Bluetooth is one of the most constructive ways of connecting multiple hardware devices to your computer wirelessly. Knowing how to manage Bluetooth devices is vital as more wireless gadgets are gaining recognition among users.

Bluetoothctl is an interactive and easy-to-use tool for controlling Bluetooth devices. It is the main utility for managing Bluetooth on Linux-based operating systems. This guide volition testify y'all how to hands gear up Bluetooth devices and connections on your Linux PC using bluetoothctl.

Checking Bluetooth Status

Before you tin add together Bluetooth devices, the Bluetooth service on your computer must be up and running. Y'all can check information technology with the help of the systemctl control.

          sudo systemctl status bluetooth
checking bluetooth status systemctl

If the Bluetooth service status is not agile you will accept to enable it first. Then start the service so it launches automatically whenever you kick your calculator.

          sudo systemctl enable bluetooth
sudo systemctl offset bluetooth

If you lot do non have built-in Bluetooth on your PC, you lot can easily add Bluetooth using external Bluetooth adapters.

Scanning for Nearby Devices

To actively search for Bluetooth devices that yous can connect to, use the scan command as follows:

          bluetoothctl scan on

When you run the command above, your PC will look for and list all the Bluetooth devices that are within the accomplish of your system.

command output showing bluetooth devices in linux

All Bluetooth devices are labeled every bit Device followed by their respective Media Access Control (MAC) addresses, a unique identifier for a device on a network. The MAC address follows the format 20 : XX : Twenty : Xx : XX : XX. Bluetoothctl too displays the name of the device, for example, ruwido BLE in the output above.

Note: If you can't discover the Bluetooth device yous are looking for, make sure that your organisation Bluetooth is discoverable.

To make your Bluetooth adapter discoverable to other devices, utilize the following command:

          bluetoothctl discoverable on

Connecting to Your Device

Now that you have a list of Bluetooth devices you lot tin connect to, use the MAC address to connect to a particular device.

The simplest way to connect with a Bluetooth device is to pair it with your PC using the pair control.

          bluetoothctl pair FC:69:47:7C:9D:A3

Note: Recall to replace the MAC address FC:69:47:7C:9D:A3 used in this guide with the respective MAC accost of your device.

If the device y'all are connecting to has a GUI interface, for example, a smartphone, the device will brandish a prompt asking you to accept the connection. The system will also ask you to ostend the pairing on your PC. You tin practise so by typing yeah in the command line.

For devices that are already paired with your PC, you can only connect to them in the futurity using the connect command equally follows:

          bluetoothctl connect FC:69:47:7C:9D:A3

Listing Paired Devices With bluetoothctl

You lot tin can await at the devices that are currently paired with your system by running the following command:

          bluetoothctl paired-devices
output showing paired bluetooth devices in linux

Yous can also list devices that are within the Bluetooth range of your computer using the control below:

          bluetoothctl devices

Trusting Paired Devices

In improver to pairing with a Bluetooth device, you can also cull to trust sure devices so that you lot easily connect to them in the hereafter.

To trust a Bluetooth device:

          bluetoothctl trust FC:69:47:7C:9D:A3

You can untrust a device by issuing the following command:

          bluetoothctl untrust FC:69:47:7C:9D:A3

Disconnecting Bluetooth Devices

To unpair a Bluetooth device, use the remove control as follows:

          bluetoothctl remove FC:69:47:7C:9D:A3

You can too disconnect a device from your arrangement using bluetoothctl:

          bluetoothctl disconnect FC:69:47:7C:9D:A3

If y'all wish to cake a specific device from connecting to your organisation, you lot can use the block command followed by the MAC address of the device.

          bluetoothctl block FC:69:47:7C:9D:A3

To unblock a device, just supercede the discussion block in the same command with unblock.

Using the Interactive Mode

As mentioned before, bluetoothctl is an interactive utility. In this guide, nosotros used long commands to avoid confusion but normally you lot should use the interactive mode because information technology is faster and easier to piece of work with.

To enter the interactive mode, simply run the bluetoothctl control without arguments equally follows:

          bluetoothctl

After yous've switched to the interactive mode, y'all can outcome the commands without prepending bluetoothctl equally shown beneath.

interactive mode of bluetoothctl command in linux

To leave the bluetoothctl interactive mode, simply blazon get out in the prompt.

Connecting With Other Devices Wirelessly on Linux

This guide has shown yous how to manage Bluetooth devices on your Linux PC using bluetoothctl. Bluetoothctl is a command-line utility in Linux that allows you to connect and pair with Bluetooth devices efficiently.

Equally with well-nigh network technologies, hackers tin exploit Bluetooth as well. In lodge to stay safe, you should always ensure that your Bluetooth network is properly configured and secure.

Can Bluetooth Be Hacked? seven Tips to Go along Your Bluetooth Secure

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About The Author

Mwiza Kumwenda (53 Articles Published)

Mwiza develops software past profession and writes extensively on Linux and forepart-end programming. Some of his interests include history, economics, politics & enterprise-architecture.

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