Bluetooth class - 1 or 2 on MBP

Question

Bluetooth class - 1 or 2 on MBP

Hi..

I would like to know what bluetooth class the MBP (late 2008) has.
I can´t see anything in the system profiler.

Anyone ?

Best regards

Tue

MacBook Pro (late 2008), Mac OS X (10.6.2)

Posted on Mar 3, 2010 11:50 AM

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Answer 1

Rod Hagen

Level 7

32,000 points

Mar 3, 2010 12:54 PM in response to Tue_Noergaard

Hi Tue, and welcome to the forums.

It has BlueTooth 2.1+EDR (see http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/macbook_pro/stats/macbook-pro-core-2-duo-2 .53-aluminum-15-late-2008-unibody-specs.html)

The original Apple specs for these models can be found at http://support.apple.com/kb/SP499

Cheers

Rod

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Answer 2

Mar 3, 2010 12:54 PM in response to Rod Hagen

Hi and thanks 🙂

That I know - but that is not the same as class..

Class 1 gives a range up to 100 meters, class 2 gives up to 10 meters.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluetooth#Uses

Best regards

Tue

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Answer 3

Rod Hagen

Level 7

32,000 points

Mar 3, 2010 1:39 PM in response to Tue_Noergaard

Ah! OK.

I've always assumed that it was the "intermediate" range variety (ie Class 2). As far as I know the "long range " (ie Class 1) is pretty much only used industrial or military applications, and the "Short range" stuff (Class 3) is rarely found.

The actual range of the BT modules in my MBPs certainly fits with the "Class 2" specs you link to.

Apple's own claims of a 10 metre maximum range (see http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3887) would also fit with this.

Cheers

Rod

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Answer 4

Mar 3, 2010 2:12 PM in response to Rod Hagen

Hi..,

I also suspect that it´s a class2 - but wanted to check - since I would like to use a Class 1 unit.

I checked with system_profiler from a terminal :
BRCM2046 Hub:

Product ID: 0x4500
Vendor ID: 0x0a5c (Broadcom Corp.)
Version: 1.00
Speed: Up to 12 Mb/sec
Manufacturer: Apple Inc.
Location ID: 0x06100000
Current Available (mA): 500
Current Required (mA): 0

Bluetooth USB Host Controller:

Product ID: 0x8213
Vendor ID: 0x05ac (Apple Inc.)
Version: 1.80
Serial Number: 00236CA80779
Speed: Up to 12 Mb/sec
Manufacturer: Apple Inc.
Location ID: 0x06110000
Current Available (mA): 500
Current Required (mA): 0

That implies a bcm2046 chip - and I checked it a broadcom:
http://www.broadcom.com/products/Bluetooth/Bluetooth-RF-Silicon-and-Software-Sol utions/BCM2046

I also checked with ioreg:
+-o Broadcom2045FamilyUSBBluetoothHCIController <class Broadcom2045FamilyUSBBluetoothHCIController, id 0x1000011c8, registered, matched, active, busy 0 (2 ms)$
| | | | +-o IOBluetoothHCIUserClient <class IOBluetoothHCIUserClient, id 0x100001211, !registered, !matched, active, busy 0, retain 5>
| | | | +-o IOBluetoothHCIUserClient <class IOBluetoothHCIUserClient, id 0x100001236, !registered, !matched, active, busy 0, retain 5>
| | | | +-o IOBluetoothHCIUserClient <class IOBluetoothHCIUserClient, id 0x1000014f9, !registered, !matched, active, busy 0, retain

That implies a bcm2045 chip..
I looked that up at broadcom:
<a class="jive-link-external-small" href="http://">http://www.broadcom.com/products/Bluetooth/Bluetooth-RF-Silicon- and-Software-Solutions/BCM2045
Other sites mentions that this chip can be class1,2 and 3 depending on design.

I don´t know what Apple did, and that´s the answer i+m looking for 🙂

Best regards

Tue

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Answer 5

Rod Hagen

Level 7

32,000 points

Mar 3, 2010 3:49 PM in response to Tue_Noergaard

Seems to be definitely Class 2.

From http://developer.apple.com/mac/library/qa/qa2001/qa1278.html :

Technical Q&A QA1278
Bluetooth Radio Power Class for Apple Systems
Q: What are the preferred Bluetooth radio power specifications for Apple Macintosh systems?

A: Apple follows the Bluetooth Transmitter Characteristics laid out in the Bluetooth Specification >Version 1.1 for power class 2. Bluetooth Class 2 device provides a maximum transmitter output >power of 4dBm. This yields about 10 meters of range.

Apple promotes the use of Bluetooth power class 2 radios, rather than a more powerful class 1 >radio, to support Bluetooth development as a "cable replacement' solution for peripherals.

http://developer.apple.com/mac/library/documentation/DeviceDrivers/Conceptual/Bl uetooth/Bluetooth.pdf also refers repeatedly to a maximum range of about 10 metres.

Looks like you might need a USB device if you wish to use Class 1

Cheers

Rod

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Answer 6

Mar 3, 2010 3:54 PM in response to Rod Hagen

If you want to use a Class 1 device, and Class 2 range is acceptable, most every Class 1 device is backward compatible, and will work with a Class 2 interface at shortened range performance.

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Answer 7

Rod Hagen

Level 7

32,000 points

Mar 3, 2010 3:58 PM in response to Craig Brady

Yes. I get the feeling that it is actually the additional range that Tue is after, though.

Cheers

Rod

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Answer 8

Mar 4, 2010 12:04 AM in response to Rod Hagen

Hi..

It is the extended length I need so I´ll be able to access Cisco devices in large datacenters.

I notised that the links you refer to is a bit old. Some from 2003 and some from 2007. Apple might have changed the design in the new models - but I assume it´s a class 2 chip - even though the chip is able to handle class1.

I found a small usb bluetooth I could use - but I don´t know how OSX will fell about 2 bluetooth adapters in the same mac.
Have you tried that ?

Best regards

Tue

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Answer 9

Rod Hagen

Level 7

32,000 points

Mar 4, 2010 3:00 AM in response to Tue_Noergaard

Tue_Noergaard wrote:
... I don´t know how OSX will fell about 2 bluetooth adapters in the same mac.
Have you tried that ?

No, but I doubt it would be a problem, Tue, if the adaptor you are looking at is identified as Mac compatible. You can easily turn off the internal bluetooth device, and the other would simply appear as another option in your network options.

Cheers

Rod

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