Bluetooth Dongles

[ssk]

For those of you that have written software that uses Bluetooth for Windows XP you will no doubt have received numerous telephone calls from customers about Bluetooth not working on laptops/pcs.

I am trying to compile a list of USB BT Dongles that will work with XP/LabVIEW. I have bought 18 dongles and only 6 of them work with LabVIEW, if anyone else know of any that are not listed, please can you add to the list for the benefit of the community - thanks!

Advent  ADE-C2EDR                             Works

Edimax EB-DGC1                                 Works

Zoom    4311                                         Works

Zoom    1054                                         Works

Zoom    4314                                         Works

Fujitsu  S26391-F7137-L1                       Works

Jabra    A330                                         Does not work

Trust     BT-2400p                                  Does not work

Qfonic   Slim100mBth                            Does not work

Motorola            D200                            Does not work

Belkin   F8T016NG                                 Does not work

Belkin   F8T017NG                                 Does not work

Targus  ACB10EU                                  Does not work

Startech            BCM2045                      Does not work

Belkin   F8T013UK1                               Does not work

D-Link   DBT-122                                    Does not work

HP        bt500                                        Does not work

Cable & Wireless           CWBTHUB100   Does not work

 

Message Edited by ssk on 04-29-2009 08:47 AM

Message Edited by ssk on 04-29-2009 08:48 AM

Message Edited by ssk on 04-29-2009 08:48 AM

[SheelaS]

Hi ssk,

When using Bluetooth with LabVIEW you must use a device that is supported by the Microsoft Bluetooth Stack or the WIDCOMM stack. The following list shows currently known USB dongles that offer this support. This is due to the bluetooth implementation working on the Microsoft Bluetooth Stack so that it can support many devices, instead of seperate drivers for each device type. If a USB dongle is not supported by the Microsoft Bluetooth stack (and therefore LabVIEW) then this is a Microsoft Issue. This is included in the XP Service Pack 2, and is available from Microsoft to install it on Service Pack 1. You can check if you have the correct driver installed by right-clicking on My Computer » Properties » Hardware » Device Manager » Bluetooth Radios. Expand Bluetooth radios and ensure that the Microsoft Bluetooth Enumerator appears in that list.

Devices supported by Microsoft Bluetooth Stack, and thus LabVIEW (under Windows)

• Microsoft Wireless Transceiver for Bluetooth 2.0 that came with Microsoft Wireless keyboard and Optical mouse
• Belkin F8T012UK1 EDR Bluetooth USB Adapter
• Belkin F8T003 Bluetooth USB Adapter - 10 Meters ( Belkin F8T003 ver. 2 don't seems to work )
• Billionton GUBTCR41 - 100 m (Software included in the package not installed)
• Conceptronic "Bluetooth 2.0 USB Adapter 200M" CBTU2A / CBT200U2A (Software in the package not installed)
• Dell Wireless 350 Bluetooth Module
• D-Link DBT-120 Bluetooth Adaptor
• Encore USB Dongle (Microsoft Stack)
• Exwell BD-U08 EDR Bluetooth USB Adapter
• Exwell BD-U01 Bluetooth USB Adapter - 10 Meters
• Kensington USB K33085 (Microsoft Stack)
• GigaByte Bluetooth USB Adapter GN-BT05D (Software included in the package not installed)
• Hama Bluetooth Dongle 00049207 (Software included in the package not installed). Inquiries seems to hang after a while ..
• IBM Integrated Bluetooth II on ThinkPad T40 (with driver from Microsoft; file version: 5.1.2600.2180, xpsp_sp2_rtm.040803-2158)
• Trust BT 1300 TP Bluetooth USB adapter (Software included in the package not installed)
• Trust BT 2200 TP Bluetooth USB adapter (Software included in the package not installed) (Microsoft Stack and Widcomm)
• Perfect choice USB Adapter (Microsoft Stack and Widcomm)

Tha above list was compiled in 2007, and does not appear to have been updated so I will add your known working devices to our list. It would be useful to know if you installed any software included with the device or not.

We also have some information on our website regarding using USB Bluetooth devices: 

How Do I Make a Bluetooth Device Work with LabVIEW

Developing Bluetooth Applications with LabVIEW

Hope this helps,

[ssk]

Hi Sheela,

Thanks for your reply, the extra devices are useful.

I have one more to add to the list that turned up this morning (and works):

Ezurio BRBLUO3-010A0-02 (available from RS Components Pt No 189-138.

In my tests I installed no additional software, the devices were detected using the XP drivers and installed automatically.

ssk

[SheelaS]

ssk,

What I'll do is keep an eye on the thread for a few days to let other people add to the list, then I'll update things at our end in one go.  But this thread can always be added to anyways, and I'll make sure a link to it is kept on our records too.

Thanks for starting what I'm sure will be an invaluable resource for many users.

[ssk]

Can anybody in the USA provide an updated list of any USB Bluetooth dongles that will work with LabVIEW (and that are readily available)?

Most of the devices on my original list (above),are only available in the UK.

Thanks

[ssk]

I have recently found a small utility that can make non-microsoft bluetooth devices work using the Microsoft BT Enumerator.

I have yet to find a BT device that it has not worked on (internal or USB).

Here is the link:

http://bluetoothinstaller.com/

[Ethan_Lee]

Hi.

You have the Bluetooth devices list that compatible with Labview for Window 7?

[ssk]

Hi,

I have found Windows 7 to support natively many, many more BT dongles than XP. I have about 25 different USB dongles and only half of them would work with LV & WinXP but almost all of them work with Win7 by simply plugging them in (and not installing any drivers).

I only recommend two to our customers now as I have found them to be readily available world:

http://shop.lego.com/en-US/Bluetooth-Dongle-9847

Laird Technologies BRBLU03-101A0-02 (available from farnell.com)

You may have problems trying to get internal BT radios to work on laptops, I have found a very good utility that has managed to get about 95% of internal devices working with LabVIEW:

http://bluetoothinstaller.com/

The software creates a restore point thus making it easy to rollback if you get any problems. This utility will quite often make USB dongles work (by making them utilise the Windows BT stack).

[Ethan_Lee]

Thank you very much.