Turning on Bluetooth w/o Function-F5 command?

[texasdiver]

Just wondering if there is an alternate way to access the bluetooth antenna than using the Function - F5 command.

I frequently use my T42 in a docking station with external monitor and keyboard and my microsoft keyboard doesn't have a function key.

I end up having to open the laptop to use the laptop keyboard to turn the bluetooth antenna on and off which is OK I guess but then when I close it afterwards it puts the machine to sleep.

I've been looking for some other way to turn the antenna off and on when I need to use it when docked but haven't figured out how. Anyone know if it is possible to access the antenna control from an external keyboard?

Thanks

[dansu]

2 options.

1. Use IBM Keyboard Customizer Utility to map a key combination to Wireless Radio Control. It's under the external keyboard tab.

2. If you have your IBM access Connections system tray icon enabled, you can turn on and off the wireless radios by clicking on the icon.

DISCLAIMER: I am only assuming option 2 will work. My T42 does not have bluetooth functionality. I can turn on and off my wireless ethernet card from the system tray icon, so I am assuming bluetooth radio controls are in the same place.

[atha]

There are several options - although Access connections systray itself doesn't have the Bluetooth radio option, but in Access control software (4.0.1) has Bluetooth radio control under Tools - Bluetooth device -menu. Another option is to install Thinkvantage Productivity Center, which allows turning on and off the wireless radios.

But the simplest solution - make shortcut from "C:\Program Files\ThinkPad\ConnectUtilities\AcFnF5.exe" to desktop - it is the program that Fn+F5 key combination launches, if the graphical menu is selected as the default Fn+F5 action.

[dr_st]

but then when I close it afterwards it puts the machine to sleep.

You might want to change that behavior, regardless.

1. Use IBM Keyboard Customizer Utility to map a key combination to Wireless Radio Control. It's under the external keyboard tab.

That's the preferred method, I think.

[texasdiver]

I ended up using one of the "my favorites keys" on the microsoft keyboard and mapped it to

C:\Program Files\ThinkPad\ConnectUtilities\TpFnF5C.exe

and that works for me now. I only use bluetooth when I need to use my Verizon cell phone for dial-up networking. I live in a rural area without cable or DSL service so my only internet access is through a local company that provides wireless service. However their system goes down once in a while and I end up needing to use my cell phone to dial-out. Works great, I get a 115k baud connection immediately compared to a 28.8k baud connection at best through the regular phone line But it burn up minutes when I do it during the day.

but then when I close it afterwards it puts the machine to sleep.
You might want to change that behavior, regardless.

Is there some problem with putting the computer to sleep that way? Normally when I"m using it undocked I just close the lid to sleep the computer rather than shutting down via keyboard command. When I'm undocked I like to turn the machine off and on just by opening and closing the lid. The only problem is when it is docked and I normally leave it closed. Then I use the power button on the dock to wake it from sleep.

[dr_st]

Is there some problem with putting the computer to sleep that way? Normally when I"m using it undocked I just close the lid to sleep the computer rather than shutting down via keyboard command. When I'm undocked I like to turn the machine off and on just by opening and closing the lid. The only problem is when it is docked and I normally leave it closed. Then I use the power button on the dock to wake it from sleep.

Nothing's wrong with it, I just don't like the machine going to sleep when I close the lid.

[snife]

If its just for bluetooth then you could use the tpfnf5.exe utility with the /BTON switch, you could put this in a batch file so simply running the file
will turn your bluetooth on without any further clicks

[snife]

<ignore - forum giving me debug failures>

[snife]

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