Just picked up a BlueSMiRF v2 on the promise of getting rid of a bunch of wire on my desktop. Have been using a Sparkfun FT232R breakout USB back to my computer from a sensor project. Thought this might be easy, but have not had any luck getting the SMiRF paired and staying connected.
I’m using Windows 11 Pro. In Settings, I go to Bluetooth & devices. I click on Add device, answer Bluetooth, push through to the pairing screen where devices show up. I press the pairing button on the SMiRF for 4+ seconds, until it shows pairing mode, and release so that it doesn’t factory reset. Sometimes, the SMiRF will show up…I click on it in the list in Windows, then says it’s paired, and before I can even close the window, it disconnects.
Once it has paired and disconnected spontaneously, it will never connect again, regardless of hitting the pairing button again or just let it sit. If I remove the Bluetooth device from Windows, power down the SMiRF, go back to add a device, plug in the SMiRF and directly press the pairing button for 4 seconds, I can get it to a) show up in the Bluetooth list again, and b) pair it. But again, it spontaneously disconnects within seconds.
So close, yet so far. Would love to hear some ideas on what I’m doing wrong.
I just just got 2 of these also (ordered them immediately I got the email announcing them), and have more or less the same problem connecting to a PC with either one. In a nutshell they won’t do that, can’t even get to first base.
I can get the two units to connect to each other (the first example in the hookup guide) but I cannot get them to send data back & forth. I’ve tried both RealTerm and TeraTerm, same results with both. I am connecting to a PC with Sparkfun USB to serial adapters and I can see the TX led on those light up, but the RX led never lights up. In other words, it appears the data is not actually getting sent out over Bluetooth wireless.
I can get a unit to connect to a smartphone, but like the PC cannot send data back and forth.
These units do not work as advertised out of the box. What a huge disappointment.
I am also using Microsoft Windows 11 Pro and have the BlueSMiRF v2 connected using PuTTY without any issues, but admit the procedure is not exactly straightforward. Hopefully the following tips will help:
Make sure you are using the “factory default” settings as I modified some of them and probably messed things up.
Make sure TX on BlueSMiRF goes to RX on your board, and that RX on BlueSMiRF goes to TX on your board.
Only give the RESET button a short (brief) press. Pressing the RESET button for 4 - 8 seconds is only used to pair two BlueSMiRF’s together.
Once BlueSMiRF is reset, it will appear in your Bluetooth settings as BlueSMiRF-XXXX. Connect to it as you would any other Bluetooth device.
Go to Device Manager and expand Ports (COM & LPT). Two serial ports should be present labeled “Standard Serial over Bluetooth link (COMXX)” and “Standard Serial over Bluetooth link (COMXX+1)”. Only one of the COM ports will be active and it comes down to trial and error which one is active. Try each COMXX port using PuTTY (or similar) serial terminal program using 115200N81 settings.
Got it working. The reminder about cross-over RX/TX did the trick. Duh, I’ve been doing it for 40+ years and I still fell into the trap. Sparkfun: maybe a reminder in the text next to the pictures in the example?
I’m having the same issue with BlueSMiRFv2 and Windows 11. Exactly as you describe. Did you ever figure it out? I reviewed the comments by smhodge42 and ccat, but I’m still stuck.
Go through the entire hookup guide and if that doesn’t help: Was it purchased from us? If so head over to Return Policy - SparkFun Electronics (contact vendor if purchased elsewhere) and we’ll get ya squared away
Hey! If the BlueSMiRF v2 isn’t staying connected, it could be due to a few reasons. Check if you have the right firmware version and if the device is within range. Sometimes interference from other Bluetooth devices can cause connection issues.
Additionally, make sure the power supply is stable. Low voltage can affect the module’s performance. Also, try resetting the module and reconfiguring the connection. Let us know how it goes!
Thanks @TS-Russell , I purchased from the SparkFun storefront on Amazon, and yes, been through the hookup guide.
Thanks @Cynthia81 , I’ll try reloading the firmware, but I was having trouble communicating with the device via UART as well. I’ll take another look when I get a chance.
