Strange BT range issue

[ctmagnus]

For 4.5-5 months I've been enjoying my BT access (Belkin F8T001 attached to an XP Home machine using the network access profile and an iPaq 5550) with no issues. However, a few weeks ago the range dropped to 1/3-1/2 what it had been. Are there any logical explanations for what could cause this? If interference, any easy ways to tell if it's a cordless phone or similar?

[Pony99CA]

For 4.5-5 months I've been enjoying my BT access (Belkin F8T001 attached to an XP Home machine using the network access profile and an iPaq 5550) with no issues. However, a few weeks ago the range dropped to 1/3-1/2 what it had been. Are there any logical explanations for what could cause this? If interference, any easy ways to tell if it's a cordless phone or similar?
I have a Belkin F8T001 Version 2 attached to a Belkin 7 port USB 2 hub. That attaches to my XP Home laptop, but I've never gotten it work correctly.

At one time, I was able to connect, but the connection was intermittent at best. Most of the time, I just get an invalid license message and the Bluetooth stack shuts down. Later, I get a message saying "BTTray: Unable to start Bluetooth stack service" and nothing works.

I wish I had your problems. :-D

Steve

[freitasm]

For 4.5-5 months I've been enjoying my BT access (Belkin F8T001 attached to an XP Home machine using the network access profile and an iPaq 5550) with no issues. However, a few weeks ago the range dropped to 1/3-1/2 what it had been. Are there any logical explanations for what could cause this? If interference, any easy ways to tell if it's a cordless phone or similar?
I have a Belkin F8T001 Version 2 attached to a Belkin 7 port USB 2 hub. That attaches to my XP Home laptop, but I've never gotten it work correctly.

At one time, I was able to connect, but the connection was intermittent at best. Most of the time, I just get an invalid license message and the Bluetooth stack shuts down. Later, I get a message saying "BTTray: Unable to start Bluetooth stack service" and nothing works.

I wish I had your problems. :-D

Steve

Steve, there are only a few USB devices that like USB hubs, and Bluetooth dongles are not in the list. Plug the device directly to the computer's port for it to work better. The "Unable to start Bluetooth stack service" message was on your Pocket PC or computer?

Ctmagnus, some stuff can interfere with Bluetooth: leaking microwave oven, wi-fi accesspoint, wi-fi client, DECT 2.4GHz cordless phones. You can have a neighbour 300m away the the DEC phone will still interfere, because of its power and range.

[ctmagnus]

Steve, there are only a few USB devices that like USB hubs, and Bluetooth dongles are not in the list. Plug the device directly to the computer's port for it to work better.

I found this out myself. I plugged the dongle into one of the front-mounted USB ports on a Dell desktop and all I got was the blinking blue light. I plugged it into one of the rear ports and it worked as advertised.

Ctmagnus, some stuff can interfere with Bluetooth: leaking microwave oven, wi-fi accesspoint, wi-fi client, DECT 2.4GHz cordless phones. You can have a neighbour 300m away the the DEC phone will still interfere, because of its power and range.

That's what I fear.

But, the computer with the dongle is in a room that had two 802.11b APs (channels 1 and 6 iirc) running for a while and I had no issues then. The range issue only popped up several weeks after I removed one of them. I figure the interference is actually caused by a baby monitor as microwaves certainly don't run constantly and afaik the phones you mentioned would only be using the frequency if the handset(s) is in use. However, this is a somewhat closely-knit neighborhood in a very small town and afaik there are no newborns in the neighborhood. Perhaps the dongle is just showing it's (six month) age?


The other thing that concerns me is a review for the F8T030 BT access point I read on Tom's Hardware described similar range issues out of the box even connecting the F8T030 (a class 1 device) to another class 1 device. Perhaps the range I had previously was just a fluke? I managed to mitigate the issue somewhat by locating the F8T001 higher up, but I still can't get even remotely as far away as I was able to previously.

[Pony99CA]

I have a Belkin F8T001 Version 2 attached to a Belkin 7 port USB 2 hub. That attaches to my XP Home laptop, but I've never gotten it work correctly.

At one time, I was able to connect, but the connection was intermittent at best. Most of the time, I just get an invalid license message and the Bluetooth stack shuts down. Later, I get a message saying "BTTray: Unable to start Bluetooth stack service" and nothing works.
Steve, there are only a few USB devices that like USB hubs, and Bluetooth dongles are not in the list. Plug the device directly to the computer's port for it to work better.
I've heard that some devices have problems with hubs, but have rarely experienced any problems with them. After all, USB is supposed to support that kind of connection.

I had tried plugging the Bluetooth dongle into the side USB port on my laptop (which has 4 USB 2.0 ports), but that didn't work, either. Plugging the device in a different port requires reinstalling the software (why? :grumble:), so I really don't want to play USB roulette.

The "Unable to start Bluetooth stack service" message was on your Pocket PC or computer?

All messages that I mentioned are displayed on my laptop at boot time.

Steve

[freitasm]

The problem is that USB dongles need power. You're right, USB supports connections via HUB, but not all HUBs supply the power needed to keep the attached devices running.

If you have the drivers installed for your USB hardware, when you plug into another port it may ask for the drivers. simply select Automatic Install and it'll just copy the same drivers already installed. Sometimes it happens with my ActiveSync cradle.

Also, check the Power Management tab on Devices in your System Properties, Hardware tab.

[Kacey Green]

our phone transmits even while on the base station, just at a lower power setting, so we had to diconnect the portable.

try putting the AP back and see if the issue is resolved
try updating the drivers

[ctmagnus]

try putting the AP back and see if the issue is resolved
try updating the drivers

Done and done. Same coverage as last time I checked, using a constant ping in vxUtil.


Another factor is, when I first noticed it I had wandered out of range with my Pocket PC and went downtown for an hour or two. Leaving the coverage range shouldn't cause problems like this, should it?

[Kacey Green]

no taking it out of range should have no effect once a connection is re-established

[Pony99CA]

The problem is that USB dongles need power. You're right, USB supports connections via HUB, but not all HUBs supply the power needed to keep the attached devices running.
The Belkin hub came with a huge power brick, so I'd be surprised if it wasn't supplying the correct power.

Also, check the Power Management tab on Devices in your System Properties, Hardware tab.
There are 10 USB items there. I unchecked the Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power check box on a couple of them, even though my laptop is almost always plugged into the AC.

However, when trying to use My Bluetooth Places to connect to other devices, I still get invalid license errors. :bad-words: What "license" isn't valid?

I'm downloading the latest driver from Belkin now, so I hope that will help.

Steve

[freitasm]

[However, when trying to use My Bluetooth Places to connect to other devices, I still get invalid license errors. :bad-words: What "license" isn't valid?

I'm downloading the latest driver from Belkin now, so I hope that will help.

Steve

Widcomm supplies the software to the manufacturers and these can customise it as they see fit. To protect their IP, devices are licenced. In a couple of configuration files you'll see a code that corresponds to each device. If you install the driver from DLINK and try to use a Belkin, you'll see this "Invalid Licence" file. Also, when using Belkin, if you have the original ones or a very old one, you may get this "Invalid Licence" message. It simply says that this hardware may not be compatible with newer software, or does not have some required hardware/firmware level to run this software.

[Kacey Green]

so BT cars such as the Pruis in particular, have a licesence file in the onboard computer? and phones? keyboards? etc.

[Pony99CA]

Widcomm supplies the software to the manufacturers and these can customise it as they see fit. To protect their IP, devices are licenced. In a couple of configuration files you'll see a code that corresponds to each device. If you install the driver from DLINK and try to use a Belkin, you'll see this "Invalid Licence" file. Also, when using Belkin, if you have the original ones or a very old one, you may get this "Invalid Licence" message. It simply says that this hardware may not be compatible with newer software, or does not have some required hardware/firmware level to run this software.
I installed the software that came on the CD with my Bluetooth dongle, so I would hope there wouldn't be any licensing issues. This just seems like more stupid DRM crap, and it's preventing me from using a product that I legally purchased. :bad-words:

What's the point of the license? You need to have the hardware to make the Bluetooth software work anyway. ALK used to tie their Pocket CoPilot software to their own version of the NavMan GPS sleeve, but eventually gave that up.

Yes, I suppose I might buy another Bluetooth device and use the WIDCOMM drivers that came with my original device instead of those that came with the newer one, but why would I? (I suppose if one supported more profiles, that would be a reason, but I don't see that as very likely.)

Steve

[Kacey Green]

Widcomm supplies the software to the manufacturers and these can customise it as they see fit. To protect their IP, devices are licenced. In a couple of configuration files you'll see a code that corresponds to each device. If you install the driver from DLINK and try to use a Belkin, you'll see this "Invalid Licence" file. Also, when using Belkin, if you have the original ones or a very old one, you may get this "Invalid Licence" message. It simply says that this hardware may not be compatible with newer software, or does not have some required hardware/firmware level to run this software.
I installed the software that came on the CD with my Bluetooth dongle, so I would hope there wouldn't be any licensing issues. This just seems like more stupid DRM crap, and it's preventing me from using a product that I legally purchased. :bad-words:

What's the point of the license? You need to have the hardware to make the Bluetooth software work anyway. ALK used to tie their Pocket CoPilot software to their own version of the NavMan GPS sleeve, but eventually gave that up.

Yes, I suppose I might buy another Bluetooth device and use the WIDCOMM drivers that came with my original device instead of those that came with the newer one, but why would I? (I suppose if one supported more profiles, that would be a reason, but I don't see that as very likely.)

Steve

Yes it is DRM
People who have the Microsoft blutooth drivers for their keyboard, don't have the Active Sync Profile, so they would want to have better drivers.

On the same note you could hack your dongle the way that the people with the microsoft driver have to get your dongle to work. Or you could try phone support to get a new program or dongle depending on if that's an option.

[that_kid]

I have a belkin bluetooth dongle and if you open the advanced bluetooth settings and goto the last tab there is a power option there. I know mine originally was set to medium, setting it to "high" helped out a great deal.

[Pony99CA]

I have a belkin bluetooth dongle and if you open the advanced bluetooth settings and goto the last tab there is a power option there. I know mine originally was set to medium, setting it to "high" helped out a great deal.
If you mean the Advanced Configuration action in the Bluetooth menu in My Bluetooth Places, none of the tabs in the dialog displayed have any power settings.

Steve

[Kacey Green]

right click the blutooth tray Icon