Acer BT500 and Linux

Purpose
This page describes the installation and configuration of dial-up network using Acer BT500 bluetooth adapter and SuSE Linux 9.0.

According to this page , there are at least 3 BT500 versions. I have BT500 (BU2-1). This is a USB 1.1 device with an CSR chipset, which is supported by the generic bluetooth USB driver from Bluez.

Step 1: install bluez
Suse Linux 9.0 has pre-build bluez packages. Just install all packages with name bluez with yast.

Step 2: start bluetooth
By starting /etc/init.d/bluetooth, all required modules should be loaded.
Check your local device

> hcitool dev
Devices:
   hci0   00:60:57.10:7D:72

This shows you the MAC Adress of your local bluetooth device.

Step 3: scan your environment
First  you have to scan for other bluetooth devices. The folowing examples describes the connections to my Nokia 6310i mobile. (activate Bluetooth at your mobile)

// scan netowork
> hcitool scan
Scanning ...
   00:60:57:06:F9:8C     Nokia jmau

This is the MAC adress of your mobile. Remember it, it is required for all further commands.
You can also get more information about the device.

> hcitool inq 
Inquiring ...
   00:60:57:06:F9:8Cclock offset: 0x2ceb   class: 0x500204

// Information about remote bluetooth device
> hcitool info 00:60:57:06:F9:8C
Requesting information ...
        BD Address:  00:60:57:06:F9:8C
        Device Name: Nokia jmau
        LMP Version: 1.1 (0x1) LMP Subversion: 0x22c
        Manufacturer: Nokia Mobile Phones (1)
        Features: 0xbf 0x28 0x21 0x00
                <3-slot packets> <5-slot packets> <encryption> <slot offset>
                <timing accuracy> <role switch> <sniff mode> <SCO link>
                <HV3 packets> <CVSD>

// check the connecion
> l2ping 00:60:57:06:F9:8C
Ping: 00:60:57:06:F9:8C from 00:60:57:10:7D:72 (data size 20) ...
0 bytes from 00:60:57:06:F9:8C id 200 time 40.81ms
0 bytes from 00:60:57:06:F9:8C id 201 time 34.67ms
0 bytes from 00:60:57:06:F9:8C id 202 time 37.66ms

Step 4: create serial port
Use rfcomm to create a user space serial port. This serial port can later be used like a modem.

// bind rfcomm to the remote device
> rfcomm bind 00:60:57:06:F9:8C
> rfcomm show
rfcomm0: 11:22:33:44:55:66 channel 1 clean

Once you have binded rfcomm, you can create a a local character device and connect rfcomm to the device.

// create /dev/rfcomm0 
> mknod /dev/rfcomm0 c 216 0
// try to connect
rfcomm connect /dev/rfcomm0 00:60:57:06:F9:8C
// .. PIN will fail

Step 5: PIN
This is where problems begin. Look into the script /etc/bluetooth/hcid.conf.

// /etc/bluetooth/hcid.conf
...
	# PIN helper
	pin_helper /bin/bluepin;
...

/bin/bluepin is a Python application which should pop-up and ask you for the bluetooth PIN. I didn't succeed to make it run because of gtk import problems (I tried to install python gtk bindings, but it didn't help).

Instead of this, I create the following script (see also here):

// /usr/local/bin/bluez_pin_simple
#!/bin/sh 
echo "PIN:12345"

// here is another script which opens a KDE dialog box and ask for the PIN
// regretfully an or message appears, still investigating on it...
#!/bin/sh
pin=`/opt/kde3/bin/kdialog --password "Please enter the bluetooth access code:"`
echo "PIN:$pin"

The script just rerurn the PIN code. Make the script executable.

	   chmod +x /usr/local/bin/bluez_pin_simple 

In /etc/bluetooth/hcid.conf, replace the pin_helper  /bin/bluepin by the name of the new script name (btw, you can also change the name of your device -> device {name...}).
Restart bluetooth (etc/init.d/bluetooth restart).
Now when you connect and give in your PIN, you should see:


(if "Can't create RFCOMM TTY: Address already in use" appears, release the device with "rfcomm release 00:60...").
Now you device is connected and you can use it as a normal modem.
You can check the connection with:
Step 6: Internet connection
Create a new internet connection using yast2. As modem, select /dev/rfcomm0
In Germany, I generally use the freenet call by call mobile access.
Once configured, kinternet will appear (if not, start it).