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What configurations are necessary to connect a NXT 2.0 brick, using BlueTooth (BT), to the BricxCC 3.3 IDE (using Windows XP SP3)?

Configuration: BricxCC 3.3 software, Fantom Driver 1.1.3, and Firmware 1.29
I know that everything is connected correctly since I am able to connect to the IDE with a USB cable. The LEGO USB driver in the Device Manager reads Driver Version 3.4.2.49153

Read a recent discussion: Bluetooth/NXC/Mac, which discussed utilizing the BT address.

BT Configuration: BT USB dongle, Manufacture Name: Cambridge Silicon Radio, installed BT driver and set up connection with virtual com port 1: In Device Manager under Ports (COM & LPT) BT Port (COM1), In Control Panel\Bluetooth Local COM- Port COM1, Description BT Port (COM1), Owner LocalCOM-Client

Attempts to connect:
Started BricxCC 3.3 and Find Brick window appeared
Tried to Select COM1 and Search from the Port drop-down menu, but neither option detected the NXT device. This was executed while a connection was enabled and also when it was disabled in the USB dongle BlueTooth Settings (connected and disconnected NXT from desktop).

Using a concept from the recent BT discussion, I found the nxt.dat file on my computer and added a second line in the dat file (first line was the alias for the USB connection) using the format:

BT=BTH::NXT::00:16:53:FF:01:56::5

The above steps were run to use the created BT label in the Find Brick window.

Summary:
In the Find Brick window the Port values: COM1, Search, and the alias BT label were varied in an attempt to discover the NXT brick using the BricxCC 3.3. software.
NXT was selected in the Brick Type drop-down menu
Standard radio button was selected for the Firmware

Thank you for any help you are able to provide.

Other users have reported problems when their bluetooth dongle only shows a single virtual serial port under Windows. It should show up with two virtual serial ports. I would try deleting the device and trying an "add new hardware" scan to see if it comes back with 2 serial ports instead of 1. Can you connect via Bluetooth using the LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT software? The 5 at the very end is the virtual serial port number so you may want to use 1 instead of 5 there. I've seen it work fine even if that doesn't match exactly, however.

Is the bluetooth driver you installed either the Windows stack from Microsoft or the Widcomm stack? Other bluetooth stacks, such as Toshiba or Blue Soleil are not compatible with the LEGO Fantom drivers.

John Hansen

The Bluetooth dongle only shows a single virtual serial port. I noticed that while the Bluetooth Settings manager indicated that it was connected, the NXT did not reflect a successful connection status.

Since the Bluetooth dongle stack Manufacturer is Toshiba Corporation, it sounds like this is the reason why I am not not having success with the Fanton Drivers. This may explain why I can connect my cell phone, using Bluetooth, to my computer and why I can connect my cell phone to my NXT brick, but I cannot connect my NXT brick to the computer. Does this mean that I need to purchase a different Bluetooth dongle or can I download a different Bluetooth stack from Microsoft?

My understanding is that the hardware Manufacturer is Cambridge Silicon Radio and it seemed that this was okay, but I need to change the software to make it compatible with the Fanton Drivers.

Jeff

If the chipset is CSR then you should be able to uninstall the bluetooth drivers that came with your computer and remove the bluetooth device(s) from your Device Manager and run an "add new hardware" process and let Windows install the Microsoft Bluetooth stack instead of the Toshiba drivers. Once you have your bluetooth radio hardware working with your OS with either the Microsoft stack or the Widcomm stack then the LEGO Fantom drivers should work fine. And you should see two virtual serial ports when you connect to your NXT from your PC.

John Hansen

I uninstalled the Toshiba drivers and observed the two separate virtual COM ports as you mentioned.
I am now using the Microsoft drivers.

I made sure that my computer was discoverable.

I initiated the Bricx Command Center and executed a Device Search. It took a while, but it was able to locate my NXT

My NXT brick has the full diamond indicator, which would indicate success.

Below are the current settings on my computer. Is there something that I need to do to view the Fantom Drivers in Device Manager? Is there a setting that I need to change? When using USB, I would see a Lego device logo in the Device Manager to indicate that it was enabled and turned on.

Otherwise it looks like a success.

Thank you.
Jeff

Control Panel > Bluetooth Devices
Device Tab > Properties > General Tab
This identifies the BT Address
COM Ports are listed as
COM 4 Direction: Outgoing, NXT 'Dev B'
COM 5 Direction: Incomming, NXT
Service Tab
checked (check box) Serial Port (SPP) 'Dev B' COM 4

Device Manage

Bluetooth Radios
Generic Bluetooth Radio
Microsoft Bluetooth Enumerator

Network adapters
Bluetooth Device (Personal Area Network) #2
Bluetooth Device (RFCOMM Protocol TDI) #2

Ports (COM & LPT)
Standard Serial over Bluetooth link (COM 4)
Standard Serial over Bluetooth link (COM 5)