Windows 10 Bluetooth Brennan2

[Peter Woodward]

Hello, I can't get my laptop running Windows 10 to see my B2. No problem with all other bluetooth products in the household. Recently bought a new SD card (Brennan OS) and a new CSR4.0 dongle, B2 is still undiscoverable.

Any ideas?

Thanks, Peter Woodward, Cirencester UK

[miket...@yahoo.com]

I have had the same problems ... still not fully resolved, with both Wi Fi & Blue tooth. Up graded (Virgin Cable ) broad band to the fastest , no change, up graded B2 dongles and fitted Wi Fi Dongle with short Ariel, and fitted wi fi signal boosters next to the B2 , better but not good.

Now get occasional connection with some devices (mainly Windows 10 devices). Find it impossible though, with any apple products. Next step is to Hard wire through a powerline ethernet adaptor, which is some what defeating the whole reason for having the B2 .

Have great Wi Fi & Bluetooth in the house with other devices but just not the B2

There are lots of posts on here if you search, I have tried most of the suggested remedies .

After having a JB7 for many years my reason to upgrade to a B2 was for this connectivity ....  when it works it is a great feature !

Sadly its been a disappointment, good luck!

Regards

Mike 

[PMB]

Hi Peter W,

The connection between the B2 and your Win10 computer uses WiFi not Bluetooth - Bluetooth is only used for streaming music.

Here are some instructions for getting your B2 to show as a network device on your computer -

NAS mode using a Windows 10 computer:

On the B2:

• Make sure the B2 is connected to WiFi - displaying an IP Address - something like 192.168.1.127

• Using the front control go to the Maintenance menu and select Start NAS - the display will return to the clock and then show 'done' after a couple of seconds.

On your Win10 computer:

• In the 'Type here to search' box type - Turn Windows features on and off (you don't have to type all of this as you will be prompted by the computer).

• Click on 'Turn Windows features on and off'

• Scroll down to 'SMB1.0/CIFS File sharing support' and expand the section - click on the '+' box

• Select the second item - SMB1.0/CIFS Client - it may already be selected so no need to select again

• Click on OK.

On the Win10 computer:

• In the 'Type here to search' box type View network computers and devices

• Click on 'View network computers and Devices'

• BRENNANB2 should be displayed on the 'computer' line - if not wait a while (it can take a while to show the first time) and try refreshing the 'View network....' page.

• Double click on BRENNANB2 - a pop up panel will open

• Enter user name = root

• Enter password = brennan and click on OK

• The B2's 'music' folder will be shown - double click to open it - this can take a while as the computer needs to load all of the files on the B2's HDD.

• Once loaded a list of Artist folders will be shown

• Double clicking on an Artist folder will show the Album folder/s associated with the Artist

• Double clicking any Album folder will show the Tracks and Album Artworks

You can then edit these folders and files as you would any folders/files on your computer e.g. create new folders, copy and paste, cut and paste, rename, delete, etc.

You can also copy music from your computer (iTunes, etc) to the B2 whilst in NAS mode - make sure you maintain the correct Artist - Album - Track folder format so the music is correctly displayed on the B2.

Please note - any changes you make on the computer are local to the computer and must be transferred to the B2 by running Scan Disk - Settings menu - on the B2. If you leave the computer session without running Scan Disk, any changes will be lost.

Paul

Brennan Support.

[PMB]

Hi Mike,

What signal level are you getting at the B2 - Maintenance menu >> WiFi Strength? Is it fluctuating much?

You say you have installed a repeater - is the B2 connecting to the extender - usually extenders will have the same name as the main network with an extension, something like "-ext".

Paul

Brennan Support.

[fred.w....@gmail.com]

Hi Peter,

Just been reading this thread.

If you open a browser (eg Edge or Chrome) on your Windows 10 laptop and type in to the IP number that appears on your B2's front screen (like this)

Does the Brennan B2's User interface open up in your browser.

If not then you have not connected the B2 to your house router correctly OR - your house router(s) may need to be rebooted (unplug it wait 30 seconds and plug it in again) 

If the Web UI does appear OK then the Windows 10 laptop can indeed see the B2.

--------------------------------------

If you are referring to the B2's NAS function, then, if you have turned this on using the B2,  the B2 is delivering a NAS on your home network and the problem you are having is with Windows 10.

If this is the case there is a wealth of information on this forum on how to overcome these issues and PMB has provided a good summary for you in his answer below.

Fred

On Friday, 22 January 2021 at 16:57:02 UTC pawoo...@gmail.com wrote:

[miket...@yahoo.com]

With the repeater I get Wi Fi strength  65 to 69 with a little fluctuation,  without it was in the high 70'-80s. 

Yes the repeater is paired & recognised under a different name to the VM router.

Some times I get a perfect log on (desk top PC & laptop both Windows 10)  other times it just will not connect, it is very inconsistant, sometimes allowing me to see the interface but unable to control any B2 functions, such as switch playlist for example.

When trying to connect usually the error message comes up something like '' Hmmmm 192.67.67 took too long ... timed out'' 

Some times it will only connect using Chrome other times Edge works well.

The dongle with the antena (have tried two different makes ) will only allow he antena to point either side ways or down due to the way the USB socket is fitted.

The internet radio seldom works but when it does it will play for a while & then just hang.

Also have difficulty in changing stations and saving stations when a connection is made.

Have tried playing internet radio from the laptop via bluetooth to the B2  this works better but often just get transmission breaks or pauses from the B2.

Conection of i phone & i pad seldom works.

At times when the B2 will not connect I am able to take the laptop into the garden and still get a connection to the internet, have a smart TV in the same room as the B2 and that works ok, so I am fairly sure its not the Virgin Media kit (which was upgraded recently to fastest speed) .

Any suggestions welcome!

Thanks

Mike

[fred.w....@gmail.com]

Mike

 

Your WiFi strength at your B2 "With the repeater I get Wi Fi strength  65 to 69 with a little fluctuation" is inadequate for a B2 to work properly.

It seems to me that all the issues your describe are attributable to this root cause.

Regarding the issue with your "antenna" WiFi dongle, try plugging it into USB A, but using a short USB extension lead. that will give you more room to point the antenna.

FYI I connect my B2 to my router using ethernet that is run over the house wiring using this setup

https://www.amazon.co.uk/TL-PA4010PKIT-Passthrough-Powerline-Configuration-Required/dp/B01G5Q9E0O/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=ethernet+over+power&qid=1611579376&sr=8-3

Fred

[Graham Smout]

Hi,

'I get a signal strength of 65 to 69'

Poor Wi-Fi seems to be at the root of the problems you are experiencing. You don't say what make of router  you have but if it is the one that came when you signed up to with your ISP, these are often absolute rubbish bits of kit. The speed and strength of the broadband signal  is independent of the speed and strength of the resulting wifi.  So don't expect if you've got a very fast broadband connection for your Wi-Fi to be anywhere near it. There are too many factors that can alter the speed and stability of a Wi-Fi signal.  

A lot of conditions in the home can affect the strength and the reliability of the Wi-Fi signal. For example other electronic and electrical appliances such as refrigerators microwaves toasters TV sets,  Low energy bulbs and many other pieces of equipment can interfere with and distort the Wi-Fi signal. Ideally your B2 needs to be located as close as possible to your router  for good  Wi-Fi connection, or even better hardwire it with an ethernet cable.  If that's not possible then consider where your broadband router  is located. Wi-Fi uses  extremely weak  radio signals and if it   is in a corner somewhere or on a windowsill or way out in the hall, consider having it moved to a central location in the house. 

I don't rate most consumer Wi-Fi extenders.  After many years of offering home computer support to frustrated clients I discovered that most of these pieces of equipment last very short time, often less than a year before they fail. The worst for reliability are so-called power line or mains circuit extenders  which utilise  the mains wiring in the home. 

I now only recommend one brand of Wi-Fi extender and that is the BT disc system. 

 These discs do work well but they must be in line of sight of each other to get a reliable signal. The first disc in the chain must be hardwired to the router via Ethernet cable.  

 Domestic  Wi-Fi doesn't work at all well if it has to penetrate thick solid brick or stone walls. If there is metal in the construction you may get even worse connectivity. Surprisingly Many  modern homes have metal in the walls. Sometimes the plasterboard used has a metal vapour barrier film sandwiched between insulation  and the plaster skin. Even the best Wi-Fi system will struggle to penetrate this kind of plasterboard.  Wood floors and doors to allow Wi-Fi through but it's still not going to be brilliant. If there's a big RSJ in the building to support the upper floors, this can also act as a barrier for Wi-Fi. 

 Remember a smaller number represents a better Wi-Fi strength. What is being measured is signal loss in dB. For the B2 to connect reliably the DB valued needs to be lower than 40. 

 

Wi-Fi repeaters cannot make an already weak signal stronger. (  these are sometimes incorrectly referred to as boosters. They are not boosters! They are extenders or repeaters. ) So your repeater must be in receipt of a decent strong signal in the first place.   If the signal strength where are you place a  wifi  extender  is higher than 40 placing a repeater there won't improve matters,  in fact it may well make it worse. 

 As a word of explanation why your other equipment is able  to work adequately in areas of low signal strength, equipment such as television sets, laptops and tablets will have a hidden aerial  of considerable size located in the casing,which can pick up a reliable signal. The Tiny Wi-Fi dongle plugged into the Brennan has virtually no aerial and so it's chances of picking up a reliable signal are minimal.  This is why some B2 owners recommend putting the dongle onto a USB extender cable which in itself at as a bit of an aerial. 

Good luck with finding a solution but as an experiment I would just try locating the Brennan as close as possible to your router  and I bet you find it works fine. 

[PMB]

Hi Miket...,

Does the B2 behave better if moved closer to the main router - as a test - remember to change the connection to the main router?

You mention a repeater - any chance of connecting the B2 to the repeater with an Ethernet cable? Might be worth trying.

Paul

Brennan Support.

[JAC]

Whilst I agree with most of what gps says in his recent post, the comment  " USB extender cable which in itself at as a bit of an aerial. "  is not true.  The USB cable doesn't act as an aerial.  The idea of the extender cable is twofold, it allows you the flexibility to physically move the dongle (with its inbuilt antenna/aerial) to somewhere in the room with a better WiFi signal, and it also allows you to move the dongle away from any interference generated by the processor in the B2 itself.

In my experience,  the Raspberry Pi/B2 seems to be more badly affected by weak and/or fluctuating WiFi signals than devices like smartphones and tablets.  The problem seems to be in the area of re-establishing contact after a brief dropout.  I have no idea why this should be so.  For this reason, effort spent getting a strong and stable WiFi signal is well rewarded.  I would aim for a minimum of -50 dBm.

[Daniel Taylor]

I agree with JAC.  His advice is spot on.

[Graham Smout]

Re my comment about USB cable. Yes , i agree. it's more likely to be the fact that you're able to place the dongle in a more suitable position that can improve the wifi reception.