Ubuntu
hal package

Dell HAL Bluetooth kill switch doesn't operate properly on several platforms

Bug #288294 reported by Mario Limonciello
16
Affects Status Importance Assigned to Milestone
bluez (Ubuntu)
Fix Released
Undecided
Unassigned
hal (Ubuntu)
Fix Released
Undecided
Unassigned

Bug Description

Binary package hint: hal

When HAL detected that libsmbios-bin is installed (as is the case with the default ubuntu-desktop install), it adds kill switch interfaces for Dell Bluetooth adapters. Unfortunately, the way that it uses this kill switch interface, it explicitly disables the hardware switch.

On some laptops, the BIOS SMI interface does not allow the software radio kill switch to turn on and off the bluetooth adapter. This causes the users to encounter a situation that the hardware switch has been disabled, and using a software switch, they can't turn the adapter back on.

To combat this problem, there is a two part solution:

1) The hardware kill switch needs to *not* be disabled. Users that have a functional software kill switch will not be affected. Users without a software kill switch will now be able to still modify with the hardware switch on their laptop.
2) A UDEV rule needs to be provided so that when the device is removed from the bus via the hardware kill switch, it will be switched back into HCI (Radio) mode.

Revision history for this message
Mario Limonciello (superm1) wrote :
Revision history for this message
Mario Limonciello (superm1) wrote :
Revision history for this message
Mario Limonciello (superm1) wrote :

FYI, the hal fix has already been accepted upstream: http://gitweb.freedesktop.org/?p=hal.git;a=commit;h=7c3c6fc0b2e6dbff27dfe8663a74bd4411e13875

Revision history for this message
Steve Langasek (vorlon) wrote :

Why does the bluez patch touch Makefile.am to install the udev rules file, but then also install it via debian/rules? I think it would be simpler to ship such files in debian/ and install them from there until they're accepted upstream, rather than patching Makefile.am/.in.

Otherwise, approved - please upload ASAP for inclusion in 8.10.

Revision history for this message
Launchpad Janitor (janitor) wrote :

This bug was fixed in the package hal - 0.5.11-4ubuntu4

---------------
hal (0.5.11-4ubuntu4) intrepid; urgency=low

  * 100_dell_killswitch.patch: don't disable the hardware switch
    for bluetooth radio on Dell laptops with the killswitch interface,
    only toggle software radio options. (LP: #288294)

 -- Mario Limonciello <email address hidden> Thu, 23 Oct 2008 14:03:54 -0500

Changed in hal:
status: New → Fix Released
Revision history for this message
Launchpad Janitor (janitor) wrote :

This bug was fixed in the package bluez - 4.12-0ubuntu5

---------------
bluez (4.12-0ubuntu5) intrepid; urgency=low

  * Add debian/hid2hci.rules to enable running hid2hci
    as soon as some bluetooth dongles get plugged in. (LP: #288294)
  * debian/bluez.postinst:
    - Update udev rules on postinst.
  * debian/rules:
    - Install debian/hid2hci.rules to 62-bluez-hid2hci.rules

 -- Mario Limonciello <email address hidden> Sat, 25 Oct 2008 23:32:00 -0500

Changed in bluez:
status: New → Fix Released
Revision history for this message
Nicolò Chieffo (yelo3) wrote :

This bug is present in my latitude E6400. only the bluez hid2hci part. I have the udev rule, but it seems that it is not called (I changed the run to create a file in /tmp, and the file wasn't created).

this is my lsusb:
Bus 003 Device 026: ID 413c:8158 Dell Computer Corp.
Bus 003 Device 025: ID 413c:8157 Dell Computer Corp.

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