Try this to connect via Bluetooth with NXT-G in Windows XP Options

[Kurt]

I am not affiliated with LEGO or National Instruments. This information is not in any way "official". It is simply based on our experience over the last two years connecting various computers with various types of Bluetooth adapters (including generic Bluetooth dongles and internal Dell Bluetooth adapters) to NXT's. Some of these steps may not be necessary and may be nothing more than part of our ritual.

The attached firmware is essentially the standard LEGO 1.05 firmware, with minimal changes which are documented in the attached Readme.txt file and the source files d_bt.c.txt and c_loader.iom.txt. It should be considered a beta version. If anyone finds problems with the firmware, please let me know.

I am posting rather detailed instructions on how to establish a connection via Bluetooth with NXT-G under Windows XP in the hope that many people who have given up on trying to connect via Bluetooth will be able to use it. (It is a pleasure to use when it works.)

These instructions attempt to do two things. First, they attempt to undo things you may have done to your computer or your NXT trying to connect via Bluetooth. Second, in our experience, most of our problems have been caused by NXT-G timing out. The changes to your NXT-G settings and the firmware seem to solve that problem for us. As with the firmware, if I have missed anything, please let me know.

The most important things to remember are: 1) Plug in your Bluetooth dongle BEFORE you turn on your computer, 2) Press the orange button immediately when the NXT asks for a passcode, 3) Unless your NXT connects automatically when opening NXT-G, always scan for NXT's before attempting to connect, even if your NXT is shown as being available, and 4) If you use version 1.0 of NXT-G, remove all NXT's in the NXT Window before closing NXT-G. Those four things allow us to connect on the first try at least 80% of the time.

So, here goes:

1. Turn off your computer
2. Plug in your Bluetooth dongle (Your dongle should be plugged in BEFORE you turn on your computer each time you want to use NXT-G)
3. Turn on your computer
4. Open My Computer>c:\Program Files\LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT [or LEGO MINSTORMS edu NXT (if you have the education version)]\MINDSTORMS Options.ini
5. Change BluetoothSearchTimeout=30 to BluetoothSearchTimeout=45
6. Save MINDSTORMS Options.ini
7. Save the attached file as Eagles 1.15 Firmware.rfw in c:\Program Files\LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT [or LEGO MINSTORMS edu NXT (if you have the education version)]\engine\Firmware (Delete the extra .txt extension when you save it. There is no reason to save the other attached files on your computer.)
8. Close My Computer
9. Make sure you have well-charged batteries in your NXT
10. Connect the NXT to your computer with a USB cable
11. Turn on your NXT
12. Open NXT-G
13. Click on the NXT Window
14. Make sure your NXT is connected. (If not, highlight your NXT with the Connection Type USB and click on Connect)
15. Close the NXT Window
16. Click on Tools>Update NXT Firmware...
17. Highlight Eagles 1.15 Firmware and click on Download
18. Close Update NXT Firmware
19. Disconnect the USB cable
20. Push the right arrow button on your NXT three times to get to the Bluetooth menu
21. Push the orange button once for the My Contacts submenu
22. Push the orange button again to see any saved contacts
23. Push the orange button to select any saved contacts
24. Push the left arrow button and then the orange button to delete any saved contacts
25. Repeat steps 23-24 until there are no saved contacts.
26. Push the grey rectangular button until you are back to the My Contacts submenu
27. Push the right arrow button 2 times to get to the Visibility submenu
28. Push the orange button
29. Push the left arrow button to show Visible if it is not already shown
30. Push the orange button to select Visible
31. Push the grey rectangular button until you are back to the Visibility submenu
32. Push the right arrow button to get to the On/Off submenu
33. Push the orange button
34. Push the left arrow button to show On if it is not already shown
35. Push the orange button to select On
36. Turn off the NXT
37. In NXT-G, click on the NXT Window
38. Highlight any NXT's shown and click on Remove
39. Repeat step 38 until no NXT's are shown
40. Click on Close
41. Close NXT-G
42. Click on Start>Control Panel>Network and Internet Connections>Bluetooth Devices
43. Highlight any devices shown in the Devices tab and click on Remove (You NEVER want to use Windows Bluetooth to establish a connection with the NXT if you want to use NXT-G)
44. Repeat step 43 until there are no devices shown
45. Click on OK
46. Close Network and Internet Connections
47. Turn off your computer
48. Turn your computer back on
49. Open NXT-G
50. Click on the NXT Window
51. If any devices are shown, repeat steps 37-50
52. Close NXT-G
53. Turn off your computer
54. Turn on your NXT
55. Turn your computer back on
56. Open NXT-G
57. Click on the NXT Window
58. Click on Scan (your computer will now take longer to search for NXT's)
59. Repeat step 58 until your NXT appears with a Status of Available
60. Highlight your NXT and click on Connect
61. Watch your NXT's display and press the orange button IMMEDIATELY when it asks for the passcode
62. Hopefully, you are now connected via Bluetooth. From now on, connecting should be much easier.
63. If you are using NXT-G v1.0, repeat step 37-40 every time before closing NXT-G.

Attached File(s)

 Eagles_1.15_Firmware.rfw.txt ( 119.5k ) Number of downloads: 62
 Readme.txt ( 474bytes ) Number of downloads: 32
 c_loader.iom.txt ( 2.44k ) Number of downloads: 19
 d_bt.c.txt ( 9.28k ) Number of downloads: 22

 

[Robolab 2.9]

Kurt,

No luck... followed the procedure, got the "No passkey recieved" or whatever error. I have a topic in the Software subforum titled Bluetooth, yes again... that shows the symptoms I get, if you care to look at it I would appreciate it.

I'm going to try these steps again later and see if it works.

Thanks,

Richard

EDIT: When I try to download a program through USB, it says NXT Firmware version does not match Computer driver version. ???

[Kurt]

if you care to look at it I would appreciate it.

Actually, your woes are what inspired me to post this. At one point, I thought you had some pretty high powered talent at LEGO responding, so I figured I didn't have much to add.

I'm curious about the NXT driver error. Is it just when you try to install our firmware, or anytime you try to download something to the NXT. Originally, we tried calling our firmware v0.05 and got the error you are talking about when we tried to load it. If it is happening all the time, the problem may be that there is a discrepancy between the driver on your computer and the firmware on your NXT.

If it is just when you are trying to load our firmware, what version of the firmware do you currently have on your NXT? (You can find out by turning on your NXT, pressing the right arrow key until you get to settings, pressing the orange button, pressing the right arrow key until you get to NXT Version and pressing the orange button. It is the first item labelled FW.)

[Robolab 2.9]

Actually, your woes are what inspired me to post this. At one point, I thought you had some pretty high powered talent at LEGO responding, so I figured I didn't have much to add.

Oh wow - you've been to too much trouble... but thanks a lot!

I'm curious about the NXT driver error. Is it just when you try to install our firmware, or anytime you try to download something to the NXT. Originally, we tried calling our firmware v0.05 and got the error you are talking about when we tried to load it. If it is happening all the time, the problem may be that there is a discrepancy between the driver on your computer and the firmware on your NXT.

Well, ok, I can download your firmware fine. When I try to connect via Bluetooth, I get the same error I've always had, passkey not found or incorrect, and that's because the NXT never prompted for the passkey. So I was going to set it aside and program via USB for a while so I think about, but when I download via USB, it gives me Computer Driver does not match NXT Firmware or something of that sort.

If it is just when you are trying to load our firmware, what version of the firmware do you currently have on your NXT? (You can find out by turning on your NXT, pressing the right arrow key until you get to settings, pressing the orange button, pressing the right arrow key until you get to NXT Version and pressing the orange button. It is the first item labelled FW.)

I have 1.05 (Latest official LEGO Firmware)

Thanks a lot,

Richard

[mike1]

Well after doing some bluetooth tests on what combanations work. Well I found out a way that works 100 percent.
1. Plug in bluetooth device.
2. Install manafacture software that comes bundled with it (if it is not installed)
3. Execute the program that came with the Bluetooth device.
4. Delete the any of the connection you see that has to do with the NXT
5. Click on add new device or search for new devices
6. Find your NXT brick
7. Click next or select
8. Click pair now or connect now or next if your program dosen't have the option to connect to the NXT during the setup of a new device
9. Click finish or finish up the wizard.
10. If you did not connect on the connection try connecting. The NXT should pormpt a passkey before the computer.
11. Press the orange button to accept.
12. Disconnect from the NXT (either by turning it off or disconnect the connection with the program)
13. Scan for NXT devices in NXT-G
14. Click connect.
15. It should be connected!