Unable to use bluetooth on my device

Question

Problem

I'm unable to use bluetooth. During the boot, I get this error:

usb 1-1.1: firmware: failed to load ar3k/AthrBT_0x01020200.dfu (-2)
Bluetooth: Loading patch file failed

Laptop: Asus x201e OS: Debian 9.2.1 Mate

What I've tried

https://askubuntu.com/questions/574312/why-bluetooth-or-usb-3-0-fails-to-load-during-booting

echo "blacklist ath3k" | sudo tee /etc/modrobe.d/ath3k.conf

get this

debian@debian:~$ echo "blacklist ath3k" | sudo tee /etc/modrobe.d/ath3k.conf
tee: /etc/modrobe.d/ath3k.conf: No such file or directory
blacklist ath3k

also I've tried this:

sudo apt install firmware-atheros

output:

E: Unable to locate package firmware-atheros

I've also tried those instructions to build the firmware https://wiki.debian.org/ath9k_htc/open_firmware

December 29th, 2017 Edit: I still have that issue unresolved.

Solution 1

E: Unable to locate package firmware-atheros

The firmware-atheros is a non-free software , you should have the non-free component to your sources.list.

Edit your sources.list (as root):

apt edit-sources

This is a sample sources.list( debian wiki : SourcesList):

deb  http://deb.debian.org/debian stretch main contrib non-free
deb-src  http://deb.debian.org/debian stretch main contrib non-free

deb  http://deb.debian.org/debian stretch-updates main contrib non-free
deb-src  http://deb.debian.org/debian stretch-updates main contrib non-free

deb http://security.debian.org/ stretch/updates main contrib non-free
deb-src http://security.debian.org/ stretch/updates main contrib non-free

Save then run :

apt update
apt install firmware-atheros

The package firmware-atheros provide the ath3k driver as the description say:

This package contains the binary firmware for USB wireless network and Bluetooth cards supported by the ar5523, ath3k, ath6kl_sdio, ath6kl_usb, ath9k_htc or ath10k drivers.

To load the driver:

modprobe -v ath3k

Solution 2

I'm having the same problem on an Asus X200CA. This is what I had to do to get it to work.

Install firmware-atheros from non-free repo and GNOME Blueman - KDE's Bluetooth Manager is broken and fails to add devices. apt install firmware-atheros blueman

If you do not have non-free then add it to /etc/apt/sources.list deb http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/ stretch main contrib non-free deb http://security.debian.org/debian-security stretch/updates main contrib non-free deb http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/ stretch-updates main contrib non-free

Blacklist ath3k temporarily touch /etc/modprobe.d/ath3k.conf blacklist ath3k

Remove ath3k module rmmod ath3k

Add InitiallyPowered=true to /etc/bluetooth/main.conf

Reboot - BlueTooth will not work on this reboot

Remove the temporary Module blacklist rm /etc/modprobe.d/ath3k.conf

Load the ath3k module modprobe ath3k

reboot - bluetooth should work

rfkill list - should say "No" "No"

If not run: rfkill 1 unblock

hciconfig - should say "up running"

if not run: hciconfig hci0 up

Comments

[Ferenc Wágner]

Try modprobe.d instead of modrobe.d. Otherwise, I've got no idea.