BlueTooth Blues

My 'puter has a built in Bluetooth (BT). I use a MS BT mouse and it works great. Under device manager it shows as Broadcom USB Bluetooth Device. This is my first experience with a BT connection where I want file transfers (OBEX).

I have a Motorola Razr V3c phone. It has built in BT. Now some carries say BT file transfer (OBEX) is enabled and others say it is not (for US I believe it is Verizon - OBEX is enabled and Cingular OBEX is disabled). We have similar claims from local carriers in Canada (TELUS OBEX is available / Bell Mobility OBEX is not)

This phone is not officially released until tomorrow for Bell - each Western store got 4 phones about a week early and I just happened to be in there asking about it (was going to reserve one) and they had one so I got it

After some driver updates and uninstall / install BT numerous times, I was finally able to connect to my phone. Available services were DUN (Dial Up Network) and OBEX.

The first time I connected I was able to navigate to the appropriate folders on my phone and transfer a few ring tones and was happy.

Today when I try I get the same services (DUN and OBEX) but I cannot get a list of directories on the phone (I get a generic BT error on connection) for OBEX

So I guess my question is can the carrier (in my case Bell ) Disable OBEX remotely or is that a function of the firmware in the phone ? Maybe since it was a prerelease phone they left it (OBEX) enabled (assuming it can be disabled remotely) ? Am I doing something wrong when trying to get them to connect?

It is just the OBEX that does not work. - The DUN services works every time I connect.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

thx...............dy

 

This is so hairy...and as much as I like Bluetooth, it's problems like this that really upset me. To your issue specifcally, I would try it all over gain, un-pair and remove the Bluetooth stack, then re-add it. It's possible they updated the firmware over the air, but that seems unlikely.

 

Verizon, or in your case Bell, actually blocks the obex functions of the phone because they want you to get it now. I have the E815. You can't do anything with the dun until you get the Motorola Phone Tools program. And even that won't let you do file transfter. Basically you have to hack the phone through a usb cable (changing a one to a zero in a file), to open what verizon closed. I have the Motorola Phone Tools but not the cable, so I am stuck with a non-hacked phone.

 

Thanks Guys

Brian - I will try and re-install BT stack and let ya know - interestingly enough before , in my Device Manager , I had something other than Broadcom USB Bluetooth - there were two in there one was Microsoft something or other and I forget the other one but it was a chipset or card name. (became Broadcom after I re-installed the Vendors - ACER's BT drivers)

ccbr01 - I fully get why they block it . The carrier cannot surive on monthly premiums alone <grr> $$$$$ buy the data package - buy the data cable - download all screen savers and ring tones from us for the low low price of ....

To me though I am kinda of the oipion the OBEX is a function of the firmware of the phone and not the carriers network - if it worked once - then it should work again. I don't think the carrier can disable it on the fly (however I could be out to lunch) . I have read a few google searches where people with this phone have been able to transfer files with Bell as their carrier others have not been able.

So I am thinking it is a Bluetooth issue on my Laptop / Computer and not so much the phone - anyway I will try again later and let ya know.

As Brian mentioned if the configuration is that difficult then most would have given up and bought the data cables. ( Itried for hours yesterday could just not let it go after I had read some were able too - geek!)

I will try the DUN to test your theory as well.

 

It sounds like a firmware issure with the cell phone not the computer. Generally, built in bluetooth devices, as well as usb dongles, have all the functions that bluetooth tehcnology supports. It's the phone that is more picky.
I never buy phones from my operator exactly because of such problems...I'm very happy with my SonyEricsson e700 and I'm even able to use it as a remote control.

 

Aaaaaaaaaaaaarg - Starting to not be a big fan of BT - or my Cell Phone Carrier not sure which one ticks me off more

No Matter what I do my BT MS Mouse Always connects and the phone always connects with Dial Up Network - DUN )

The BT Stack I had installed for the one successful connection to my phone for file transfer said Broadcom (Under Device Manager). I removed it , rebooted , on the reboot it (Windoze) never asked me for anything - picked up the new Hardware - and automatically installed BT - Then Device Manager showed 2 devices :

1. Blutonium BCM2305 Bluetooth 2.4 Ghz Single Chip Transceiver
2. Microsoft Bluetooth Emulator

I uninstalled that - used the Drivers / set up from Acer site (WIDCOMM Software V 3.0.1.902 ) where it had installed ONLY Broadcom before and now I get the same thing (2 devices) - Deja Vu all over again

So uninstall again from Device Manager / then run the setup from Acer BT download which goes through another uninstall - reboot - this time try and stop the Hardware Wizard from detecting it - could not do that ...just wants to install it - although this time I got a warning 'there was a problem ...blah blah and the device may not work properly) - Device Manager / Uninstall current stack again / Acer software / Install - and I get .....same

Now I am thinking all of this was done with the Bluetooth on Dooooooh so I uninstalll / reinstall with BT off and see what I get - same thing

When I try to connect to my phone (Motorola Razr V3c) , remembering my carrier claims file transfer – OBEX is disabled, all is get is DUN.

When I did connect the one and only time I am pretty sure it was when my Bluetooth device in Device Manager showed just the Broadcom and a Wizard came up.

So I may play around some more - but it is frustrating. I know other people with the same phone and same carrier have been able to transfer files - so it may be a limitation of the drivers I am using for my Acer internal BT.

Next on my list will be the BT headset - although that is just between the phone and headset so I do not anticipate any issues there.

Dern carriers should be shot for disabling features. I could change carriers to one where the OBEX is not disabled) and I still have about a week to return the phone (15 days from purchase) - but there are so many features of the phone I do like and changing carriers here not sure I can keep my same phone nr.

Spent enough time on this (just hard to let it go hahaha) – but I will – for now anyway

 

Just like I told you. Get the data cable and hack that razr. When talking about headsets, I have the Stereomoto HT-820. Great headset it is. I wrote a review of it here on NBR. Check it out.

 

I know but it worked once !!! I did transfer 2 files for ringtones...

Anyway thx for heads up on the headset - I will buy the data cable - and can you pm the hack the razr steps ?

thx.............dy

 

( http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php?t=674803)
This is for my e815. It should be the same for your razr. If not, just google around for it.

 

I had some time tongiht and was able to get the OBex at least available (back to the Broadcom device). I think I have the process down to install that again if I have to.

When it asks for the PIN of the the Device is this the Phones Security Code or a new passkey that I make up ? This may be where my issue is. My phone manual says the default code is 000000 when I try and change this via the phone it does not accept this - so it is likley my carrier changed this (maybe this is how they disabled OBEX ?) Why woudl they change it unless to disable something ? I am going to see them tomorrow

Anyway the Device connects , my phone asked for the corresponding code (000000) and it conected and offers OBEX yet when I try to browse the phone I get the generic Bluetooth connection error. It may also be that orgianlly I gave it a different passkey.

Now I know what ccbr01 said about it being disabled in the firmware and it will require a hack makes perfect sense. Yet others with the same phone / same carrier / different parts of the country have OBEX enabled. I find it strange some phones would be disabled others not.

I will prevail (as on the howardforms others have it enabled and workling .....) enough for now.

 

Persistance

Read Numerous Pages on howardforms about this phone. (there is a nice tutorial there for the Razr and setting up Bluetooth and some of the issues ) For me and Bell Mobility the deal is : OBEX is enabled on the Phone

1. Have to ensure you have WIDCOMM drivers for your BlueTooth and not Microsoft "BlueTooth Radio Device" (in Device Manager you will see something like Micorsoft Bluetooth Emulator) OBEX will not work with this period ! You need to have a My Bluetooth Places otherwise OBEX (File Transfer) will not work.

2. Sometimes the connection takes a while - several minutes. If it still does not connect - then power the phone off and on.

These two things (solutions seems simple comapred to the time I spent on it) allows me to transfer Pictures and music.

 

There is an excellent software called bitpim

http://bitpim.sourceforge.net

which overrides most of Verizon protections against the user accessing their hardware. I've used with a USB interface to download photos from a motorola v265, but who knows? probably even BT can work too. Anyhow, you can always rely on a usb adapter

 

Thanks but I am in that big Northern state (Canada haha) and My Carirer is Bell Mobility - I think similar to Verizon the early shipped Razr Vc3 have OPBEX enabled (perhaps an oversight on Bells part) - I got mine a week early of realese date (just happen to walk in looking for something else actually and they had 1 left of 4)

Anyway the issue for me is likley my internal BT device - I have been able to consistenly connect now and do file transfers (sometimes I have to unpair the devide , repair , other times just truning the phone off and on works) a pain in the butt - but workable

 

doesn't matter who your carrier is, the technology is the same , and particularly, the _filesytem_ in the cellphone is what you access with BitPim. plug the phone thru the USB and then open "other CDMA phones".. the filesystem uploads to the pc and you can browse it, and read (unless your model is explicitly supported by BitPim, you will be able only to read files, i.e. no write)

 

Thx charlls

I guess for me there is no need as I can get Bluetooth to work as is now. All I want to do is transfer pictures to my computer (for wallpaper) and mp3's for ring tones and I can do that now without any additional software / hardware.

I am currently on a plan that allows unlimited Picture / Text / Mobil browsing so I can get pictures off the phone that way.

As this is the first time I have used Bluetooth (for OBEX - I have been using a Bluetooth mouse for months now) - I am disappointed as I thought the technology was a little more mature and stable. Anyway bottom line for me, while sometimes I have to unpair the device, and sometimes I have to power the phone off and on , it eventually shows up and I can begin the transfers. My immediate needs are met.