, then you can snap in an internal module there and it should function like OEM integrated.

 

Hmm...I don't have that kind of a connector. Here is the closest to that that I have on my board.
"Buletooth" is obviously a reference to Bluetooth but the black foam covers up that part of the board...and I don't think the connector has enough pins for the ALPS module that you showed me.

 

Yes! You have a newer revision board it seems. And that's hilarious how they misspelled "Buletooth"...lol. Here is where you can get that module. It's part number BCM-UGPZ9. It's an ALPS module for all newer generation Sony notebooks. Just make sure that if you do purchase one, that it includes an antenna, or you purchase an antenna along with it... it's range is about 2 inches without antenna.

EDIT: I should also say that the black foam is just a padding that the BT module sits on so it doesn't touch or rub the MoBo, so you can leave it there.

EDIT 2: I left out the fact that the one I linked in the above paragraph is a newer part than the earlier one pictured. The one pictured above is an older revision with a different connector. The one I linked to here fits all Sony notebooks from 2008+ that had bluetooth as at least a configurable option.

 

Thanks so much for all of your help! Just to make sure - this goes into the bluetooth female port, not the MDC connector right? they look somewhat similar. I guess I'll be returning the HP chip then.

Also, any word on drivers? That shouldn't be a problem in this case right?

 

You're welcome. Yes, it fits into the female bluetooth port of the Mobo. And for drivers, you can download the hardware driver for that module from Sony themselves, as that is an OEM part. And once that is installed I recommend the Widcomm Bluetooth stack from Broadcom. It's really 1000% better than Microsoft's default that gets installed automatically, and it's free because all ALPS bluetooth modules are Broadcom reference chipsets.

 

Awesome. I'm going to buy it now. HP charges a $25 restocking fee and my chip only cost 24.70 (+11 shipping!! ridiculous) so I can't return it. I might take it out and sell it on eBay as like new.

I think the drivers from Broadcom are already shipped with windows - there's a folder labeled "Widcomm" in the program files directory or something.

EDIT: My laptop did not have bluetooth as a configurable option. I just reread one of your posts. Basically, I was never given the opportunity to have bluetooth preinstalled. Does that make a difference?

 

It seems to have the connector on the board, so it was configurable somewhere in some country. But I promise that connector will work, unlike the other. And if you already have the bluetooth software installed, that's further evidence that some country got bluetooth, as the WidComm suite most certainly does not come with Windows. Sony included it with the notebook's Windows installation.

That's ridiculous about the re-stocking fee though! $25!?

 

I know, the restocking fee is insane. eBay it is...I don't know if I'll ever sell this though haha.

I just bought the connector (actually a lot of 3) from eBay for a total of $15 and I hope these will work. The metal braces that hold them down, I'm not sure if those will fit, but I can at least screw down one side. The thing is that the angled position of the screw holes don't seem to match up with my board's configuration. But that's just a small detail. I will let you know if they work!

 

It works! I got the modules yesterday and installed them right away. They fit perfectly and the foam helps support the heavier end of the chip. It came with an antenna so I secured the end of the antenna to an unused hole for the MDC connector. The only thing is that the metal bracket that came with the chip doesn't fit because the screw positioning was designed for the Sony VAIO FW, not the NW, but that's not a big deal because I'm not worried about it falling off or anything. I also installed the Bluetooth drivers from Sony (made by Broadcom) and it works like a charm.

The only thing that I would complain about is the lack of a simple switch to turn it on or off. So far, the only way I can see to turn it off is to disable it through Device Manager and I don't know if that actually cuts the power to the module or not. Any ideas for that?

Thank you so much for all of your help!!!

 

That's awesome! You could secure it with a piece of black electrical tape if need be. Also, about the power, there's no way to completely cut power to it, but by disabling it in the device manager, you disable the actual radio and that's the main source of power draw. With the radio off, power drain is trivial.

 

OK, I think I'll start doing that, or write up a quick macro to do it for me if I need to do it often enough. So far it hasn't been an issue though. My battery life is so dismal I can't even tell if the Bluetooth is creating a huge impact or not...