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    Adding bluetooth to pfSense

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved General pfSense Questions
    16 Posts 9 Posters 4.9k Views
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    • jimpJ
      jimp Rebel Alliance Developer Netgate
      last edited by

      It may be possible in theory, but I don't think we include everything you'd need.

      http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/handbook/network-bluetooth.html

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      • johnpozJ
        johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
        last edited by

        "But let's not get into - 'what for' :) I just need bluetooth to work on pfSense."

        but the 'what for' would be the most important piece of the puzzle - if you can show a reason that makes sense that might be used by more than yourself, say a decent portion of pfsense users - or bring in other users of the product because of this 'what for' it would be easier to get the feature request into the roadmap I would think.

        If not your best place for such a request might be the bounty section.  If the bounty gets high enough then you would get someone to make it happen if possible, etc.

        An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
        If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
        Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
        SG-4860 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.8, 24.11

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        • D
          doktornotor Banned
          last edited by

          @johnpoz:

          if you can show a reason that makes sense that might be used by more than yourself, say a decent portion of pfsense users - or bring in other users of the product because of this 'what for' it would be easier to get the feature request into the roadmap I would think.

          Kinda doubt that. A technology that failed to get usable after 7 generations of the specification should finally be buried as deep as possible to avoid some nasty zombie incident.

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          • J
            jasonlitka
            last edited by

            @doktornotor:

            @johnpoz:

            if you can show a reason that makes sense that might be used by more than yourself, say a decent portion of pfsense users - or bring in other users of the product because of this 'what for' it would be easier to get the feature request into the roadmap I would think.

            Kinda doubt that. A technology that failed to get usable after 7 generations of the specification should finally be buried as deep as possible to avoid some nasty zombie incident.

            I use BT every day in my car to make calls, and several times a week for streaming audio with my Jambox.  As a network transport though it's pretty poor.  The throughput is slow even under ideal circumstances and the range doesn't extend much past the room you're in.

            I can break anything.

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            • K
              kaczor1984
              last edited by

              That's why I wanted to avoid the topic of 'what it's for' ;)
              Now you're discussing what are the advantages/disadvantages/etc…

              No I'm not providing internet over bluetooth - I'm using WiFi for that.
              I just need to have also bluetooth at our 'routers'.

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              • stephenw10S
                stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                last edited by

                So, what Bluetooth profile does it need to support if you're not doing IP. Serial for console? Could be interesting for out of band access.

                Steve

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                • ?
                  Guest
                  last edited by

                  @stephenw10:

                  So, what Bluetooth profile does it need to support if you're not doing IP. Serial for console? Could be interesting for out of band access.

                  Steve

                  @Steve
                  Here are some parts from the company Eiko and the benefit of them are, that you don´t
                  need any drivers and/or Bluetooth stack inside of pfSense, so from the software side nothing
                  must be changed, I write this because in many cases peoples want to have inserted something
                  and because of their personal needs they don´t have look closer towards that this software is
                  then opening myn security wholes by side also.

                  In some rarely cases it could be good to have a solution that is working, but without the hassle
                  of opening new security wholes for sure, sometimes firewalls are installed in 1" wall mounted
                  cabinets and no one wants to climb the ladder and mount the Serial cable and so this solution
                  is only a bluetooth > serial adapter that is replacing of the need to mount a serial cable, not
                  more but also not less. This action is not able to do over the normal USB ports!

                  EIKON BLUEMORE500 UART
                  EIKON BLUEMORE600 UART
                  SKU-012-02 TTL-RS-232C Converter (5V)

                  But soldering must be done by your self.

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                  • N
                    NOYB
                    last edited by

                    @johnpoz:

                    Why would a firewall need bluetooth?

                    In short and in general.  The very thing Bluetooth was intended for.  Wireless peripherals.

                    If my pfSense firewall had Bluetooth I would connect up my Bluetooth GPS receiver for time source.

                    Maybe a Bluetooth keyboard.

                    Oh hey, you know what.  I have a couple Bluetooth USB dongles.  Could I possible use those to connect up my Bluetooth GPS receiver to be the time source?

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                    • stephenw10S
                      stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                      last edited by

                      I suspect Bluetooth would be particularly badly suited for use in a time source situation. Pretty sure PPS would not pass, though I've never tried it. I probably would though if it did since I have Bluetooth GPS receivers gathering dust!  ;)

                      Steve

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                      • jahonixJ
                        jahonix
                        last edited by

                        @kaczor1984:

                        No I'm not providing internet over bluetooth - I'm using WiFi for that.
                        I just need to have also bluetooth at our 'routers'.

                        …and which bluetooth profiles do you need supported? Dare to talk about that at least?

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                        • stephenw10S
                          stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                          last edited by

                          I think (though my memory ain't what it was!) that he needed to connect to a phone sharing internet over Bluetooth. So it would require some IP over Bluetooth though it could have been seen as a modem requiring some ppp connection.
                          Too long ago now.

                          Steve

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                          • N
                            NOYB
                            last edited by

                            @stephenw10:

                            I suspect Bluetooth would be particularly badly suited for use in a time source situation. Pretty sure PPS would not pass, though I've never tried it. I probably would though if it did since I have Bluetooth GPS receivers gathering dust!  ;)

                            Steve

                            We'll what are you waiting for.  Get to it and let me know.  This is not a wheel I'm particularly suited to create.  ;)

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