Bluetooth - Connection Failed: blueman.bluez.errors.DBusFailedError: Protocol Not available

16.04 bluetooth pulseaudio headset bluez

130,979

Solution 1

The solution from this article worked for me:

sudo apt-get install pulseaudio-module-bluetooth
pactl load-module module-bluetooth-discover

Then delete the device from bluetooth devices and pair it again.

If it works, you can consider adding the second command to your startup settings, so that you don't have to run it again after every reboot.

If it doesn't work, try restarting pulseaudio:

pulseaudio -k
pulseaudio -D

Solution 2

What did work for me was this: (as pointed above by Sebastian Widz)

$ sudo apt-get purge pulseaudio  
$ rm ~/.config/pulse && sudo killall pulseaudio  
$ sudo apt-get install pulseaudio  
$ pulseaudio --start

The above to ensure pulse is working first.
Then, this one, which is a bit weird that doesn't come by default with pulseaudio itself:

$ sudo apt-get install pulseaudio-module-bluetooth  
$ pactl load-module module-bluetooth-discover

A bit redundant I know, but these were the exact steps that worked for me 10 minutes ago.
But OK, at least it works now :)

130,979

psedach

Updated on September 18, 2022

Comments

psedach over 1 year
I'm trying to add a BlueParrott B-250XT+ bluetooth headset on a Thinkpad X230 tablet running Ubuntu 16.04 with its hardware bluetooth adapter.

The adapter works - meaning it detects/sees the headset. However, when connecting to the headset it initially connects, then this error pops up:
```
Connection Failed: blueman.bluez.errors.DBusFailedError: Protocol Not available
```
Afterwards, the Headset disconnects and future connections are impossible - this is some sort of failure/error that causes the bluetooth to be unresponsive afterwards.

I have Pulseaudio installed and I have bluetooth set to load after X11 (this is what got me this far - to the point I can connect). But, as mentioned, the device gets dumped shortly after connection.
- Admin almost 8 years
  
  same problem here. I have a fresh xubuntu installation on my dell latitude e6410 laptop. Trying to connect to JBL Charge3 speaker. The device was paired, but i can connect only to serial port. When Try to connect to audio sink or headset I get Connection Failed: blueman.bluez.errors.DBusFailedError: Protocol not available
- Admin almost 8 years
  
  I advice to try on a (live) Ubuntu 15.10 first, so that you can have an idea if the problem is in the BT stack version. Ubuntu 16.04 had a bluetooth stack update which significantly broke BT functionality.
- Admin almost 8 years
  
  That is a really good idea! I will try some live CDs when I have the time. Thanks,
- Admin about 6 years
  
  Note that on ArchLinux the package to install is named pulseaudio-bluetooth instead of pulseaudio-module-bluetooth. Just leaving a note here since this is the first result that comes up in the Google search.
Korri over 7 years

Worked for me, but I need to do that every time I reboot...
lepe over 7 years

Worked on Xubuntu 16.04 on Lenovo G580. If you are hearing the sound through the laptop speakers after successfully pairing it, try changing the profile at Volume Control -> Configuration -> Built-in Audio.
Farrukh Arshad over 7 years

Thanks man. Worked for me on Ubuntu GNOME 16.04 with Sony MDR-XB70BT
rom5jp over 7 years

It worked for me (Nokia BH-503). Thank you very much.
Bobby S about 7 years

Has anyone found a more permanent solution for this yet?
Vlagorce about 7 years

Worked for Jabra revo
Emilien about 7 years

Here is another post in addition to @lepe's comment
maxime.bochon almost 7 years

Worked for me on Ubuntu Studio 16.10 with a UE Mobile Boombox. Thanks!
ty812 almost 7 years

Worked on my MPOW-059 with xubuntu 16.10
Ian Mackinnon over 6 years

@psedach, be aware that message will show if one attempts to load the module when it's already loaded. You can test whether it's loaded with pactl list | grep module-bluetooth-discover.
Bertie92 over 6 years

Worked for me (JBL E50BT)
Abe Petrillo over 6 years

Step 1 only worked for me. Thanks.
tokam over 6 years

For me the solution did not work
tokam over 6 years

root@localhost:~# pactl list Verbindungsfehler: Verbindung verweigert pa_context_new() fehlgeschlagen: Verbindung verweigert
Martin - マーチン over 5 years

My default pulse configuration file /etc/pulse/default.pa there was already the configuration line in there. .ifexists module-bluetooth-discover.so \n load-module module-bluetooth-discover \n .endif On the next startup, it worked out-of-the-box. (\n added to symbolise linebreaks that were there)
Admin over 5 years

@IanMackinnon - that message will show if one attempts to load the module when it's already loaded - in which case what is the path to follow? I cannot make it work at this point unless I restart or reinstall bluez. If I delete the device it is not seen again until reboot or bluez-reinstall. (In my case this mostly appears after logging out.)
Luis over 4 years

A way to make this change permanent is in this answer
Cerin about 4 years

This answer doesn't work. On Ubuntu, it just gives me Failure: Module initialization failed and E: [pulseaudio] main.c: Daemon startup failed.
MikeH London about 4 years

Brilliant - yes thanks - works fine on Lubuntu 18.04 with kernel 4.15: I found this AFTER doing an upgrade of the bluetooth itself which made no difference at all - staggering that a dependency like this can be left missing.
ksg91 about 3 years

Thanks, this worked for me! It seems that sometime pulse's configs get messed up preventing connection to my BT headsets.
let champagne open about 2 years

Worked for me in Xubuntu 21.10.