[nflug] Xubuntu and Bluetooth

[Mark T. Valites]

On Sat, 15 Mar 2008, Robert Wolfe wrote:

> Was wondering if anyone was using Bluetooth with Xubuntu 7.10/i386 by 
> any chance? I have a Dell Vostro 1500 laptop with Dell's bluetooth 
> module and would like to use it eith my cell for a backup internet 
> connection (for work when I am on call and there is no power at home). 
> However, I see no applications to let me connect to my BT device (my 
> cellphone) on the applications menu.

I can't speak for Xubuntu or the graphical utilties, but since I've seen 
no other response, the stuff below should at least get you going on the 
command line.

The biggest issue is if your cell phone provider allows you to use the 
phone for Dial Up Networking (DUN) over bluetooth. If you have a clamshell 
style phone from Verizon, it's likely not good news...

However, assuming your provider allows you to do this, you will need to 
use the bluez tools to bind to the phone, but after that, you can treat 
the newly created rfcomm device as a generic modem.

Lots of how-tos can be found here:

   http://www.holtmann.org/linux/bluetooth/

Documentation specfic to bluez and modems here:

   http://www.bluez.org/documentation.html
   http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/Modem-HOWTO.html

If I remember right, you can do it manually with something along the lines 
of:

   $ hcitool scan
   $ sdptool browse <your_phones_identifier>
   $ rfcomm bind <your_phones_identifier>:<DUN_channel>
   $ rfcomm

   (syntax may be way off, etc)

Once the bluetooth connection is setup, you just treat the device as a 
standard modem and set up PPP manually or via some GUI config.