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Bluetooth Dongle

D

deadfrog

macrumors regular
Original poster
Sep 5, 2004
115
0
UK / Bournemouth
Hi,

Thinking about buying a bluetooth dongle, ive got a digital audio powermac so im using usb 1.1.... Any particular things i should be looking out for when buying one.... Im considering about buying a cheap 20m ranged one for about £16 from a local shop for ease and speed.

Only want it to transfer stuff from my phone, however at a later point i may wish to use it for a wireless mouse...

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.

rich
 
...and if you're going to spend 35 pound, just get a wireless mouse that comes with a USB dongle, and do double duty with it.
 
caveman_uk said:
Buy the D-link one - It's expensive (£35) but its the only one Apple supports. If you buy anything else you're on your own...
Click to expand...

I've tried 3 dongles, the D-Link, Belkin & Microsoft.

Started with the D-Link because it's the one Apple were selling. D-Link offer two versions one for Windows and one for Mac's I had the Windows item which worked perfectly out of the box simply plug-in and your connected via wizards. The D-Link however literally fell apart. I was using it with an iBook which meant it was moving about a bit but didn't stand long in the pocket. It was replaced by a Belkin which seemed to have better build and worked just as well, again plug-in and you're away. Next came the MS dongle that came with the MS mouse it would only work from the USB port on the iBook itself not from the keyboard ports like both the D-Link and Belkin. It also took much longer, 15-20sec. rather than 2-3sec. of the Belkin, to find the MS mouse or SE mobile.
I've now got an iMac with internal BT and the Belkin is in use at work on a Wintel PC, of course that took about an hour of coaxing to get it to work loading drivers and extra software and is nowher near as seamless in use with my mobile etc.
 
My experience with the D-link (DBT-120 IIRC) was fine. Worked straight away and was reasonably well made. It seems to disagree with my USB2 card though. When either one is on it's own in my machine then it goes into sleep fine. But both in then it won't. Answer? Don't put the machine to sleep. ;)
 
I use a belkin dongle and have had no problems with it at all. The only problem I have is that I cannot use my bluetooth headset with my mac as apparently onlt the D-link supports this with the mac.
So no wireless iChats for me :(
 
are you sure they sell two versions of the d-link bluetooth dbt d-120?

Am thinking of getting one from amazon for £21, it says it supports both xp,200 etc and mac os x 10.2 or later.... so am assuming the same device works on both...
 
There were two revisions and Apple only supports the later rev B version. I doubt if Amazon has them though as the later version has been out for quite some time. Maybe D-link have other dongles with diffferent product codes that are windows only?
 
deadfrog said:
are you sure they sell two versions of the d-link bluetooth dbt d-120?

Am thinking of getting one from amazon for £21, it says it supports both xp,200 etc and mac os x 10.2 or later.... so am assuming the same device works on both...
Click to expand...

When I got mine there was a DBT D-120 (windows) & a DBT D-120M (Mac) the shop only had windows (predictably) but I took a gamble that there was no difference which paid off.

Maybe they ship the 'M' version without the set-up CD and users manual and just put a post-it note saying "PLUG IN"?
 
Funny as the one I got was cross-platform. Apple usually says in the firmware updates that doing so will render the dongle inoperable on windows machines - suggesting they work on both to start with.

Now you mention it I don't think mine came with a CD - or a manual ;)
 
I bought a D-Link dongle about 9 months ago. It didn't come with any documentation or drivers. As far as I know it's also cross platform (until you update the firmware that is).

Great piece of hardware though. Has never failed me so far. No cons whatsoever.
 
ok, cheers for the help.

Have ordered it from amazon, saves £15 that way, over a 1/3 of the price!

so should i use apple's firmware update on it?

As far as i can see, i dont plan to use it on a pc, and im assuiming it will make it faster if i do so...

Anyhow, will let you know how it turns out at xmas, as its going into a stocking as soon as it arrives! curse that santa person!

on a plus note, my 9600 should arrive tomorrow! fingers crossed it all works!

thanks
 
yeah, i ordered it form them on wednesay i think...

ups tried to deliver it on friday, but they didnt think to knock as the door bell was bust... so with all the confusion, and a long story, they are now delivering it tomorrow i hope!
 
yeah, the ups site let me track it all the way, and would have been fine if they didnt have some idiots working there...

will post how it turns out tomorrow in the graphics card thread...
 
by surprise, my bluetooth dongle turned up today! i only ordered it yesterday morning! Very impressed with amazon, have ordered from them before but never had stuff this quickly, didnt even have to pay for delivery!
 
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