[Bug]: heltec v3 and Lilygo T3 S3 do not connect via bluetooth

[gregscoor]

Category

BLE

Hardware

Heltec V3

Is this bug report about any UI component firmware like InkHUD or Meshtatic UI (MUI)?

• Meshtastic UI aka MUI colorTFT
• InkHUD ePaper
• OLED slide UI on any display

Firmware Version

all

Description

on almost all firmware, from the most stable to alpha, the nodes do not connect via bluetooth, changing the version of the android application also does not help, if the nodes are used on other networks, then everything works

how to reconnect a node to a phone via bluetooth?

Relevant log output

[Xaositek]

Can you please provide some additional details around this?

• What role is the device configured as?
• Did it ever work?

[anotherdoesnm]

maybe related issues are #2793 and #9049 ?

[roberthadow]

For the Heltec V3 specifically and the Heltec V4, both of which I use daily with an Android, I can report that BLE connection to Bluetooth is reliable.

The Level 1 helpdesk response for Android is this:

• Android?
• OS up to date?
• Is your Meshtastic app from Playstore up to date?
• Are you able to connect using USB? Connect using a good USB cable.
• Navigate to Connection (the radio icon at the lower right). What firmware version are you on?
• Navigate to Settings > Network.
• In what postion is the WiFi enabled toggle in?
• Disable WiFi. Save.
• Navigate to Settings > Bluetooth.
• Is Bluetooth enabled? Don't worry. iIt doesn't matter for now.
• What is the pairing mode? Don't worry. It doesn't matter now.
• What is the Fixed pin? Write it down.
• Do you know your device's short name? Navigate to Settings > User . Read where it says short name.
• Do you know your device's MAC address? Turn you device until you can read the screen. Tap the top button untill you see "BLE:" What four charactes follow? They are the last four of the MAC address. Your phone should connect to a nine-character Bluetooth device. It'll be the short name, underscore, then the last four of the MAC address. Capitalization matters.
• Open your phone's Settings. Select connected devices.
• Do you see your device in the saved devices list? Make sure you touch "See all"
• You see it? If you see a name that is close, but not exact, touch it then Forget it. If it's correct, touch it. Connect
• You don't see it? Touch Pair new device. You should see your device in the list of Available devices. Touch it. You should get a spot to type your PIN. If your PIN has letters or symbols tick the box. Touch OK. Now your device should be in the Other devices list. Is it? Now go back to the Meshtastic app.
• Are you back to Meshtastic? Touch the radio icon (Connection) at he bottom right. Touch Bluetooth (a third of the way down the page). Your device should appear under Paired devices. Touch it. You should now be connected.

[gregscoor]

When connected for the first time, devices connect to the phone via a PIN code as expected, but then they are not detected in the meshtastic application

they connect via cable via Wi-Fi but not via bluetooth

[roberthadow]

Okay, Level 2 support for BLE connection to Android..

Heltec V3 has a single 2.5 GHz subsystem. It can support BLE OR WiFi, but not both simultaneously. For firmwares V2.7.15 and 2.7.20 for sure, the "Bluetooth enabled" toggle is irrelevant. If WiFi is enabled, then Bluetooth is disabled. You will have check and change the WiFi setting using USB to your Android, the Web app, or by CLI over USB. You could use the Android app over WiFi, CLI over WiFi, or admin messages over LoRa, but it will be more trouble than it's worth.

Troubleshooting requires a methodical approach. With a PC, you start at the wall plug. Assuming you phone generally works, you want to check its operation of 2.5 GHz. Most phones use the same chip and antenna for both BLE and WiFi. Have you successfully connected your Android to the Heltec over WiFi? This will require a router over which you have control and have credentials on both devices. If the Heltec coil antenna is broken, neither will work.

The Bluetooth name aaaa_bbbb is case sensitive. aaaa is the short name. The underscore is an underscore. bbbb is the last four characters of the MAC address, less the colon. You can try to connect to an almost correct device name. It will give every indication of connecting, but when you try to save, it will hang.

The Meshtastic app on the Android has a scan feature, but I've never needed it. YMMV.

BTW, Github is the wrong forum to get support questions answered. If you discover a problem, can replicate it, and document it with logs and screen shots where appropirate, then someone will adjudicate it and schedule a developer to change the code and documentation. When your F150 check engine light comes on, you don't call Dearborn. Same here.