Dodgy dongles

I seem to be buying up all the dodgy Bluetooth dongles on ebay.

The first batch have a chipset from Integrated System Solutions Corp, but share the same ‘unique’  48-bit Bluetooth hardware address of 00:00:00:00:00:00 !   They also take far too long to respond to USB descriptor requests which causes timeout errors.

The second batch of dongles have a CSR chipset and an external antenna for “enhanced data range”.   So far, so good. But then I noticed that one of the antennas had worked a bit loose and so I prised the dongle open to re-attach it firmly.

Imagine my dismay at finding that the antenna for “enhanced data range” actually serves no purpose since it is 100% plastic and not even connected to the board!   On the plus side, at least these dongles work properly.

Two more batches of dongle should be arriving soon.  So third or maybe fourth time lucky!

more dodgy dongles – note the non-functional antenna

these dongles share the same “unique” bluetooth addresses

Cambridge Silicon Radio (CSR) chipset

/sbin/lsusb -v returns the following information…

Bus 004 Device 009: ID 1131:1001 Integrated System Solution Corp. KY-BT100 Bluetooth Adapter
Device Descriptor:
bLength                18
bDescriptorType         1
bcdUSB               1.10
bDeviceClass          224 Wireless
bDeviceSubClass         1 Radio Frequency
bDeviceProtocol         1 Bluetooth
bMaxPacketSize0        16
idVendor           0×1131 Integrated System Solution Corp.
idProduct          0×1001 KY-BT100 Bluetooth Adapter
bcdDevice            3.73
iManufacturer           1
iProduct                2
iSerial                 0
bNumConfigurations      1
Configuration Descriptor:
bLength                 9
bDescriptorType         2
wTotalLength          186
bNumInterfaces          3
bConfigurationValue     1
iConfiguration          0
bmAttributes         0xc0
Self Powered
MaxPower                0mA
Interface Descriptor:
bLength                 9
bDescriptorType         4
bInterfaceNumber        0
bAlternateSetting       0
bNumEndpoints           3
bInterfaceClass       224 Wireless
bInterfaceSubClass      1 Radio Frequency
bInterfaceProtocol      1 Bluetooth
iInterface              0
Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength                 7
bDescriptorType         5
bEndpointAddress     0×81  EP 1 IN
bmAttributes            3
Transfer Type            Interrupt
Synch Type               None
Usage Type               Data
wMaxPacketSize     0×0010  1x 16 bytes
bInterval               1
Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength                 7
bDescriptorType         5
bEndpointAddress     0×02  EP 2 OUT
bmAttributes            2
Transfer Type            Bulk
Synch Type               None
Usage Type               Data
wMaxPacketSize     0×0040  1x 64 bytes
bInterval               1
Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength                 7
bDescriptorType         5
bEndpointAddress     0×82  EP 2 IN
bmAttributes            2
Transfer Type            Bulk
Synch Type               None
Usage Type               Data
wMaxPacketSize     0×0040  1x 64 bytes
bInterval               1
Interface Descriptor:
bLength                 9
bDescriptorType         4
bInterfaceNumber        1
bAlternateSetting       0
bNumEndpoints           2
bInterfaceClass       224 Wireless
bInterfaceSubClass      1 Radio Frequency
bInterfaceProtocol      1 Bluetooth
iInterface              0
Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength                 7
bDescriptorType         5
bEndpointAddress     0×03  EP 3 OUT
bmAttributes            1
Transfer Type            Isochronous
Synch Type               None
Usage Type               Data
wMaxPacketSize     0×0000  1x 0 bytes
bInterval               1
Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength                 7
bDescriptorType         5
bEndpointAddress     0×83  EP 3 IN
bmAttributes            1
Transfer Type            Isochronous
Synch Type               None
Usage Type               Data
wMaxPacketSize     0×0000  1x 0 bytes
bInterval               1
Interface Descriptor:
bLength                 9
bDescriptorType         4
bInterfaceNumber        1
bAlternateSetting       1
bNumEndpoints           2
bInterfaceClass       224 Wireless
bInterfaceSubClass      1 Radio Frequency
bInterfaceProtocol      1 Bluetooth
iInterface              0
Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength                 7
bDescriptorType         5
bEndpointAddress     0×03  EP 3 OUT
bmAttributes            1
Transfer Type            Isochronous
Synch Type               None
Usage Type               Data
wMaxPacketSize     0×0009  1x 9 bytes
bInterval               1
Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength                 7
bDescriptorType         5
bEndpointAddress     0×83  EP 3 IN
bmAttributes            1
Transfer Type            Isochronous
Synch Type               None
Usage Type               Data
wMaxPacketSize     0×0009  1x 9 bytes
bInterval               1
Interface Descriptor:
bLength                 9
bDescriptorType         4
bInterfaceNumber        1
bAlternateSetting       2
bNumEndpoints           2
bInterfaceClass       224 Wireless
bInterfaceSubClass      1 Radio Frequency
bInterfaceProtocol      1 Bluetooth
iInterface              0
Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength                 7
bDescriptorType         5
bEndpointAddress     0×03  EP 3 OUT
bmAttributes            1
Transfer Type            Isochronous
Synch Type               None
Usage Type               Data
wMaxPacketSize     0×0011  1x 17 bytes
bInterval               1
Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength                 7
bDescriptorType         5
bEndpointAddress     0×83  EP 3 IN
bmAttributes            1
Transfer Type            Isochronous
Synch Type               None
Usage Type               Data
wMaxPacketSize     0×0011  1x 17 bytes
bInterval               1
Interface Descriptor:
bLength                 9
bDescriptorType         4
bInterfaceNumber        1
bAlternateSetting       3
bNumEndpoints           2
bInterfaceClass       224 Wireless
bInterfaceSubClass      1 Radio Frequency
bInterfaceProtocol      1 Bluetooth
iInterface              0
Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength                 7
bDescriptorType         5
bEndpointAddress     0×03  EP 3 OUT
bmAttributes            1
Transfer Type            Isochronous
Synch Type               None
Usage Type               Data
wMaxPacketSize     0×0019  1x 25 bytes
bInterval               1
Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength                 7
bDescriptorType         5
bEndpointAddress     0×83  EP 3 IN
bmAttributes            1
Transfer Type            Isochronous
Synch Type               None
Usage Type               Data
wMaxPacketSize     0×0019  1x 25 bytes
bInterval               1
Interface Descriptor:
bLength                 9
bDescriptorType         4
bInterfaceNumber        1
bAlternateSetting       4
bNumEndpoints           2
bInterfaceClass       224 Wireless
bInterfaceSubClass      1 Radio Frequency
bInterfaceProtocol      1 Bluetooth
iInterface              0
Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength                 7
bDescriptorType         5
bEndpointAddress     0×03  EP 3 OUT
bmAttributes            1
Transfer Type            Isochronous
Synch Type               None
Usage Type               Data
wMaxPacketSize     0×0021  1x 33 bytes
bInterval               1
Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength                 7
bDescriptorType         5
bEndpointAddress     0×83  EP 3 IN
bmAttributes            1
Transfer Type            Isochronous
Synch Type               None
Usage Type               Data
wMaxPacketSize     0×0021  1x 33 bytes
bInterval               1
Interface Descriptor:
bLength                 9
bDescriptorType         4
bInterfaceNumber        1
bAlternateSetting       5
bNumEndpoints           2
bInterfaceClass       224 Wireless
bInterfaceSubClass      1 Radio Frequency
bInterfaceProtocol      1 Bluetooth
iInterface              0
Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength                 7
bDescriptorType         5
bEndpointAddress     0×03  EP 3 OUT
bmAttributes            1
Transfer Type            Isochronous
Synch Type               None
Usage Type               Data
wMaxPacketSize     0×0031  1x 49 bytes
bInterval               1
Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength                 7
bDescriptorType         5
bEndpointAddress     0×83  EP 3 IN
bmAttributes            1
Transfer Type            Isochronous
Synch Type               None
Usage Type               Data
wMaxPacketSize     0×0031  1x 49 bytes
bInterval               1
Interface Descriptor:
bLength                 9
bDescriptorType         4
bInterfaceNumber        2
bAlternateSetting       0
bNumEndpoints           0
bInterfaceClass       254 Application Specific Interface
bInterfaceSubClass      1 Device Firmware Update
bInterfaceProtocol      0
iInterface              0

Bus 004 Device 008: ID 0a12:0001 Cambridge Silicon Radio, Ltd Bluetooth Dongle (HCI mode)
Device Descriptor:
bLength                18
bDescriptorType         1
bcdUSB               1.10
bDeviceClass          224 Wireless
bDeviceSubClass         1 Radio Frequency
bDeviceProtocol         1 Bluetooth
bMaxPacketSize0        16
idVendor           0x0a12 Cambridge Silicon Radio, Ltd
idProduct          0×0001 Bluetooth Dongle (HCI mode)
bcdDevice            1.34
iManufacturer           1 Conwise Technology
iProduct                2 CONWISE BT
iSerial                 0
bNumConfigurations      1
Configuration Descriptor:
bLength                 9
bDescriptorType         2
wTotalLength          108
bNumInterfaces          2
bConfigurationValue     1
iConfiguration          0
bmAttributes         0×80
MaxPower              100mA
Interface Descriptor:
bLength                 9
bDescriptorType         4
bInterfaceNumber        0
bAlternateSetting       0
bNumEndpoints           3
bInterfaceClass       224 Wireless
bInterfaceSubClass      1 Radio Frequency
bInterfaceProtocol      1 Bluetooth
iInterface              0
Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength                 7
bDescriptorType         5
bEndpointAddress     0×81  EP 1 IN
bmAttributes            3
Transfer Type            Interrupt
Synch Type               None
Usage Type               Data
wMaxPacketSize     0×0010  1x 16 bytes
bInterval               1
Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength                 7
bDescriptorType         5
bEndpointAddress     0×82  EP 2 IN
bmAttributes            2
Transfer Type            Bulk
Synch Type               None
Usage Type               Data
wMaxPacketSize     0×0040  1x 64 bytes
bInterval               0
Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength                 7
bDescriptorType         5
bEndpointAddress     0×02  EP 2 OUT
bmAttributes            2
Transfer Type            Bulk
Synch Type               None
Usage Type               Data
wMaxPacketSize     0×0040  1x 64 bytes
bInterval               0
Interface Descriptor:
bLength                 9
bDescriptorType         4
bInterfaceNumber        1
bAlternateSetting       0
bNumEndpoints           2
bInterfaceClass       224 Wireless
bInterfaceSubClass      1 Radio Frequency
bInterfaceProtocol      1 Bluetooth
iInterface              0
Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength                 7
bDescriptorType         5
bEndpointAddress     0×83  EP 3 IN
bmAttributes            1
Transfer Type            Isochronous
Synch Type               None
Usage Type               Data
wMaxPacketSize     0×0000  1x 0 bytes
bInterval               1
Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength                 7
bDescriptorType         5
bEndpointAddress     0×03  EP 3 OUT
bmAttributes            1
Transfer Type            Isochronous
Synch Type               None
Usage Type               Data
wMaxPacketSize     0×0000  1x 0 bytes
bInterval               1
Interface Descriptor:
bLength                 9
bDescriptorType         4
bInterfaceNumber        1
bAlternateSetting       1
bNumEndpoints           2
bInterfaceClass       224 Wireless
bInterfaceSubClass      1 Radio Frequency
bInterfaceProtocol      1 Bluetooth
iInterface              0
Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength                 7
bDescriptorType         5
bEndpointAddress     0×83  EP 3 IN
bmAttributes            1
Transfer Type            Isochronous
Synch Type               None
Usage Type               Data
wMaxPacketSize     0×0009  1x 9 bytes
bInterval               1
Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength                 7
bDescriptorType         5
bEndpointAddress     0×03  EP 3 OUT
bmAttributes            1
Transfer Type            Isochronous
Synch Type               None
Usage Type               Data
wMaxPacketSize     0×0009  1x 9 bytes
bInterval               1
Interface Descriptor:
bLength                 9
bDescriptorType         4
bInterfaceNumber        1
bAlternateSetting       2
bNumEndpoints           2
bInterfaceClass       224 Wireless
bInterfaceSubClass      1 Radio Frequency
bInterfaceProtocol      1 Bluetooth
iInterface              0
Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength                 7
bDescriptorType         5
bEndpointAddress     0×83  EP 3 IN
bmAttributes            1
Transfer Type            Isochronous
Synch Type               None
Usage Type               Data
wMaxPacketSize     0×0011  1x 17 bytes
bInterval               1
Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength                 7
bDescriptorType         5
bEndpointAddress     0×03  EP 3 OUT
bmAttributes            1
Transfer Type            Isochronous
Synch Type               None
Usage Type               Data
wMaxPacketSize     0×0011  1x 17 bytes
bInterval               1