HOWTO use a bluetooth mouse

From Gentoo Linux Wiki

This article is part of the HOWTO series.

Installation • Kernel & Hardware • Networks • Portage • Software • System • X Server • Gaming • Non-x86 • Emulators • Misc

This article describes how to set up a bluetooth mouse with Archlinux. I used a Logitech v270 with a Trendnet TBW-101UB USB Bluetooth dongle, but the general process should be the same for any model.

This also worked (really well) for a Logitech V470 talking to the on-board bluetooth on a Thinkpad T40p.

Contents 1 Required software 2 Configuration 3 Finding out your mouse's bdaddr 4 kernel modules 5 Connecting the mouse 6 Connecting the mouse at startup

[edit] Required software

You need the bluez-utils and bluez-libs packages

Note: you need the old-daemons USE FLAG for bluez-utils or you won't have the hidd command.

old-daemons is only required for bluez-utils version 3.x - it is not required for 2.25-r1. All 3.x versions are currently ~x86 in portage as of Feb 28, 2008.

[edit] Configuration

Enable HIDP protocol in the kernel (Bluetooth subsystem support)

BT_HIDP=m

The pertinent options in /etc/conf.d/bluetooth are

HCID_ENABLE=true
HIDD_ENABLE=true

after that, start bluetooth services with /etc/init.d/bluetooth start
To make the bluetooth services permanet type rc-update add bluetooth default

[edit] Finding out your mouse's bdaddr

It is of the form 12:34:56:78:9A:BC. Either find it in the documentation of your mouse, on the mouse itself or with the command: hcitool scan

[edit] kernel modules

The command

# modprobe -v hci_usb bluetooth hidp l2cap

loads the kernel modules you need, if they weren't loaded automatically.

[edit] Connecting the mouse

hidd --search
hcitool inq

are good for device scanning.

hidd --connect <bdaddr>

to actually connect.

hidd --show

will show your currently connected devices. The mouse should show up in this list. If it doesn't, press the reset button to make it discoverable.

[edit] Connecting the mouse at startup

Edit /etc/init.d/bluetooth:

# Arguments to hidd
HIDD_OPTIONS="--connect <enter here your bluetooth mouse address>"

and test the new settings:

/etc/init.d/bluetooth stop
hidd --killall (drop mouse connection)
/etc/init.d/bluetooth start