bluetooth usb dongle and windows "stack"
 

Are there any insturctions for getting the windows stack to recognize foreign dongles

alternatively has anyone had success with third party drivers connecting with blackberry OS ( 4.5 for pearl)

thanx

I am using the Kensington MICRO (very small) although don't ask me what or how!!!! I UNinstalled the software/drivers that came with it. Using Vista Home Premium. I would get a pestering message but it did hook up eventually and now generally works. Make sure both sides allow BT communication as you setup and search for BT devices. You can lock it back down afterward.

thanx ff2

should have specified

am using windows xp

cant even get wiindows to recognize the usb dongle without installing third party drivers

once these drivers are installed cant pair with blackberry
I know for a fact that blackberry pairs nicely with built in windows stack

Windows will at best only recognize only devices on the HCL (Hardware Compatibility List): winqual.microsoft.com/HCL/ProductList.aspx?m=x&g=d&cid=&sv=bluetooth. If you device is on the list, or is a repackaged version of one that is, then Windows will automatically locate and install the driver when you first plug the dongle in - provided you didn't install the software that came with the dongle as per its instructions.

If Windows doesn't find the driver, try inserting the dongle's disk when prompted during device detection. This has never worked for me, but there's always a first time.

If none of that works, you have a dongle that only works with its own custom drivers. A lot of Bluetooth devices only work with 3rd party stacks like Widcomm, because they assume you want to use basic features that Windows doesn't support, like stereo audio and hands-free protocol.

It's not just dongles - most notebooks and netbooks with built-in Bluetooth require Widcomm drivers.

Anyway, the real problem isn't that Windows XP Bluetooth support is poor, it's that RIM is too lazy to support the other common stacks in their desktop software. The BlackBerry Bold has a bazillion Bluetooth services, most of which won't work with the Windows stack. So you have to choose between using Bluetooth audio and headsets or being able to use Desktop Manager.

You can send a (polite, please) suggestion to RIM here: :idea: bbsuggestions (at) rim.com :idea:

The built-in Bluetooth on my Asus Eee 1000H netbook only works with the Widcomm stack, so I have to turn it off and use an external dongle (!) if I want to use BlackBerry Desktop Software on XP. Windows 7, on the other hand, detects and installs the Windows Bluetooth stack for the internal adapter. And Windows 7 is supposed to support stereo and hands free protocols too.

So all you have to do is wait a year or two and change your OS. Or send a suggestion to RIM here: :idea: bbsuggestions(at)rim.com :idea:

If you look at the top of this forum there is a sticky titled "How to get native blue tooth drivers...."

It contains very useful instructions on getting the MS Stack to recognize devices not already on the compatibility list. I used those very same instructions to get a Widcomm dongle to work perfectly.

Good Luck.

Hi, I'm not yet a Blackberry owner (thinking about it, Bold or 8900), but I'm having similar trouble:

I just installed a Kensington K33902US Bluetooth USB Micro Adapter and XP SP3 recognized it. XP then recognized my Motorola H390 bluetooth headset, I entered the headset password etc. and the connection dialog completed successfully (the headset now appears as an audio device when the bluetooth icon is clicked in the notification area). However, the H390 will not connect with the adapter, and Skype & internet radio continue to play through the speakers.

Curiously, I did not have this problem with a Creative Labs HS-1200 bluetooth headset (with matching USB base) that I installed previously on the same computer (in another USB port): XP recognized the base, and I am able to Skype with it "plug and play".

What do I need to do to get the Kensington to talk to the H390? I am loath to install Kensington drivers and would prefer to install the bare minimum, if necessary, to get this working. A very old post (2005) on the net recommends installing an "MSI driver" only and then using Microsoft's stack (which doesn't seem to work on its own)... any ideas?

Thank you
Sy