Bluetooth theory: there's nothing more practical than a good theory!
by Ragnar Schierholz
Last night I spent about an hour trying to get an Apple Wireless Keyboard to run with an Windows XP Professional PC. Almost successful. Any help is gratefully accepted.
Installing an USB Bluetooth dongle and the WIDCOMM Bluetooth Software on the PC worked all nicely. Searching for devices brought up the keyboard as an HDI device, also no problem. Pairing the device, I was confronted with a dialog showing me an uneditable, six-digit PIN for the paired connection. The dialog disappeared after 2 seconds (rough estimate). No chance to copy the number typing it on the keyboard. After several attempts I got it, and the paired connection worked. Then again connecting the device to the Bluetooth service and the keyboard could be used. The Apple key works as the Windows key, as expected.
So what's the deal now? Well, Windows chooses to launch the Bluetooth environment after users logon to the system. You get the point? Exactly, how do I log on to the system, when the keyboard needs the Bluetooth environment, which in turn starts after the user is logged on? Kind of a chicken - egg problem here.
Plus I find it slightly annoying that I have to recreate the paired connection each time, since only then the keyboard is actually being recognized by Windows.
I know, Apple does not claim anywhere that the keyboard would work with Windows. I told the owner of the PC so... the dealer though said "Bluetooth is an international standard, theoretically it should work." At least he promised to take the keyboard back if it doesn't.
If any questions arise, the owner of the PC chose the keyboard for esthetical reasons (needless to mention the gender, I presume) ;-).
Now, any hint on how to start the Bluetooth environment on the PC before user logon and how to automatically pair and connect the keyboard and I owe you a beer.
Comments
he promised to take the keyboard back if it doesn't.
If he doesn't, I can make good use of that keyboard. :-)
I think it will not work. In the beginning it would not work for Apple as well, since you needed a second keyboard to pair the BT keyboard. Apple has subsequently fixed that so that a Mac looks for BT keyboard if it cannot find a wired one.
How does it work for the Microsoft keyboard?
I don't know if this really helps you. But try installing SP2. I already comes with a Bluetooth stack and you don't need the Widcomm software any more. I always had some problems with Widcomm's stack and certain devices (like my old m515).
I am running a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse on XP and it works before logon, as it should. My headset works fine after logon without manual reconnect. It worked with a ACER Bluetooth dongle usable and works now with the Logitech Bluetooth hub. Actually i can not check the headset before logon. The only device which i have to connect manually from my PC ( but without new paired connection ) is my mobile S55 if i just lock my PC in the evening and return in the morning. Anyway, setting up Bluetooth is a little bit tricky and not really an international standard. Running the ACER dongle was not very handy but the Logitech equipment works fine. After using it for a couple months, i always would buy Logitech again. Cool, keep the mobile in your pocket and sync with Notes...
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