Aspire Switch 10 (SW5-011-18R3) Bluetooth pairs and disconnects

FrankP
FrankP Member Posts: 9 New User
edited March 2023 in 2015 Archives

I have a Aspire Switch 10 (SW5-011-18R3) with Bluetooth connectivity issue.

 

Already updated BIOS to 1.06 and all window updates done. Bluetooth pairs with other units and then disconnects after 15 seconds.

 

I exchanged the tablet for another brand new one and same problem again.

 

Does anyone have an Aspire Switch 10 (SW5-011-18R3) with a similar problem?

I am trying to ascertain if this is a wide-spread issue with the Aspire Switch 10 (SW5-011-18R3)

or extreme bad luck with the 2 units I got.

 

Think of it, does anyone have a Aspire Switch 10(SW5-011-18R3) with a fully fonctioning Bluetooth?

Best Answer

  • FrankP
    FrankP Member Posts: 9 New User
    Answer ✓

    Your last post got me to think of the problem in a different way and I did some more poking in the system.

     

    My goal was simple, being able to transfer files from a phone or other tablet to the Aspire, and this was the problem because the connection did not stay on and the transfer did not proceed.

     

    I found the way to do it and also discovered that there may be some sort of firmware or software issue with the device, but it can still be done.

     

    Solution:

    -Bluetooth must be turned on

    -Pair your devices (pairing initiated from Aspire), connection won't stay on but it does not matter

    -Go to desktop

    -right click Bluetooth icon(taskbar), and get ribbon options

    -choose receive a file from the menu( new panel opens)

    -Then send your file from your other device to the Aspire

     

    Now, normally when you are sending a file to the Aspire, the Aspire should normally give you an alert that another device is trying to connect or is trying to transfer a file, but it doesn't( even with the bluetooth settings properly set for notifications).

     

    So essantially, unless you prompt the system by opening this "receive file" panel, the system simple refuses any incoming traffic and does not give you an alert to authorise the transfer. It initiates the transfer, but then disconnects because there is no authorisation. Opening the "receive file" serves as the authorisation and the transfer can proceed.

     

     

    Thanks for your inputs, and specially for the last one that made me think of the problem from a different angle.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

Answers

  • billsey
    billsey ACE Posts: 34,219 Trailblazer

    Check the power settings on your bluetooth adapter. That type of problem is usually caused by too agressive of a setting, powering the device down after a few seconds instead of either leaving it up all the time or leaving it up for a longer time.

    Click on "Like" if you find my answer useful or click on "Yes" if it answers your question.
  • FrankP
    FrankP Member Posts: 9 New User

    I went into the Contol Panel--- Device and Printers-- Device Manager--Bluetooth-- Bluetooth Radio  section, and under the Power Management tab , and I unchecked the " Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power".

     

    I gave it another try and got the same result. It pairs up and disconnects.

     

    Now here is something very interesting. I tried sending a files FROM the tablet TO the phone using bluetooth and it worked even if the tablet says it is not connected to the phone.

     

    I tried with another tablet and it worked FROM the Aspire TO the other tablet, but not the other way around.

     

    Same when sending from the phone to the tablet,-- still does not work.  

     

    Any idea of how this can be? 

  • billsey
    billsey ACE Posts: 34,219 Trailblazer

    The only thing I can think of is when sending data from the Switch 10 the bluetooth 'knows' about the transfer and keeps the device active. When going the other way it doesn't neccessarily know if the transfer is active, so believes it can shut down. There is likely more than the one driver to deal with. Check the drivers listed under USB. The hardware treats the bluetooth connection as an internal USB connection.

    Click on "Like" if you find my answer useful or click on "Yes" if it answers your question.
  • FrankP
    FrankP Member Posts: 9 New User

    Sorry for the delay in answering to your suggestion... holidays and all...and very frustrated that I ended up having to give a deffective tablet  to my daughther for Christmas knowing that the bluetooth does not work-- not very happy about it...

     

    In any case,...

     

    I followed your advice and I went to the USB section, and I unchecked the " Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power" for all USB's and still the same problem.  I am starting to feel the frustration levels going up...

     

    Any other suggestions? 

     

    I'm starting to think that if I can't solve this bluetooth issue, I may have to return that tablet also and buy a Samsung tab instead.

     

    Thanks

     

     

  • billsey
    billsey ACE Posts: 34,219 Trailblazer

    I'm afraid I'm out of suggestions. If it's not an issue with the tablet putting bluetooth to sleep too quickly then it is likely a hardware issue with the bluetooth module. Contact Acer and they should be able to do a reasonably quick swap out under warranty for you.

     

    I wasn't aware that Samsung has released a Windows tablet... It wouldn't surprise me, though I thought I'd have heard about it before now. What are the specs?

    Click on "Like" if you find my answer useful or click on "Yes" if it answers your question.
  • FrankP
    FrankP Member Posts: 9 New User

    Thanks for your efforts and input.

     

    There are no Samsung tablets with window system yet-- that I am aware of. In fact the main reason I bought the Acer Aspire Switch was for the window system and the fact that it came with office student. My thinking was that my daughther (10 YO) would get to learn the window system and office on an inexpensive and very portable unit.

     

    Now, I had read that there was some firmware issues with the first units that came out of production, but that updates and fixes had been released and my thinking was that Acer while on the low end of tablets, would still want to put in the market a decent product.(...)

     

    Honestly, if Samsung had a tablet with Window, I would have paid more for a more reliable product. I know that over millions of units you are bound to have a very- very small percentage with manufacturing issues, but I bought 2 units from Amazon  10 days apart and both had the same problem. Do the stats on the likelyhood of that happening and it tells you that for this to happen, top quality of product is not a primary concern of Acer.

     

    In any case, if you come up with a flash of inspiration for other possible solutions, I will appreciate.

  • billsey
    billsey ACE Posts: 34,219 Trailblazer

    I guess we should explore to see if it is a compatibility problem with all bluetooth devices or just one. What are you pairing with? When I tested with a Switch 10 (early model) I used some bluetooth headphones without noticing an issue...

    Click on "Like" if you find my answer useful or click on "Yes" if it answers your question.
  • FrankP
    FrankP Member Posts: 9 New User

    I tried to connect with 2 different Samsung Galaxy 4 ( SGH-1337)phones and a Hi-sense pro 7 tablet.

     

    All 3 devices have never had any connectivity issues with any bluetooth devices ( car bluetooth systems, other phones, TVs, etc...)

  • billsey
    billsey ACE Posts: 34,219 Trailblazer

    OK, what may be going on can be thought of as host vs client devices. Devices like keyboards and headphones are clients. Devices like phones and tablets are hosts. You are trying to connect two hosts together. What do you wish to do once they are connected?

    Click on "Like" if you find my answer useful or click on "Yes" if it answers your question.
  • FrankP
    FrankP Member Posts: 9 New User
    Answer ✓

    Your last post got me to think of the problem in a different way and I did some more poking in the system.

     

    My goal was simple, being able to transfer files from a phone or other tablet to the Aspire, and this was the problem because the connection did not stay on and the transfer did not proceed.

     

    I found the way to do it and also discovered that there may be some sort of firmware or software issue with the device, but it can still be done.

     

    Solution:

    -Bluetooth must be turned on

    -Pair your devices (pairing initiated from Aspire), connection won't stay on but it does not matter

    -Go to desktop

    -right click Bluetooth icon(taskbar), and get ribbon options

    -choose receive a file from the menu( new panel opens)

    -Then send your file from your other device to the Aspire

     

    Now, normally when you are sending a file to the Aspire, the Aspire should normally give you an alert that another device is trying to connect or is trying to transfer a file, but it doesn't( even with the bluetooth settings properly set for notifications).

     

    So essantially, unless you prompt the system by opening this "receive file" panel, the system simple refuses any incoming traffic and does not give you an alert to authorise the transfer. It initiates the transfer, but then disconnects because there is no authorisation. Opening the "receive file" serves as the authorisation and the transfer can proceed.

     

     

    Thanks for your inputs, and specially for the last one that made me think of the problem from a different angle.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • billsey
    billsey ACE Posts: 34,219 Trailblazer

    Great! With that method things work at least. We'll have to watch for a driver update that correctly launches the authentication on transfer request. I wonder if the functionality is there and it's just turned off, or if they don't even have it included. Most people do file transfers via WiFi, so it probably doesn't show up often.

    Click on "Like" if you find my answer useful or click on "Yes" if it answers your question.
  • togoyette
    togoyette Member Posts: 1 New User

    I have the same problem keeping a bluetooth connection open.  From my searching across the internet, it is not limited to Acer.  The solution one person found was to revert to the windows 7 driver for the bluetooth radio.  I'd like to try this but don't know the manufacturer of the bluetooth radio.  The broadcom update program says it isn't one of there's.  Can anyone tell me the manufacturer of the bluetooth radio in the Acer Aspire Switch 10?  

  • laskeenni
    laskeenni Member Posts: 8

    Tinkerer
    Thanks for the partial solution for this post, but this is hugely annoying. I bought a Windows Phone and a Windows tablet exactly because I thought those would be able to connect wirelessly without a hassle. I cannot browse the content of my phone wirelessly, I cannot do anything with it from the computer wirelessly. This Bluetooth functionality is useless. Do Acer want to do something with it?
  • manuelgonzalezm
    manuelgonzalezm Member Posts: 3 New User

    thanks for your information, i had the same problem with my aspire switch 10 but now my laptop with your solution goes excellent. thank you very much.

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