[SOLVED] Why is Wi-Fi working but not Bluetooth on new card ?

Jun 26, 2022
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I have just bought a Wi-Fi and Bluetooth card, specifically the Atheros AR5B225. I have installed the drivers for both the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, but only the Wi-Fi is working. The troubleshooter tells me that my "Device does not have Bluetooth", and the Bluetooth card does not show up in the Device Manager, even with "Show hidden devices" on. I have tried restarting the Bluetooth support service, but there is no way for me to turn Bluetooth on. Could this be because of how I installed the card? It is a half mini-PCIe card, but I am using an adapter so that it fits in the PCIe x1 slot on my motherboard.
 
Solution
Is there a reason why laptops and desktops don't use the same system for PCI bluetooth cards?

The laptops use a smaller PCI-E interface called mini PCI-E.

On some cards (like yours) only the Wireless Internet will work, if you want both Wireless and Bluetooth to work you must use an adapter with built-in power connector.

Some of the adapters with power connector :

Hf9bf00e031ea4f5ca653c39314045c22E.jpg




217ab7203373a149ba6604f8ee2e6dfb.jpg
Jun 26, 2022
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I don’t know the reason, but the fact is that all wifi bluetooth combo cards for desktop motherboards I have seen have a cable that connects the card to a USB header on the mobo.
If this is not done the mobo does not see the Bluetooth part, which is probably your situation.
Wait for others opinion
 
Is there a reason why laptops and desktops don't use the same system for PCI bluetooth cards?

The laptops use a smaller PCI-E interface called mini PCI-E.

On some cards (like yours) only the Wireless Internet will work, if you want both Wireless and Bluetooth to work you must use an adapter with built-in power connector.

Some of the adapters with power connector :

Hf9bf00e031ea4f5ca653c39314045c22E.jpg




217ab7203373a149ba6604f8ee2e6dfb.jpg
 
Solution
So that would give me the ability to use Bluetooth?

That should, it's written on the product description, the 9-pin USB header is used to power the Bluetooth part, without the power the Bluetooth won't appear in your Windows settings.

Also would those aerials on the back be interfered with by the USB ports on the back of my PC? I had a previous Bluetooth chip that plugged into the back I/O get extremely bad interference from the unshielded USB connections near it.

I think when they designed the card with both Wireless and Bluetooth on it, they should have taken that issue into account.

BTW I didn't hear about the USB ports emitting bad interference, maybe a device that you use with one of the USB ports could?
 
bluetooth on those cards is connected with USB be it mini pcie or pci-e m2 slot, both of them have wired usb for bluetooth
adapters like this needs to have USB header which you have to connect to mainboard as deskptop PCI-E doesnt have USB available on pcie-lanes, m2 wifi slot does have it, but your adapter isnt using m2 wifi slot
adapter you bought will never have bluetooth available, no matter if you use some sort of cables or not

what was mentioned above by buin cables from 5th picture wont work either, that cable is for mini pcie USB3 card (which is also on that picture), but then where would you connect your wifi card if you plug there USB card?

you need adapter with USB signal available, here is some example:
https://nl.aliexpress.com/item/1005002382342784.html?gatewayAdapt=glo2nld
 
Jun 26, 2022
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I think that I will just get a new Wi-Fi and Bluetooth card, I can sell the AR5B225 for around 15 NZD (10 EUR/USD), and the adapter didn't cost much so its not really a loss. I will buy a desktop card, to save all of this rubbish happening.

Moral of the story, don't cheap out and buy laptop parts.
 

Karadjgne

Titan
Ambassador
There you go, my mb and my mouse are from around the era USB 3.0 was new.
Mouse will be USB2, there's not enough data sent to the mobo to warrant anything with higher bandwidth, same applies to keyboards, even argb or customizable, macros and led screens don't have any requirements to be usb3.0 or better.

Exterior of all USB connectors, whether cable or motherboard is a ground, so the only thing that could possibly be construed as a 'leak' by being non-shielded was any of the original USB3.0 cables. Even i/o shields are often grounded, contacting grounds in multiple points not limited to the frame of most better cases.