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Bluetooth

Managing Bluetooth from the command line in Linux can be a powerful way to handle your devices, especially in environments where a graphical interface is unavailable or undesirable. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to do this using bluetoothctl, a command-line utility for Bluetooth management in Linux:

Step 1: Install Bluetooth Utilities

Most Linux distributions come with Bluetooth utilities installed by default. If not, you can install them using your package manager. For example, on Debian-based systems (like Ubuntu), you can use:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install bluez bluez-tools

Step 2: Start the Bluetooth Service

Ensure the Bluetooth service is active. You can start or check the status of the service with:

sudo systemctl start bluetooth
sudo systemctl status bluetooth

Step 3: Launch bluetoothctl

Enter the Bluetooth command line interface:

bluetoothctl

You’ll be greeted by a prompt such as [bluetooth]#, indicating that you are now interacting with the Bluetooth controller.

Step 4: Basic Commands in bluetoothctl

  • List available devices: bash devices
  • Power on/off Bluetooth: bash power on power off
  • Make the device discoverable: bash discoverable on discoverable off

  • Pair with a device: First, ensure your device is discoverable, then use: bash pair [DEVICE MAC] Replace [DEVICE MAC] with the MAC address of the device you want to pair with.

  • Connect to a device: bash connect [DEVICE MAC]

  • Disconnect a device: bash disconnect [DEVICE MAC]

  • Remove a device: bash remove [DEVICE MAC]

  • Scan for new devices: bash scan on scan off

Step 5: Automating Tasks

You can use bluetoothctl commands in scripts by echoing commands into bluetoothctl. For example, to connect to a device and then exit:

echo -e "connect [DEVICE MAC]\nexit" | bluetoothctl

This allows for automation of Bluetooth tasks which can be very useful in a variety of scenarios.

Step 6: Exiting bluetoothctl

To exit bluetoothctl, simply type:

exit

or press Ctrl+D.

Additional Tools and Tips

  • blueman: If you occasionally prefer a GUI, blueman is an excellent graphical manager for Bluetooth.
  • Custom scripts: You can create custom scripts to manage Bluetooth devices more efficiently based on your regular needs.

Using bluetoothctl gives you robust control over Bluetooth on your Linux machine, suitable for both interactive use and automation within scripts.If you're looking for a smaller, more lightweight graphical interface for managing Bluetooth on Linux, you might consider using Blueman. Blueman is a popular alternative to the more comprehensive but heavier default Bluetooth managers found in many Linux distributions. It's designed to provide a simple yet effective user interface for managing Bluetooth devices.

Features of Blueman:

  • Device Management: Supports connecting, disconnecting, pairing, and unpairing Bluetooth devices.
  • Audio Support: Manage audio profiles and stream audio from connected devices.
  • Network Access: Set up and manage network access through connected Bluetooth devices.
  • Send Files: Provides options to send files to connected devices.
  • Receive Files: Configure and accept files sent from other devices.
  • Visibility Management: Easily toggle the visibility of your Bluetooth device.

Installing Blueman:

You can install Blueman on most Linux distributions through the package manager. Here’s how you can do it on some common distributions:

  • Debian/Ubuntu and derivatives: bash sudo apt update sudo apt install blueman

  • Fedora: bash sudo dnf install blueman

  • Arch Linux: bash sudo pacman -S blueman

Using Blueman:

Once installed, you can start Blueman usually from your application menu under the name "Bluetooth Manager" or similar. You can also start it from the command line by typing blueman-manager.

Blueman's interface is straightforward, making it easy to discover and manage your Bluetooth devices without a lot of overhead or unnecessary features. It's particularly suitable for users who prefer a balance between functionality and resource consumption.