Bluetooth Part 2

[Anonymouse]

I have 2 sets of Sony Ult Wear headphones - 2 so I can use one while the other's on charge, thus I never have to stop using them.

At least, that was the idea. But one set not only won't connect, Windows can't even find them. It did at one point, found both, as did Linux - but somehow, I can't remember how, I lost one - and now neither can find that set.

However, I've confirmed there's nothing wrong with either set...because my tablet found both with no problem. The one which works is 40:72:18:F5:B2:58, the other one is 40:72:18:69:89:4E. Question: if you know a device's MAC address, is there a way to force Bluetooth to connect to it?

I've updated to 24.01 (or whatever the number is). Still no joy.

Linux can't find it either. It finds my tablet, finds a car thing, but Ult Wear Headset? Zilch. Not a power problem either; it says the battery is fully charged. Plenty of unnamed devices, none with the correct MAC, so it's not finding it but failing to ID it. It's just not finding it at all. Why?! All you do with the Ult Wear - all you can do - is turn it on, and it's discoverable!

(In theory.)
Hmm. Progress, of a sort; bluetoothctl on Linux reports the device isn't available. Again, WHY?! What am I missing?!

[Anonymouse]

Okay, colour me confused. Linux has now found the device; I've now marked it as trusted. I wonder if Windows will do the same?

- it has, no idea why! Result!

[DocDutch]

does Sony offer an app with the devices so you can rename them as that is most of the time the problem with any computer that if a bluetooth name is the same it won't know with which unit it needs to connect.


same as with an hotspot (iPhones are brilliant in this) where you search for your iPhone but all around you are called iPhone as well so the laptop, mobile etc refuse to connect.

[Anonymouse]

Linux will let you rename them, and I have (If only to prevent my confusion!); one is named ULT WEAR MKD (Marked), the other ULT WEAR. The MKD set has a small sticker giving the last part of the MAC.

As for Windows, I dunno. But the two devices definitely have different MACs. As of last night both were working on both OSes. I'll see tonight if that's still true.

Knowing the way my life usually goes, it won't be.

Case in point: my Win 10 laptop. ATM it's reinstalling 10 via the Media Creation Tool. Why? I had a memory fail and can't recall the Admin password I set. Every method I've tried has either failed or requires admin access...which, Catch-22, is exactly what I'm trying to get by changing the damn password!
The only answer I've found is to reinstall from scratch; luckily I got the product key via the Registry, if I need it. For some reason it will NOT accept my internet password. I'll try retrieving it - again - from my Win 11 laptop. Maybe I copied it down wrong.

- Or input the wrong password, oops! <sheepish>,

Done now. Back to the headphones...

One set, ULT WEAR MKD, is working on Linux. The other keeps connecting - and then disconnecting.

Of course it is. This is me we're talking about.

Trying Windows...

[Anonymouse]

Okay, here it is (after brief confusion when I wrongly thought the sticker had come off - I got the wrong set, oops).

ULT WEAR (40:72:18:F5:B2:58) WORKS on Windows, but does NOT on Linux.

ULT WEAR MKD (40:72:18:69:89:4E) does NOT work on Windows, but it DOES on Linux.

I surrender to utter confusion. I do not understand this at all. This is wacky even for me, and that's saying something.

BOTH sets work on the tablet - I looked at 'previously connected devices', connected one set, and one disappeared because of course it's connected now. Disconnect, connect the other 'previous' device - no prob, works perfectly. What's Android getting right that Windows and Linux are getting wrong?

One thing I could do but absolutely don't want to is to get a third set from a different manufacturer which will have a different name, it that is indeed the cause of the confusion (though with different MACs it shouldn't be an issue). But I don't want to because BOTH SETS WORK, FOR BELL'S SAKE!!! I thought it was only printers causing grief (though, trust me, they do!) - Bluetooth too?!