Using the 3COM 3CREB96B Bluetooth Dongle in Windows XP SP2

N.B. I have been told that this also workd for the original 3COM 3CREB96 Bluetooth USB dongle.

If like myself, you have a 3COM 3CREB96B bluetooth dongle and run Windows XP SP2 then read on. The Bluetooth Connection Manager software supplied with the Bluetooth dongle is, to say the least, very poor. Although it does the job, i was constantly being presented with dialog boxes warning me that my bluetooth devices are out of range and uncontactable. When you are using synchronisation software that polls for the presence of the bluetooth device on a regular basis, having to click OK everytime it polls if the device is turned off is a pain.

There is another way!!

Since the release of Windows XP Service Pack 2, Windows now contains support for Bluetooth dongles. However the 3COM 3CREB96B is not on the list of supported devices, and so does not work out of the box. If you follow the simple steps listed below, you will now be able to use your 3CREB96B dongle without needing to use the 3COM Bluetooth Connection Manager Software.

Please note that the following requires you to edit an operating system file. Although it is a very simple change, if you are not confident or happy that you can do this, then please do not attempt this modification.

Step 1

Uninstall your 3COM Bluetooth Connection Manager Software

Step 2

Disconnect your 3COM 3CREB96B Bluetooth Adapter from your computer

Step 3

Using Windows Explorer browse on your C: drive to your windows directory (Usually c:\Windows or c:\WINNT). Go to the subdirectory called Inf. Locate the file bth.inf and make a backup. Open bth.inf up in a suitable text editor (Wordpad or notepad).

Locate the section named [Manufacturer] and add the following line

3COM=3COM, NT.5.1

The Manufacturer Section should now start like this

[Manufacturer] %Microsoft%=Microsoft 3COM=3COM, NT.5.1 ALPS=ALPS, NT.5.1 Belkin=Belkin, NT.5.1 .... .... ....

Immediately below the manufacturers section there should be a comment labelled Device section - Start. Below this, insert the following line

[3COM.NT.5.1] 3com 3CREB96B= BthUsb, USB\Vid_0506&Pid_00A0

The Device section should now start like this

;------------- Device section - Start ----------------------- [3COM.NT.5.1] 3com 3CREB96B= BthUsb, USB\Vid_0506&Pid_00A0 [ALPS.NT.5.1] ALPS Integrated Bluetooth Device= BthUsb, USB\Vid_044e&Pid_3005 Alps Bluetooth USB Adapter= BthUsb, USB\Vid_044e&Pid_3006 .... .... ....

Save the file.

Step 4

Insert your bluetooth dongle. It should be detected automatically by Windows XP and you can now start using your bluetooth devices.