Bluefruit EZ-Link Issues

For other supported Arduino products from Adafruit: Shields, accessories, etc.

Moderators: adafruit_support_bill, adafruit

Please be positive and constructive with your questions and comments.
User avatar
adafruit_support_rick
 
Posts: 35092
Joined: Tue Mar 15, 2011 11:42 am

Re: Bluefruit EZ-Link Issues

Post by adafruit_support_rick »

I'm not aware of any Adafruit resellers on eBay. Can you provide a link to the page you bought from?

User avatar
jim_grina
 
Posts: 22
Joined: Sun Jun 17, 2012 11:09 am

Re: Bluefruit EZ-Link Issues

Post by jim_grina »

Rick,

I think you know what an EZ-Link looks like but here is the text of the Ebay purchase:


ORDER DATE
Dec 18, 2014

ORDER TOTAL
US $25.99
Free shipping
View order details
Contact seller
More actions
1 item sold by atomsindustries
Adafruit Bluefruit EZ-Link Bluetooth Serial Link & Arduino Programmer BT RF FTDI
Adafruit Bluefruit EZ-Link Bluetooth Serial Link & Arduino Programmer BT RF FTDI
( 171315222112 ) <<< transaction number
Delivered on Mon, Dec 22
Tracking number: Tracking number420773399400110200883470901847 <<< shipping number

I would have purchased directly from Adafruit, but the item was out of stock at the time. I seriously support both Sparkfun and Adafruit as sources of open architecture hardware and software. I began in this business about the time that IBM tried to crush the IP protocol. IBM had just missed their opportunity to block X.25 networking and the IBM/Gates PC had not reached the market yet.

Jim

User avatar
adafruit_support_rick
 
Posts: 35092
Joined: Tue Mar 15, 2011 11:42 am

Re: Bluefruit EZ-Link Issues

Post by adafruit_support_rick »

I ask because eBay is loaded with counterfeit Adafruit and Arduino stuff.

I'm not sure what's going on with your system. I'll have to ask around here.

User avatar
adafruit2
 
Posts: 22151
Joined: Fri Mar 11, 2005 7:36 pm

Re: Bluefruit EZ-Link Issues

Post by adafruit2 »

Heya Jim, honestly we have never used two Bluefruit EZ-Links at once! they have different MAC addresses and you can use either at once but not together right? I'm not even sure the Bluetooth USB dongle can chat with two bluetooth clients at once....

User avatar
jim_grina
 
Posts: 22
Joined: Sun Jun 17, 2012 11:09 am

Re: Bluefruit EZ-Link Issues

Post by jim_grina »

My Windows 7 Lenovo desktop has wireless keyboard, wireless mouse --(not bluetooth though) I had both EZ-Links working for a brief time, then lost it. Now neither EZ-Link will connect to the Adafruit dongle. Bluetooth has a 1:N specification.

Currently, I have one powered down. The other shows up on the Device Manager.

The Devices and Printers section of the Control Panel shows:
Adafruit EZ-Link 4D81, says all is well with device.
Bluetooth dongle shows up as CSR8510 A10 and also says all is well.

Attempting to connect via the Serial Monitor in the Arduino IDE results in a frozen IDE with a frozen Serial monitor. Sometimes the IFE will report an error -

processing.app.SerialException: Serial port 'COM6' already in use. Try quiting any programs that may be using it.
at processing.app.Serial.<init>(Serial.java:171)
at processing.app.Serial.<init>(Serial.java:92)
at processing.app.SerialMonitor.openSerialPort(SerialMonitor.java:207)
at processing.app.Editor.handleSerial(Editor.java:2481)
at processing.app.EditorToolbar.mousePressed(EditorToolbar.java:353)
at java.awt.Component.processMouseEvent(Component.java:6260)
at javax.swing.JComponent.processMouseEvent(JComponent.java:3267)
at java.awt.Component.processEvent(Component.java:6028)
at java.awt.Container.processEvent(Container.java:2041)
at java.awt.Component.dispatchEventImpl(Component.java:4630)
at java.awt.Container.dispatchEventImpl(Container.java:2099)
at java.awt.Component.dispatchEvent(Component.java:4460)
at java.awt.LightweightDispatcher.retargetMouseEvent(Container.java:4574)
at java.awt.LightweightDispatcher.processMouseEvent(Container.java:4235)
at java.awt.LightweightDispatcher.dispatchEvent(Container.java:4168)
at java.awt.Container.dispatchEventImpl(Container.java:2085)
at java.awt.Window.dispatchEventImpl(Window.java:2475)
at java.awt.Component.dispatchEvent(Component.java:4460)
at java.awt.EventQueue.dispatchEvent(EventQueue.java:599)
at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpOneEventForFilters(EventDispatchThread.java:269)
at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForFilter(EventDispatchThread.java:184)
at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForHierarchy(EventDispatchThread.java:174)
at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEvents(EventDispatchThread.java:169)
at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEvents(EventDispatchThread.java:161)
at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.run(EventDispatchThread.java:122)

Disabling and enabling does not free up the port. Removing the Bluetooth device and reinstaalling it does not free up the port.
The IDE is fully capable of using the USB connections to program An UNO on a different Com port.


It's a bit frustrating. After attempting to remove all the bluetooth drivers and re installing them, Vodka seems to reduce the frustration, but further iterations do not help. Well maybe the three shots at the end do.

I didn't think about counterfeit EZ-Links. The EZ-Link shows up as an "other" device Adafruit EZ-Link 49d0 when purchased from Adafruit. The EZ-Link from an Ebay seller shows up as "Other". It did not pick up the identifiers from the installation. I pulled the info from the Bluetooth section of the properties data. General section shows Adafruit EZ-link 4d:81. So, I'll examine both EZLinks as single devices, since you have never tried two EZ-Links to a Bluetooth master. You have tried two EZ-Links as the endpoint of a single link. I read that somewhere in my searching.

Ohoh, it is possible that I bricked one of these links. The second one, from Ebay did originally connect and displayed loopback with Tx pin connected to Rx pin. It is entirely possible that in combining the two EZ-links on two different Unos, that I miss-connected the Ebay one. The first Ez-Link shows up as a "Standard" connection and the Ebay one shows "Authenticated". So, I have a clue as to the problem.

I will only have a single shot tonight and carefully examine the "Authernicated" one tomorrow. (Later today, it is 3:30 AM).
Can you confirm that EZlinks are back in stock? I got an email but the web page still says out of stock. Im going to get another one, because I think that multiple BT connections is possible.

User avatar
adafruit_support_rick
 
Posts: 35092
Joined: Tue Mar 15, 2011 11:42 am

Re: Bluefruit EZ-Link Issues

Post by adafruit_support_rick »

Looks like the EZ-Links are out of stock again. They're a popular item. Sorry.

User avatar
jim_grina
 
Posts: 22
Joined: Sun Jun 17, 2012 11:09 am

Re: Bluefruit EZ-Link Issues

Post by jim_grina »

It might not work with two EZ-Links, but I have an HC-5 and an Adafruit EZ-Link installed, both connected to copies of X-CTU, one uses COM6 and the other COM10.
I can send you screen shots if you want. The only difference between the two connections is that the Service properties on HC-05 uses Serial Port (SPP) 'DEv B' and the EZ-Link uses Serial Port (SPP) 'SPP DEv'. I'm not sure how I got two Serives drivers loaded, or even if these are separate drivers, but it is possible. The other noticeable item is that the EZ-Link blinks rapidly when attacked to X-CTU and the HC-05 does a double blink, pause pattern. Both echo back whatever I type, The EZ-link from Ebay only does a slow blink. It does install and Sevices shows Serial port (SPP) 'SPP DEv', but X-CTU says "Error: Unable to Open Comm Port."

I'll continue to updata, I have another HC-05 coming in the mail. Says delivery Dec 30. I'll see what happens with two HC-05s and an EZLink. I've also got 5 Arduino Mini Pros on the way. These were the intended remotes.

User avatar
adafruit2
 
Posts: 22151
Joined: Fri Mar 11, 2005 7:36 pm

Re: Bluefruit EZ-Link Issues

Post by adafruit2 »

EZ-links are out of stock while we develop a new test bed, but you may need to uninstall the bluetooth driver (device manager) then move it to another USB port - the microsoft bluetooth stack is iffy and can get into a 'bad state'

can you by chance test them with a Mac? that way you at least can tell if its the ez-link or the computer

User avatar
jim_grina
 
Posts: 22
Joined: Sun Jun 17, 2012 11:09 am

Re: Bluefruit EZ-Link Issues

Post by jim_grina »

I have a Mac, but with cheese. I now have three bluetooth modems installed and working. A BT-1011, an HC-05 and the original EZlink. The second EZlink refuses to provide an SPP COMxx connection. Is there something that defines each SPP service? Other than MAC address. Maybe the name?

Jim

User avatar
adafruit2
 
Posts: 22151
Joined: Fri Mar 11, 2005 7:36 pm

Re: Bluefruit EZ-Link Issues

Post by adafruit2 »

no idea, we can try replacing the EZ-Link, email support@adafruit and ask for a refund or new one!

User avatar
jim_grina
 
Posts: 22
Joined: Sun Jun 17, 2012 11:09 am

Re: Bluefruit EZ-Link Issues

Post by jim_grina »

OK, I'll wait for the new version of EZLink. In the meantime, I have two HC-05's, one EZLink, and one BT-1011, all connected and functioning on the CSR8510 dongle under windows 7. I'm waiting for the Arduino Mini Pro's tp arrive, then I can begin my wireless home automation.

Hope the EZLinks get back in stock soon.

User avatar
jim_grina
 
Posts: 22
Joined: Sun Jun 17, 2012 11:09 am

Re: Bluefruit EZ-Link Issues

Post by jim_grina »

OK, Ez-Links are still on backorder, but I have made some progress. First, Sparkfun's web page talks of bluetooth piconets. Pico is pretty small but the number is 7 as I understand it. In my case, pico of 7 might be OK. I currently am a few short of 7 functioning modules. One of my EZ-Link modules can't link (Adafruit will replace when new modules are available). So I'm working with one EZ-Link(the best) plus two HC-05s and one HC-06. All of these function nicely with my Arduino data gathering and my Megonulink PC display. Since the Arduino modules are MiniPro's, I have all of the Arduino functions available. The Adafruit EZ-Link (which should have the '-' removed), does all of the MiniPro programming and transmits the data back to a MegunoPro screen for datalogging and display. After confirming the EZ-Link(take out dash, please!) programming and function, I switch to HC-05/06 modules. This is a function of my picobudget, not the capability of EZ-Link.. I have a total of 5 MiniPro's talking to the MegunoPro data plotting/display/logging. This is less than Sparkfun describes as the Bluetooth piconet, but my pico-budget is now at 5 datastreams.I have two more HC-05s and another EZ-Link(NO DASH PLEASE!) on order. This should allow me to test the Windows 7 limit of Bluetooth piconets. I have a couple of other wireless modules and an Arduino Mega which could talk on a stripped down network, using the hardware serial ports. But that is another budget, and some more wireless exploration.

Jim

User avatar
jim_grina
 
Posts: 22
Joined: Sun Jun 17, 2012 11:09 am

Re: Bluefruit EZ-Link Issues

Post by jim_grina »

After experimenting with several Bluetooth adapters, I still like the EZLink the best. I might try the Sparkfun Bluetooth Mate Gold, it appears to have a range of 100 meters, not the standard 10 meters, but it can't handle Arduino programming, and it's not clear what PC bluetooth port I would use to get 100 meter range.

There is one curios think about EZlink. It appears to be a a wireless version of the FTDI USB adapter, but it really isn't. All the Arduino MiniPro's that I have, have two ground connections, while the EZLink uses one of these pins to supply high DSR. My power supply does not like that. So, I cut off the pin on the connector. My power supply is much happier. Second, the Mini Pro's that I have expect the power to flow from the FDTI to the EZLink. EZLink has no capability to do this. So, I soldered a pair of jumpers to the back of the EZLink, one red and one black, for power and ground. Now the Mini Pro thinks that the wireless connection is an FDTI connection and all is happy. Except me, I have these crude jumpers sticking out of the back of my EZLink module. So, I live with crude. But I expect Adafruit to be elegant.

I'm beginning my Internet of everything. Up to seven bluetooth connections to my main PC, maybe more? And each connection is wireless, some battery powered and some wallwarts. Each module supports three DS18B20 temp probes, I'll expand the capability as I find more sensors and actuators. I have current sensors up to 200 amps, motion detectors, ambient light measurement, thinking about RFID. The actuators would mostly be 110-220 volt optical relays, but I've also got a substantial amount of LED lighting. In the back corner, I have two Peltier heat/cool elements with appropriate fans. Lots of stuff, lots of work to integrate.

This Internet of Everything is very interesting. In the beginning, the Internet was a powerful concept, and a critical part of national defense. I read the RFC's as they came out, trying to piece the ideas together. Interop was a great place to see the concepts in action. WWW was a powerful addition to the Internet. Mosaic provided a method for particle physics to distribute discoveries in real time. Science Magazine became the slow way to publish. The Web over the Internet penetrated all corners of the world, and brought people who were interested in similar things together on a daily basis, not just a once a year conference. Snail mail went by airplane, Email went at the speed of light.

May you live in interesting times, I have.

Jim

Locked
Please be positive and constructive with your questions and comments.

Return to “Other Arduino products from Adafruit”