SPUG > Features >
Bluetooth Adapter Setup

by Dean Johnson

Last Update: 15 Feb 2004

You can connect to your PC and share your Internet connection with no additional software added to your PC or Palm using a Bluetooth USB Adapter. I’m using a Palm Tungsten /T and Palm Tungsten /T3 with Win XP and I’ve setup both the Belkin F8T001 and F8T003 adapters (not at the same time though).

As a side note, I have also installed a new version of the Belkin F8T001 Bluetooth adapter on a Win XP laptop and connect to the same desktop computer that the Palm connects to. Using Class One devices on the laptop and desktop computer enables the full 100 meter range when using this connection. The Palm and the Laptop can be connected at the same time and share the same single PC's Internet connection.

Windows 98SE & ME users: For ICS setup you will need to go to the bottom of this setup page for the instructions when you get to Step 2 of the PC setup. The rest of the instructions for the PC should be the same, but the menus might look slightly different than the screen shots below from Windows XP.

Linux user: You can go here for Ben's setup guide for Linux.

Mac users: You can go here or here or here for setup instructions. There are some Mac scripts here as well.

First you must make sure of the following:

  1. You must have the PalmTungstenTUpdate_enUS.prc installed or be using a T2 or T3. You can verify this by checking the “Service connection progress” window that opens when starting a connection. If you see a “yellow” phone you have the update installed, if you don’t, install or re-install the update. Click here for the update.

  2. If you are using a router click here to go to the router section below and make sure the router IP is not on 192.168.0.1. If it is, you must change it first. You must do this before installing the Bluetooth adapter driver software. If you have already installed the Bluetooth software you probably should un-install it, then change the router's IP, then re-install the Bluetooth driver software.


  3. You must have successfully installed the Bluetooth Network software and connected the adapter to a USB port and paired your Palm to your PC. If you have a Bluetooth adapter that does not come with an extension cable I would recommend adding one that gets the adapter at least 5 feet from the computer. Also, I would connect to a USB port that is directly on the PC and not through a USB hub. To confirm your Palm is paired to your PC go to "Entire Bluetooth Neighborhood" and you should see a check mark next to your Palm with the Bluetooth ID below it.

PC Setup:

  1. In the Bluetooth setup (My device) disable all connections accept “Network access”. Bluetooth serial port, Fax, File transfer, Dial-up, Info exchange, Info Sync should all be setup to “Start manually”. Once you get this connection running correctly you can go back an enable other services that you might want to use.

    2. Right click "Network Access" in the above window and select "Properties".

    1. "Option 1", If you see the below window move on to Part 2. Do not worry if you do not have the other option below.

    2. "Option 2", If you have a drop down menu for "Select the type of service to offer remote devices" that is shown below you must select "Allow other devices to access LAN/Internet via this computer". The incorrect option is selected by default.

  2. You must enable ICS (Internet connection sharing) on the PC network. Go to Control Panel and Network Connections and see what is listed under LAN or High-Speed Internet. If you have "Option 2" above you can click the "Configure Connection Sharing" button to get to the same menu. If you are a Windows 98SE or ME For ICS setup click here to go to the section that talks about ICS for these operating systems. Return to step 3 below when done.

    1. If you see only your LAN card and your BT connection, enable ICS on the LAN by right clicking, select Properties and go to the advanced tab. Check "Allow other network users to connect through this computer's Internet connection". If you have a drop down box, "Home Networking Connection", select your Bluetooth network. You might get some warnings about IP addresses, but go ahead and continue. Do not worry if you do not have the "Home Networking Connection" option. This is not as important as selecting the correct LAN connection to enable ICS on


    2. If you see your LAN card, your BT connection and a High Speed Connection (DSL, Cable modem) then you must enable ICS (Check "Allow other network users to connect through this computers Internet connection") on the High Speed Connection, not on your primary network card. Do not worry if you do not have the "Home Networking Connection" option. This is not as important as selecting the correct LAN connection to enable ICS on.


    3. IMPORTANT: If you have multiple LAN cards and the Bluetooth LAN and you are not sure which one of the LAN cards to enable ICS on (or you are sure but it still doesn't work) try one of the LAN cards and then complete the rest of the setup. If you get the DNS errors when testing the connection go back to this part of the setup and disable ICS on the first LAN card you tried and then try enabling ICS on the other LAN card. You would never enable ICS on the Bluetooth LAN card.


    4. If you are trying to share a Dial-up connection ONLY and you do not have a DSL, Cable modem, or LAN connection to a larger network,  then right click this connection, go to Properties, the Advanced tab and enable ICS and select the Bluetooth Network in drop down box if you have this option.

    This is what the ICS would like if you have the Home networking connection option:

    Note: I only can show an example of this with a dial-up connection so it might look slightly different with a LAN card

  3. Go to Control Panel and Network Connections, then right click the Bluetooth LAN connection and select properties. Click on TCP/IP and then hit the "Properties" button. You should see the following:

Palm Setup:

  1. Go to Preferences->Communications and create a new connection

  2. You can name the connection "BT to LAN". The Connection setting should be:
    1. Connect to: Local Network
    2. Via: Bluetooth
    3. Device: (should be paired to PC by taping the box). The PC you paired should eventually appear as the only option, select it. If this last step does not work you must go back and pair your Palm to the PC with the Bluetooth setup.

  3. Go to Preferences->Communications and create a new Network

  4. You can name the network "Bluetooth LAN". The Network setting should be No user name, No password, select the "connection" you just created (BT to LAN), "Details" should be:
    Type: PPP, Idle timeout: Never, uncheck ***Query DNS, enter Primary DNS: 192.168.0.1, IP address: Automatic (Checked)

    5. ***Note: You can leave “Query DNS” checked on the first attempt, but when you check the “View log” page and you don’t see a DNS listed you must go back and enter it manually as described above. This is very important.

  5. The "Script" page should have (must be in CAPITAL LETTERS):
    Send:CLIENT
    Send:CLIENT
    Wait For: CLIENTSERVER (there is NO space between CLIENT and SERVER!)
    End:

Testing Configuration:

  1. You should be all setup at this point. Now make sure your Palm's Bluetooth radio is on, select the Network you created and select “Connect”. Once you are connected you can verify your settings on the log page. On the Network page select the Menu->Options->View log.

  2. You should see the following:
    (You might see some funny random characters, but you should see some key things mixed in)
    LCP Up
    IPCP Up
    Service name: “What you named the network setting”
    Local IP address: 192.168.0.5  (must be in the 192.168.0.xxx range, with last digit as the variable)
    Gateway address: 0.0.0.0
    DNS address: 192.168.0.1 (This must be there, if not enter it manually in settings)

  3. If you see the above you can ping some web sites on this page where the cursor is flashing.
    Write: ping www.microsoft.com (enter stroke)

    4. I have found that a lot of web sites don’t ping for some reason, but Microsoft usually does. More importantly, open up WebPro and it should work. Also, open up your email program and check one of your accounts.

Firewalls:
If you have a firewall installed on your PC there could be issues with making this work. If you have done all of the above and you still get DNS error messages using WebPro then try disabling the firewall and re-connect the Palm to the network and see if it works. If it does, then look into your firewall software to see how to enable the Bluetooth network connection. There is usually a way to allow specific programs and hardware to run through the firewall uninterrupted. Sorry I can't be more specific, but every firewall setup is unique. I have read that WebPro uses port 8827, so your firewall might allow you to "Open" this port. VersaMail uses the standard port 110 and 25 for SMTP and POP3 which should already be open.

If you are using Zone Alarm I have read from others that if you set the overall setting to "Medium" security this should allow the Bluetooth LAN to access the Internet.

The bottom line is get the Bluetooth LAN connection working without the Firewall enabled first, then go back and figure out what is required for your specific Firewall.

Routers:
If you are using a router in your Network this can cause problems depending on the IP address it uses. Most routers use 192.168.0.1 as their default IP, the setup instructions usually mention what the default IP is . This default IP will not work with a Bluetooth adapter. You can check all your IP assignments by going to a DOS prompt and typing; ipconfig /all (This should work in WinXP, 2K, 98SE & ME) In Win98SE and ME only you can go to the "run" window and type winipcfg. The Bluetooth LAN should have an IP address of 192.168.0.1, the Subnet Mask should be 255.255.255.0, the Default Gateway should be blank. The IP address for the Bluetooth LAN must be 192.168.0.1. If you see a weird IP address for the Bluetooth LAN your router is probably on 192.168.0.1

If the router is using this address it needs to be changed to a new range like 192.168.2.1. You can usually access your router setup pages directly by going to an Internet browser and typing in this default IP, 192.168.0.1, in the address window and then hit enter. The default username/password is usually admin/admin. Check your specific router's instructions to see how to access the setup menus, it could be different. There is usually a menu that is labeled something like "Status" this should give the current IP of the router. There should also be a menu for "LAN" settings, this is where you should see this default IP, 192.168.0.1, and also where you change it to 192.168.2.1. After you change the router's IP, it will reset. You might even want to power the router off and then back on again. A reboot of the PC couldn't hurt either. After doing so re-check your IP assignments at the DOS prompt and make sure your Bluetooth LAN is now on 192.168.0.1. Also, to access your router's setup page after you changed the IP address you'll now need to type in the new IP that you assigned in the browser window.

You will now be able to enable ICS on the appropriate network card. If you tried to do this prior to reassigning your router to a different range you probably saw an error message saying that, "the IP address required for ICS is already in use".

The easiest way to share a broadband Internet connection among multiple computers at home or the office is with a Switch, not a Router. If you don't have a Router and you don't need a true Network among the computers get a Switch and you will avoid all the above problems that a Router can cause. You just plug the RJ45 cable from the DSL or Cable modem into the Switch, port 1, and then plug in all the other computers into the additional ports with the RJ45 cable from the PC LAN card. No software and no setup hassles with a Switch.

Click here to return to the start of the setup.

Hotsyncing:
There are two ways to HotSync via Bluetooth, Serial and Network. HotSyncing via Bluetooth with either method is much slower than using a USB cradle. It also creates a higher probability of getting errors with some conduits, like Documents to Go.

To setup a Serial HotSync via Bluetooth you need to go to your Bluetooth Device settings and start the Bluetooth Serial Port. Once you do you'll see a COM port listed under the "Status" column, make note of this COM port.

Then go to your HotSync icon in the system tray, right click and select "Setup". Go to the "Local" tab and change the COM port to the setting from Bluetooth Device settings. Make note of what COM port is there before changing it so you can revert back to a normal HotSync via the cradle if you desire.

Create a new connection like below:

Once that is complete go to the HotSync application on the Palm and select "BT to Serial" in the drop down menu below the HotSync icon. Then tap the HotSync icon and it should start the HotSync process.

If you get the Error message; “Unable to initiate HotSync operation because the port is in use by another application", Try a Soft Reset on the Palm, this usually fixes this problem.

To Setup a Network HotSync the easiest way is to use Peter's NetSync software after you have successfully setup the Network access. You can also go to Palm's explanation of the Network setup here.

Range & Interference:
In terms of range, Palm's are typically "class 3" Bluetooth devices with a range of around 10 meters (33 feet), with 1 mW (0 dBm) of transmit power. Cell phones are also typically class 3 devices. Bluetooth Access Points and most USB Bluetooth dongles have an "unlimited" power source so they tend to be class 1 devices, with 100 mW (20 dBm) of transmit power. In addition to their powerful transmitters, Access Points and USB dongles tend to have very sensitive receivers so class 3 devices (like Palms) can connect at up to 30 meters (100 feet) from an Access Point.

Breaking range down into transmit and receive:

Access Point to handheld: The class 1 transmitter in the Access Point is clearly capable of transmitting a strong signal over a large distance. This should not be the limiting factor in determining the range.

Handheld to Access Point: The handheld transmits a weak (class 3) signal. The range will be greater if the Access Point has a good antenna and a very sensitive receiver. Very sensitive receivers typically cost more.

The thing that really affects range is interference. Try to keep your Bluetooth equipment away from your 802.11 network, cordless 2.4GHz phone and microwave oven; all these create noise in the same 2.4 GHz bandwidth used by Bluetooth.

If you have a Bluetooth adapter that does not come with an extension cable I would recommend adding one that gets the adapter at least 5 feet from the computer. Also, I would connect to a USB port that is directly on the PC and not through a USB hub.

Error Messages: There are two main error messages that you might get if the setup is not correct, Modem and DNS.

Error: Serial: timed out. could be bad cable or faulty Modem, (0x0305)

A few things cause this. If the message appears as soon as you hit the "Connect" button it is solved by turning On the Bluetooth radio before trying to connect again. If you have BtToggle or BtToggle Pro installed it will do this for you.

More than likely it is caused by an incorrectly paired Palm to the PC or the Bluetooth drivers did not get correctly installed. Just because you see a check mark next to the Palm icon on the PC in Bluetooth devices this does not necessarily mean it is actually paired correctly. You will need to re-pair the Palm to the PC. You need to delete the paired PC from the Palm by going to Preferences - Bluetooth - Trusted Devices, tap the PC name listed and tap "Details" and then "Delete Device". Re-pair the Palm to the PC. It would even be a good idea to re-name the Palm "Device name" on the main Bluetooth preferences page to something different. Do not be alarmed if the new name doesn't refresh immediately on the PC under Bluetooth devices, it will eventually update. The most important thing is you MUST now go back to your "Connection" setting for the BT to LAN and re-select your PC in the "Device" box. If you do not you will get the above error until you do.

It can also be caused by the Palm trying to connect to another profile other than "Network Access". Make sure you only have the "Network Access" profile set to "Start Automatically" and that it is actually started. As seen in the PC setup Part 1 it will show "Started" under status. If you have any other profiles running it will sometimes default to one of these others.

The most common problem is related to DNS issues.

DNS lookup timed out. Please check coverage, and try again. [Comm. 8]
DNS error, please check coverage, check that host address in preferences is correct [-2]

This is caused by primarily by two things; the Palm is not completely connected to the network or ICS (Internet connection sharing) is not enabled on the correct connection.

The Palm cannot connect to the Network for many reasons. The most common problem is there is another network that is on the 192.168.0.xxx range already, and most commonly a router. The Bluetooth LAN has to be on this range and nothing else. If you look at the DOS prompt (typing; ipconfig /all (This should work in WinXP, 2K, 98SE & ME) In Win98SE and ME only you can go to the "run" window and type winipcfg) the IP listed for the BT LAN must be 192.168.0.1. If any thing else is on 192.168.0.xxx range it must be moved to another range like, 192.168.2.xxx. The "View Log" page on the Palm must show a Local IP address in the range of 192.168.0.xxx and the DNS IP Address must be 192.168.0.1 and entered manually on the Palm.

ICS is the other common problem. ICS must be enabled on the correct connection to the Internet. If you are using Windows 98SE or ME click here. This is a little harder to troubleshoot since there is no way to verify the actual connection. Just make sure it is actually enabled on the correct connection. This is by far the most common issue with ICS. If you have multiple LAN cards and the Bluetooth LAN and you were not sure which one of the LAN cards to enable ICS on (or you were sure which one to enable ICS on and it still doesn't work) and you tried one of the LAN cards and you get the DNS errors when testing the connection, go back to the PC part of the setup and disable ICS on the first LAN card you tried and then try enabling ICS on the other LAN card. Even if it makes no sense, but you have multiple LAN cards listed try ICS on the other LAN card. You would never enable ICS on the Bluetooth LAN card. The icon on the PC for the network connection actually changes showing ICS is enabled.

Make sure in Part 1 of the PC setup, if you have the "Option 2" configuration, that you changed the drop down menu to "Allow other devices to access LAN/Internet via this computer" . The incorrect option is selected by default. Do not worry if you do not have this option.

If you're sharing a dialup connection make sure you are connected to the dialup ISP before connecting via the Bluetooth adapter. If you get the error message, "The IP address required for ICS already is in use", you're probably using a router or another network device that is using the 192.168.0.1 IP. See my router section above to change the IP of the router to a different range. If it is something other than a router, like a cable modem, find a way to reassign the IP to a different range. After doing so you should be able to enable ICS.

If you are still having problems and it can't be narrowed down to a specific issue it sometimes is a good idea to un-install and re-install the Bluetooth drivers for the PC and start fresh. Also, make sure you have the most up-to-date drivers for your specific Bluetooth adapter from the manufacturer's web site. If you do re-install you need to re-setup everything on the Palm as well. Most importantly after re-pairing the Palm you need to go back to the "Connection" setting and re-select the paired PC in the last box.

If all else fails and you can't get this to work you can add software to the Palm ($24.95) and the PC to force the Network connection via the Serial Profile using Softick PPP.

Windows 98SE & ME: The hardest part about setting up Windows 98SE and ME is finding ICS (Internet Connection Sharing) and figuring out how to set it up. The first thing is ICS is not installed by default on most Win 98SE or ME machines. To find ICS on these machines you go to Internet Explorer, select the Tools drop down menu, then select Internet Options. Go to the connections tab and at the bottom there is a "Local Area Network (LAN) Settings" section. There will be a "Sharing" button if it is installed. If not, you have to go to Add & Remove programs in Control Panel and go to the Windows features tab. Then go to the Internet Explorer listing and click on the details button. In the list check the box that says Internet Connection Sharing, it is probably at the top of this list. Click OK and the files should be installed. You'll then have to re-boot your PC. Once you have installed ICS you'll have to figure out want needs to be in the drop down boxes for your specific situation. The screen shots below show what these menus look like, but not what your actual settings should be. It will probably take a little experimenting to get the correct settings.

Suggested settings:

Connect to the Internet using: Select the most obvious LAN or DUN connection

Connect to my home network using: If the Bluetooth LAN is there select that, otherwise make your best guess.

Click here to return to Step 3 of the PC setup.

Click here to return to Step 3 of the PC setup.

This works great on my T/T and T3 connected to my PC and I share my DSL connection from anywhere with in 100 feet +/- (30 meters). I'm also using a router with no issues. I did have to change the router's IP as described above.

Hope this helps, and Good Luck. If you find this useful and would like to make a donation for my time click below.

Article by Dean Johnson
03 Sep 2003
Last update: 15 Feb 2004