Bluetooth on T30 without on/off switch - using thinkpad key

[tbird635]

I've been on and off here looking for answers for my T series questions and found quite a few. I decided to install bluetooth on my T30 which was not already set up for it. I went the cheapo route, about $15 plus postage for a BDC01 (FRU: 12P3872 / 26P8071 ) off ebay.
I got all the pieces of info on what I needed to do the job here on www.thinkpads.com , just not all in one place.

Therefore, here's an FYI on how I did it....

A little update on how I set up my new bluetooth BDC01
on my T30 which had no on/off switch.
(make sure you have the appropriate thinkpad hotkey utility installed for your laptop)

I first installed the keyboard customizer utility and found it didn't do what I wanted it to do.

Next, I installed the Thinkvantage AccessConnections software. Doubled my boot time. ( wifi is 2915abg with Intel drivers and PRO/Set wireless software...much faster boot with the intel softeware)

That was unacceptable . So that came off.

Next,

I installed the bluetooth drivers per the file provided on the link (file name is tpbteba.exe at http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-39556 )
I ran ThinkVantage software Installer to just install that package only. (could have done it manually, but I figured what the heck).

I then found that after the bluetooth software installation, it installs an app to toggle the power
on and off thru software without installing (or having to use) AccessConnections or a hardware on/off switch, but provides no link to it nor documentation.

It installs the app in C:\DRIVERS\WIN\BDC\Tools and the app is called BDCPWR.EXE

If you double click on it, it toggles the power on the bluetooth daughter card off and on.
(oh... the bdc is seen as a usb device)

I then remapped my "thinkpad" key to function as a bluetooth power switch using a free program
called ThinkPad Button Customiser from http://www.schlackman.org/programs/thinkpad.html
Set the thinkpad app as the program to run when the key is pushed.
It basically tells the thinkpad key to run the app when pressed.


I now just hit the thinkpad button to turn on and off the bluetooth card without using AccessConnections or a hardware switch. Better and faster than Access Connections. Plus, the little bluetooth icon in the system tray turns red when off and blue and white when on as a nice little indicator of status.

Oh..I dual boot with Kubuntu...KDE on Ubuntu linux . The bluetooth works on it too.

[ariipamsndotcom]

I have a t30 2366 82u which does not have the bluetooth button as well. I got the daughter card. My current position in the laptop had no card present before. When installing the daughter card I found the addition cable to plug in at the end of the card was not present. Is there some way to add that in and connect it somewhere in the laptop? What is it for? Power I think isn't it?

[tbird635]

I have a t30 2366 82u which does not have the bluetooth button as well. I got the daughter card. My current position in the laptop had no card present before. When installing the daughter card I found the addition cable to plug in at the end of the card was not present. Is there some way to add that in and connect it somewhere in the laptop? What is it for? Power I think isn't it?

I'm 99% sure that connector on the bt card is for the on/off switch . Mine has nothing connected to it and works fine.
The switch itself would be located on the inverter board for the lcd at the base of the display. I looked into it and really didn't want to replace the inverter, lcd cable , and the applique on the lcd.
I understand some have the switch already present on the inverter, but mine didn't. (you have to remove that applique carefully to see. )

[tbird635]

[danage]

the extra cable is for the modem connector. it leads to the rj-45 jack at the back of the computer. what you are missing is probably the antenna. you can buy it from ibm or used at various sites, the antenna is built into the fan exhaust grill. putting it in is a real pain though - you need to FULLY (and i mean completely) disassemble the unit.

[tbird635]

the extra cable is for the modem connector. it leads to the rj-45 jack at the back of the computer. what you are missing is probably the antenna. you can buy it from ibm or used at various sites, the antenna is built into the fan exhaust grill. putting it in is a real pain though - you need to FULLY (and i mean completely) disassemble the unit.

I think he's talking about the other conector on the side of the bt card.
This particular card has no modem in it and two connectors on it. One being a standard antenna connector, the other a small 4 pin inline connector like the modem connector only with more pins. I assumed since there's already an antenna connector, that must do something else , like maybe turn on/off the card. I am not sure.


The cable in the t30 already (that I unplugged from the modem) goes to the rj11 on mine and has a different connector than the bt card.

I went the cheap n quick route on the antenna. Since bt and 802.11b/g use the same frequency band, I have a wifi antenna from an old r40 lcd panel just sitting coiled up beneath the keyboard in the little plastic tray. I'm sure it probably won't get the best range, but everything I use bt for is usually within 5 feet of the pc, so that's not an issue. I look at that as a benefit. No one else will see my signal.

[ariipamsndotcom]

Before I got the daughter card working I was using a pcmcia card in my t30 by billionton. I was able to easily set up all my devices including a hid device which is the microsoft bt mouse. I could use any device at any time and not have to turn things on/off in the computer. I have a bt dj450, a palm zire 72, the mouse, and a bt338 gps receiver from globalsat. Thanks for all your other help. I got the daughter card working with a link used for turning it on and off. I would just leave it on anyway. I had to delete the billionton stack because I would get messages that it was not compatible with the daughter. (it was designed for its own pcmcia card) I deleted the billionton stack and installed the hp stack or windows, whatever it was. It does not support hid devices so no mouse. It would turn off the gps or dj at times and I had to reactivate them. Even when I set the com numbers different. Is there anything I can do. I have read the different articles about using other stacks or modifying drivers with sp2. sp2 was already installed and I can not reinstall it right? I would like to use the daughter and get rid of the pcmcia, but only if everything works as it should. Thank you to anyone who can add anything. Why do manufacturers have to have things so screwed up?

[danage]

This particular card has no modem in it and two connectors on it. One being a standard antenna connector, the other a small 4 pin inline connector like the modem connector only with more pins. I assumed since there's already an antenna connector, that must do something else , like maybe turn on/off the card. I am not sure.

Ah, interesting. I was not aware that the Bluetooth card without the modem (BDC something-something) had an additional connector. I use the BMDC200 in my T30, and that has only the antenna and modem connectors on the side. Now I really wonder what that plug is for, since my card can be turned on and off via the button as well, even without the plug!

I went the cheap n quick route on the antenna. Since bt and 802.11b/g use the same frequency band, I have a wifi antenna from an old r40 lcd panel just sitting coiled up beneath the keyboard in the little plastic tray.

Sounds like a good solution though. Who knows, maybe the range with the "original" antenna isn't even better...

[ppotz]

Oh..I dual boot with Kubuntu...KDE on Ubuntu linux . The bluetooth works on it too.

I've got a similar set-up - but haven't been able to power on the BT card in my Suse Linux - GNOME installation.

So far, I haven't been able to figure out how to power up the card in Linux without the hardware switch.

Does

remapped my "thinkpad" key to function as a bluetooth power switch using a free program
called ThinkPad Button Customiser from http://www.schlackman.org/programs/thinkpad.html
Set the thinkpad app as the program to run when the key is pushed.

work the same under Linux?

Paul

[danage]

this should work: try the following in bash:

Code: Select all

echo enable > /proc/acpi/ibm/bluetooth

[chuckenheimer]

@danage

Now I really wonder what that plug is for, since my card can be turned on and off via the button as well, even without the plug!

Did you ever find out?