Use your computer to receive your mobile phone calls via the hands-free/headset profile using Bluetooth (WM5)
Would you like to see who is calling your mobile on your PC? Are you in an environment where your phone has to be silent? Do you miss calls?
This walkthrough will show you how to connect your Windows Mobile 5 Smartphone to your Windows XP PC via Bluetooth. This is likely to work for most Bluetooth phones and all operating systems that support Bluetooth though the method will be slightly different on other platforms.
This method also works for Windows Vista. I have not had success in getting caller ID information, but a message does show up on the screen saying that there is an incoming call. Be careful not to attach Vistas voice gateway service as your calls will be answered automatically. To get this going in Vista, follow the steps below as the set up for Vista and XP are almost identical.
There are heaps of fun and interesting things you can do with Bluetooth. Check out some of my other How-To’s and have a play.
Bluetooth has many services which you can use. For this How-to I am only going to focus on the hands-free service, although part of this process is the pairing of the devices. Each Bluetooth device offers only a few services but all smartphones I have seen offer the hands-free service.
Not all bluetooth adaptors will allow for the use of the hands-free service. It works with my Belkin adaptor but it has not been possible on some laptops I have come across. To find out if your PC is capable, open up “My computer”, click “My Bluetooth Places”, click “View my Bluetooth Services”. Look for Hands-free or Headset profile and you should be alright. This may also be dependent on your drivers.
One of the drawbacks with Bluetooth is that it drains the battery of your device whilst it is switched on. My batteries lose power twice as fast with it on and connected to another device. This is slightly annoying but if you are willing to charge your phone ever 1-2 days, you will be fine. You probably have these features, so you may as well see if you can use them.
What you need:
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Windows Mobile 5 Bluetooth handset.
I will be using a HP Ipaq rw6828, as companies make changes to WM5, some of the menu’s may look different.
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PC/Laptop running Windows XP
Up to date, Service Pack 2 is probably required
-
Bluetooth built-in to your laptop or a Bluetooth USB Adaptor.
These are available in most IT shops and range in price greatly. I use a Belkin Bluetooth USB Adaptor - Model F8T013 I bought at Harvey Norman. No name brand adaptors can be found at local computer shops for around $20, though I have no idea if these will offer the hands-free service.
I am assuming drivers have been installed on the computer for the Bluetooth ready PC or Laptop.
Pairing the Smartphone with your Computer.
In order to use the Hands-free service we first need to pair the Smartphone with your computer. This enables the Bluetooth communication between the two devices.
On your WM5 Smartphone, tap on the following buttons
tap Start
tap Settings
tap Connections
tap Bluetooth 
tap Mode,
both boxes should be ticked, this turns Bluetooth on
tap Devices
tap New Partnership
Your Smartphone will now scan the area for Bluetooth devices and list them
tap “Your computer’s name” and press Next
Your Smartphone will now ask you to enter a passkey. This is a code that you put in to allow for a secure connection between your Smartphone and your computer. You make this key up in most cases and if you do forget it in the future, you can re-pair the devices. They are usually 4 characters long and numeric. I usually use 1234 or 9876. Another option is to use the last 4 digits of a phone number associated with the mobile phone. I don’t see there being huge security issues here but if you have sensitive data on your Smartphone you may want to look into Bluetooth security.
Enter your passkey, e.g. 1234 or 2435
tap Next
Your PC will request the Passkey. Click on the bubble popup
Enter your Passkey and Press OK
You should see that your connection is successful. Icon will change to aqua.
Back on your Smartphone: select Hands-Free Service
tap Finish
Setting your Computer as the Hands-free device
You will be sent back to your partnerships list and your device should now see your computer in the list. Tap on “Your Computer Name” for 2 seconds and a menu will pop up. Select “Set as Hands-free”
After communication takes place (around 5 seconds) the headset icon will appear up the top of your Smartphone.
If all has gone to plan you will now be able to accept calls to your mobile through your PC. When the mobile is dialled a popup will appear down the bottom right of the screen displaying the number.
Not only that, if you click on the bubble you will be given the option to Accept or Reject the call.
If you connect your computer to a microphone and headphones you can have your conversation using your computer whilst your phone is in another room. There is a whole world of things that can be done using the hands-free service. Using your PC to record phone calls is easy to achieve and sometimes useful.
Your smartphone should reconnect automatically when you are near the computer, my computer reconnects with my phones automatically saving me from having to manually set hands free.
I hope that you have found this How-to useful and that you will stick around to check out some of my other How-to’s at Inspect My Gadget.
Handy! Works like YAC, but now for my mobile. Thanks
What bluetooth software did you use on your pc
I think for this one I was using the Widcomm stack but I have done it succesfully with multiple stacks.
I used this how to, to pair my Sony Ericsson w810i with my Dell Inspiron 6400, it works, but the only problem is i don’t recieve a tooltip bubble telling me that i have a call, it automatically answers it.
Does anyone have any suggestions about how i can fix this?
I also have the Widcomm stack on win64 with the latest drivers from Broadcom. I would love to get my Samsung Trace working in hands-free mode just like it does with the Pioneer head unit of my car. The hands-free profile isn’t available in win64. Anyone an idea of what stack to use as an alternative that works fine in win64? Most manufacturers seem to use Widcomm. Is the Toshiba PA3455U-1BTM using its own stack?
I can hear the other end of the conversation on my computer’s speakers just fine, but they cannot hear me. I have my microphone plugged in and I can hear myself over my speakers, but the other end cannot.
Any idea, IMG?
Thanks in advance,
Brandon
I’m trying to use my XP laptop as a hands free device. I followed the instructions above. However, set as Hands Free option is greyed out. I have a XV6700 running Windows Mobile 5. Hands free works with other devices on this phone
Brandon & James, for both situations I think it may be to do with limitations of the Bluetooth on the computer. If you try a different Bluetooth stack (broadcom)you might be able to get it up and running. You may lose some functionality that your current stack is giving you, so you would want to weigh up if it is worth it.
With all the complications and practicality, this tutorial is mostly focusing on using your computer as a caller ID system for your phone, rather than to send and receive calls via your computer. It can be done, but it doesn’t work flawlessly.
What bluetooth software did you use on your pc
I am currently using the default Microsoft stack, but in the past I have had a lot of success using Widcomm stack. They both offer a few different features. I think Widcomm is best for this type of stuff.
It’s nice but I think it would be more useful to do the same trick with a mobile computer. For example, I have a Nokia 6288 phone and an ASUS MyPal A696, both devices bluetooth enabled.
I use this Pocket PC as a GPS device. It would be great to use it also as a hands free set when I’m driving.
Is this possible? I tried to search the Web but didn’t find much so far. One answer was that Windows Mobile doesn’t have a necessary profile. Does it mean the thing can’t be done?
Thank you,
Michael
Do I get SMS/Message alert from bluetooth?
Is there a method by which i can recieve mobile phone calls using active sync by USB. (Non bluetooth method)
Hi Geri, I played around trying to get that to happen today and had no success. I have only succeeded in popups using the Bluetooth method and landline calls.
If you can set your device up as a dial up modem on your computer, you will probably have some luck, but I don’t know if it is possible to do. I couldn’t make it happen.
i’ve usb bluetooth bluesoleil all active service with my nokia 6120c (file transfer,dial up modem) how can active the other servis (lan ,headset,serial port)
can i do this with my sony Ericsson k310i. can i receive phone calls via my mobile on my computer.
Hey Neeraj, I think that phone can do this. There may be limitations of answering calls, but seeing a caller ID popup is fairly elementary for any device that has Bluetooth and the headset/handfree profile.
I have set it up as instructed - using HTC Mogul with bluetooth and Lenovo ThinkPad X61. I installed WidComm stack from Lenovo drivers and can answer calls and hear them on the PC, but i get no pop up nor caller id information. I followed instructions exactly - I do have Win Mobile 6 instead of 5, that’s my only difference.
I have the same problem as QZ. I have successfully paired my Nokia 3109c to my HP Compaq 6910p. I can receive phonecalls and talk to people. Problem is that a) It automatically answers the phone without ringing and b) I get now incoming call bubble.
If anyone can help me I would be grateful.
can i do this with my nokia 6280. can i receive phone calls via my mobile on my computer.
how?
Does the 6280 run Symbian OS? I think it does. Check out this article How-to: Use your computer to receive your mobile phone calls via the hands-free/headset profile using Bluetooth (Symbian)
Hope it helps
Hi,
I’m trying to take incoming calls on my cell phone on my PC. However, as quite a few people have experienced, the PC automatically answers the call. No pop-ups or alerts, no caller-id. I have a widcomm bluetooth stack running on Windows XP SP2 and I’m trying to connect a Nokia smartphone (S60 version 3)
I believe the problem might be in the stack on the PC. In your HOWTO, did you use the Microsoft stack or the widcomm stack? If you were using the Microsoft stack, by any chance, have you tried the same with the widcomm one?
Regards
Sri, I think I was using the Widcomm stack at the time. The stack I currently use is the Microsoft stack and it comes out with the same result as you are getting.
It is possible it is device dependant, but all the devices I have used did show the caller ID and didn’t auto answer.
I don’t beleive it is something that can be controlled via any settings changes in the stack itself. I haven’t come across any options to enable or disable it.
Hi i have nokia N91 and Sony Vaio CR series laptop with windows vista, Is it possible to recieve calls from lapotp and record all the calls made in custom based software,
Thanks Chris. Do you happen to know the version of the widcomm stack you were using for this HOWTO? Just to make sure if this has been turned off in later versions.
In your HOWTO for the symbian OS (Nokia N70), the image for the incoming call alert seems to suggest a tool called ‘phone monitor’. I guess that was more of a tool for Sony-Ericsson phones? I don’t seem to find it in the PC side software for the latest n-series phones. Unfortunately, they also don’t seem to support a bluetooth serial port profile, which is used by utilities like the float mobile agent (fma) for alerting the user on incoming calls (among other things) and designed more for the SE phones.
Sri, the phone monitor is part of the stack. I did not load anything additional to the stack to make it work. This worked for both Windows Mobile and Symbian S60 phones I tried out.
It’s pretty clear to me that since writing this article that there is a bit of luck in making this work succesfully. Vista and XP even have little differences when setting this up.
The aim was to have the setup work without needing any additions. Seems it isn’t always as possible as my initial results showed. It’s one of those “try it out and see” how-to’s. If it doesn’t work, try another stack. If it still doesn’t work, sadly it’s probably not worth persuing.
Hi Chris,
I successfully paired my Blackberry 8300 with my Laptop using the Widcomm stack version 5.01.802. (It involved some trial and error and search over the Internet to find the correct stack and edit the driver files to make tehm compatible with my hardware.) I can now view incoming call notifications on my laptop and also view the calling number. I can also answer/ reject calls and it even prompts for call waiting. I had a couple of queries for enhancing this feature (if possible).
1. How do we end calls from the laptop after it is finished? I could not find any way to do this and had to end the call using my mobile’s red button.
2. Is it possible to add an address book feature, such that the incoming caller id flashes the caller’s name rather than the phone number?
Thanks, Suneet
I have the same problem as a few people. I have paired my Samsung i320 to my laptop, but I don’t get a caller ID bubble and the phone auto answers.
Did anyone manage to track down a solution for this?
Hi Suneet, well done getting this going and thanks for noting the stack you used.
I havn’t found a way to end calls from the laptop, but there may be a way. The software that comes with the stack is as good as it gets. I don’think it is possible to edit it to acheive more functions.
There’s lots of caller ID software available for free download, but I have not seen one that can use Bluetooth the way we are here. There may be one that I have not found yet. I tried playing with modem options to link the software to bluetooth, but I had no success.
Alternatively there is source code for some of these caller Id programs available from sourceforge. It might be easyish to alter it to work with bluetooth. I wouldn’t know where to start though.
Suneet, couple of questions.
- Just wanted to know if you weren’t able to get the incoming alert balloon with the latest bluetooth stack and therefore had to revert to the older version (5.0.1.802)?
- What were the customizations required with the older version? Any pointers would really help.
I have paired LG-Kg-195 mobile phone via its blue tooth link(ver 1.2)to my PC(win-xp-prof-sp3) via its usb based blue tooth dongle (ver 2.0/1.2).
Although the manual of the phone says that this mobile phone supports profile for blue tooth hands free operation, I am unable to see/secect/set that profile on the phone or the pc.
How do I get to dial,make and receive calls using the wired headset of my PC+the Lg-KG-195+bluetooth link.
thanks
as
as, botht he phone and the dongle require the service for it to work. Does the dongle allow for this service. You may want to try another Bluetooth stack and see if that works. The Widcomm stack is a free download. I am not sure if it will fix it for you, but if you want to persue it, that is where I would start.
Reply to Chris Duckworth said, on July 24, 2008 @ 5:09 pm:
How to find out whether or not the PC or its blue tooth dongle (ver 2.0/1.2) supports the hands free profile?
thanks
as
As, it’s not all that easy to do, but there are a couple of places to look. In control panel > bluetooth configuration, there is a local services tab and a client applications tab. These should list what services are available. I think if you attach your device via Bluetooth, you can go to My computer and check my Bluetooth places. I think this may also show what services the device is offering. If you don’t have the bluetooth configuration utility, let me know and I will look into it further.
Reply to Chris Duckworth said, on July 24, 2008 @ 9:52 pm
please send the bluetooth configuration utility.
“Widcomm stack is a free download”, what dose it do? will it be better than the win-xp-prof-sp3 native support for bluetooth?
thanks
as
As, The bluetooth configuration utility is part of the stack, and it should be showing up as part of the microsoft stack also. Look for a bluetooth icon in your control panel.
I don’t want to say if the widcomm stack or the Microsoft stack is better as they both do some things better than the other. I normally prefer to use microsoft stuff as it is normally better presented than software that has been made free by other companies. The operating system and their programs normally works together well. Saying that bluetooth is fidly. If I can’t get something to work with one stack, I try others.
reply to Chris Duckworth said, on July 28, 2008 @ 5:24 pm.
Dear Chris,
In case Widcomm stack free download dosent work, how to reinstall the win-xp-prof-sp3 one back?
I am not a geek, so if you feel this ftuff requires hi-tech iq, which is missing here, let us just forget it.
Normally it takes ordinary mortals 2 days of productive loss to recover from a geeky misadventure.
thanks.
as
Hi As, the two star rating at the top will become a little more complicated if it doesn’t work the first time. Saying that, it is only as difficult as a driver update.
To restore the original stack in the case that it does stuff up, go into your device manager, and find the Bluetooth device. Right click on it and go into properties. In the driver tab, select roll back driver.
If that does not work, or it is greyed out, you can work your way through update driver and select the microsoft one. If all else fails, let me know as I have many more ideas up my sleeve. I suspect this will work though. We can even play with remote tools if you get really stuck and I will do my best to revert it back.
The problem with all this is that only some people have had success with it, and even then it takes work to make real use of it. You will need to decide how much you want it. If you are keen, I reckon you will get there.
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