[SOLVED] How to pair bluetooth device *without* pin code?

[premudriy]

Hello everyone,


I have laptop with bluetooth and I bought PS3 bluetooth remote. In windows this remote is working with EventGhost and I would like to use it in Fedora as well. This remote has to be paired without a pin code, which is how I paired it in windows.

In Fedora, however, there is no such option "no pin" when using a standard way to connect bluetooth device.

How can I pair this remote in Fedora?

[zeland]

The default pairing PIN for devices with "no PIN" is usually 0000 (4 zeros).

[premudriy]

I just tried that and it said setup failed. I have tried choosing a pre-set "0000" pin and specifying manually four zeros in "custom" pin option

[SiliconSlick]

What version of Fedora? Are you using the gnome bluetooth GUI thingie? Does "Automatic PIN selection" under PIN Options not work?

SS

[Chilly Willy]

Try letting the computer find the remote - then try the remote finding the computer - then try them finding each other at the same time. - Make sure you have them VISIBLE.

I've found that depending on the device, that I have had to rotate through this scenario with a new devices to get them to connect. But once established, from there on, no problem. (unless I kill that setup, then I have to start over)

[premudriy]

@SiliconSlick: I use Fedora 13 64-bit. Yes, I'm trying to use the Gnome bluetooth GUI. Automatic PIN generates some pin and asks me to enter it on the device(remote), which is impossible in my case.

@Chilly Willy: I finally got it to work, but it's kind of weird. I paired with 0000 pin and setup said it's failed. Then I removed batteries from remote and put them back in. The moment I put batteries back in, Fedora said that some bluetooth device is asking for authorization. I selected "grant access" and "remember" checkmark.


Now there's another problem: even though device is paired and I have selected "remember authorization", every time I remove/insert batteries or turn on/off laptop, system says that some bluetooth is asking for authorization. Seems like "grant access" is not being memorized.

Furthermore, if I let remote be idle for a few minutes then it apparently goes to standby. Then, when I press any button it tries to connect and the system again asks me for authorization. This makes work with remote impractical because every time I press some button after some idle time, the system is asking for authorization.

How can I make it remember the authorization?

[Chilly Willy]

From what you are saying, I'd say that the REMOTE needs to be the "sending" device & the COMPUTER needs to be doing the "looking". It sounds like when you removed the batt., that is what happened.

My guess is taking the batt. out is probably resetting the remote so you are losing the setup there. Otherwise, when it ask, you should be able to just click "connect" (or whatever) & go. Does it still give you the "pin" to enter instead? If so, I'm not sure what you need to do as I'm not 100% up on this myself. Just passing along what mine does. I have hooked about 3 different devices to this computer & they all work something like I described, so take it for what it's worth.

[premudriy]

Not only taking out batteries causes system to "forget" the device. Basically now the problem is that there's authorization dialog pops up every time I press a button on the remote after some idling time. Let's say I'm watching a movie and need to pause it. I press pause and the system is requiring authorization. I have to run to my computer every time I press some button, which is ridiculous.

I also think that pairing is not done *completely* and that's why I'm having all the problems. When setting pairing though Gnome bluetooth GUI it still fails every time. Seems like bluetooth in Fedora simply can't work with devices without pin, or at least I don't know how to set it up correctly, so that pairing procedure would go all the way to the end and show "success" message.

[Chilly Willy]

Sorry, I don't know WHAT to tell you from here... I'm totally at a loss.

--- UPDATE ---
Just an educated guess but, after going some looking, I have discovered that it appears that you are using this remote in an environment for which it wasn't originally designed. That may be what is giving you fits. The software on the M$ stuff MAY have the needed "emulators" to compensate as to why it "works" there.

[premudriy]

Yes, this remote is for PS3, but that's the cool thing: we do such cool "hacks" and find "alternative" functionality for many stuff and I think this promotes technological progress

Anyway, from what I have read the only "special" thing about this remote seems to be the absence of PIN for pairing. Also, I have found this article for doing it in Linux:

http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?t=50717

I will try that and report back. Seems that the author of the article is using another package to work with bluetooth: blueman.

---------- Post added at 06:35 PM CDT ---------- Previous post was at 06:20 PM CDT ----------

Update: Got it to work 100% with blueman package. With blueman I just selected "add" and "trust" for this remote and omitted pairing process. Removed/inserted batteries and remote worked. No authentication dialogs anymore after pressing some button after idle time. Seems like blueman has more function than default gnome-bluetooth utilities.

Thank you, everyone, for helping me figure this problem out. Maybe this post will be useful for someone else as well.

[Chilly Willy]

Shoot, I forgot about BLUEMAN - glad to see you got it. (& your very welcome) And YES, "hacking" is one of the things that brought me to linux. I like to fiddle too.

BTW: I hope I didn't imply that what you were doing shouldn't (or couldn't) be done, I was just trying to say that it could be causing your problem, that's all.

[premudriy]

Here's another interesting link that I found:

https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Features/Bluetooth

according to the above link PS3 remote *should* be supported since Fedora 9.