Thinkpads Forum

hi folks,

I recently installed an update for my intel centrino ultimate-n 6300 AGN driver. It gave me a number of options of things to install, and one of those was the "Intel Centrino Wireless Bluetooth 3.0+". I thought it might have been a way to allow bluetooth devices to share my laptop's internet connection. But now I don't think so.

I can't find much about this thing online anywhere. Does anyone here know what this package is for? I already have a "Thinkpad Bluetooth 2.1 with Enhanced Data Rate II" device installed, which I think is the driver for a separate bluetooth card in my thinkpad. I believe I ordered the laptop with bluetooth, so i think it does have that separate little card in there. So, does the centrino also somehow have bluetooth? Am I trying to install two bluetooth radios (by enabling centrino bluetooth) on my thinkpad or something?

Any insight would be greatly appreciated. Perhaps I should uninstall the intel bluetooth thing...

thanks!

thinkpad T410 2516-CTO
Windows 7 Pro x64 SP1

I don't have any experience or knowledge with the technology, but here is how Intel describes it:

http://www.intel.com/support/wireless/w ... 032541.htm

A quick scan of that page seems to indicate that it is software that, with supported hardware, gives bluetooth a higher throughput by utilizing the 802.11 wireless protocol. It kind of combines the wifi and bluetooth adapters, as I read it. Someone else that actually knows something about it will probably prove me wrong.

thanks neil. sounds like you're on the right track. I'm still confused about the how this software layer would interact with non-intel hardware. or perhaps it doesn't. Let's see if someone else comes along who might know...

The linked page says that some of the supported Intel wifi products "require a 3rd party Bluetooth radio for Bluetooth 3.0+HS to function. Ensure that your 3rd party Bluetooth adapter is Bluetooth 3.0+HS capable and enabled before installing the Intel® drivers."