I want to add bluetooth to my desktop. What's the best way to go? Can it be done without an adapter? If not, please suggest an adapter? Does the adapter still require intel drivers, i.e. Download Intel® Wireless Bluetooth® for Windows® 10
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Windows 10 Professional (x64) Build 18362.449 (1903/May 2019 Update), Intel Core i5 6500 @ 3.20GHz Skylake 14nm Technology
If your computer does not have bluetooth built-in, you will need an adapter since bluetooth is a hardware device.
You can add a bluetooth adapter either as an internal card or as a USB device. Typically the internal cards would be a WiFi / Bluetooth combination adapter whereas you can get a very small USB bluetooth device without WiFi.
Most of these won't require you to install an additional driver as many are built into Windows.
Take a look at your favorite shopping site. The description for the adapter will most likely tell you whether a driver is needed or not.
I added a bluetooth USB device to my desktop just a few months ago and it ran me something like $10. Works absolutely flawlessly and it's an amazingly tiny device.
Yeh, Amazon has a bunch of them. Would you mind passing along the info on your device?
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When the descriptions of these say "line of sight" or "in open space" for distance, does that mean you must be able to directly see it, i.e. it can't be plugged in to the back of the computer? I recall in the past having problems with wireless mouse receivers when plugged into the back.
Rats, wish I saw you message a little earlier. It will be this evening before I can send you the details on which device I went with.
As for the "line of sight" thing....
That is simply letting you know that the expected distance that it will work will be reduced if there are any obstructions. In my case, my USB bluetooth device is plugged into the back of a desktop machine, but that machine is under my desk. The distance is not far, but there is a solid desk between me and my bluetooth mouse and the bluetooth dongle but I've never had even a moments difficulty with it. Of course, with obstructions like that I would not expect to get the maximum distance, but I also don't need it.
Would you mind checking this out?
Amazon.com: Plugable USB Bluetooth 4.0 Low Energy Micro Adapter (Compatible with Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7, Raspberry Pi, Linux Compatible, Classic Bluetooth, and Stereo Headset Compatible): Computers & Accessories
There's an interesting Q & A section. I'm particularly curious about the radio interference issues raised about USB 2.0 vs USB 3.0
I've read about those potential interference issues with USB ports many times, but never ran into it myself. Just to be on the safe I have a really short 1 foot USB cable that I have plugged into the computer and the bluetooth adapter then plugs into that. That puts the dongle about a foot away from all the USB ports on the back of the computer, just to be on the safe side.
BTW, this is the unit that I have:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0775YF36R..._ajKoEbPGG2D25
$7.59 and it works flawlessly for me.
USB 3 ports usually will or should fall back to or support USB 2 devices. As usual to get the full performance from USB 3 all parts must be USB 3, using a USB 2 cable usually works everything at USB 2 speeds. However, I have seen older printers that have issues when plugged into USB 3 ports, one in particular would lose its connection after printing half a page, changing to a USB 2 port worked correctly.
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