Bluetooth_mouse

This article describes how to set up a bluetooth mouse with Archlinux. I used a Logitech v270 with a Trendnet TBW-101UB USB Bluetooth dongle, but the general process should be the same for any model.

This also worked (really well) for a Logitech V470 talking to the on-board bluetooth on a Thinkpad T40p.

Required software

You need the bluez-utils and bluez-libs packages

Note: you need the old-daemons USE FLAG for bluez-utils or you won't have the hidd command.

old-daemons is only required for bluez-utils version 3.x - it is not required for 2.25-r1. All 3.x versions are currently ~x86 in portage as of Feb 28, 2008.

Configuration

Enable HIDP protocol in the kernel (Bluetooth subsystem support)

BT_HIDP=m

The pertinent options in /etc/conf.d/bluetooth are

HCID_ENABLE=true
HIDD_ENABLE=true

after that, start bluetooth services with /etc/init.d/bluetooth start
To make the bluetooth services permanet type rc-update add bluetooth default

Finding out your mouse's bdaddr

It is of the form 12:34:56:78:9A:BC. Either find it in the documentation of your mouse, on the mouse itself or with the command: hcitool scan

kernel modules

The command

# modprobe -v hci_usb bluetooth hidp l2cap

loads the kernel modules you need, if they weren't loaded automatically.

Connecting the mouse

hidd --search
hcitool inq

are good for device scanning.

hidd --connect <bdaddr>

to actually connect.

hidd --show

will show your currently connected devices. The mouse should show up in this list. If it doesn't, press the reset button to make it discoverable. It is important to be logged as root while issuing this command.

Connecting the mouse at startup

Edit /etc/conf.d/bluetooth:

# Arguments to hidd
HIDD_OPTIONS="--connect <enter here your bluetooth mouse address>"

and test the new settings:

/etc/init.d/bluetooth stop
hidd --killall   #(drop mouse connection)
/etc/init.d/bluetooth start