Send SMS's in Linux, via Bluetooth

By: António Casqueiro | Published: 2008/02/24

Change language:

Introduction

Last week at work we were having some problems with a software that send SMS's, So I decided fix this issue this weekend.
I had already developed in program in December 2004, using Windows 2000, that connected to the serial port through my Siemens C45 mobile phone. In that occasion I tried to run the program in Linux, but I could not connect to the serial port. Since I'm not a guru at Linux I decided ignore this problem. Thus, with my experience it should be easy to change my old code.
My life would have been a lot easier if:

My new PC, bought in 2007, had serial port(s).
Since it doesn't, I could only connect to the mobile phone trough Bluetooth.
My Windows Vista is the 64 bits version, and the driver is a 32 bits version.
This version mismatch raised some concerns in my mind. After trying a few times I could not get a connection and an error was written to the console, so I left Windows alone.
If I hadn't to install Windows 2000 on my Media Center, because it was my only PC at home with a serial port
If my Media Center didn't had Linux, I wouldn't had to install a new hard drive in order to keep my current data
If the Nokia mobile phone that we were using at work, would have established a connection to the PC
If I had found my Siemens cable earlier

This horror movie ended after I successfully installed Windows 2000, connected the Siemens to the serial port and a connection was made between the mobile and the PC. The Nokia one never worked. After this achievement, I was confidant in my work and in Java, so I switched the hard drive, and put my Media Center running in Linux again and the connection (using Siemens) worked in Linux too!
Still I wasn't totally happy, because I should be able to connect via bluetooth, and that's why I wrote this tutorial.

Setup a Serial Port Connection with bluetooth, step by step

Activate "kbluetooth"
- On the terminal write "kbluetooth"
Remove the previous paired devices
Pair the desired mobile phone
- In the mobile phone find the pair option and "pair"
- Choose a "password" in the mobile phone
- Type the "password" in the PC
Avoid accepting connections manually every time
- Configure this in the mobile phone.
Search for devices
- Type in the terminal "hcitool scan"
View the available services provided by the mobile phone
- Type in the terminal "sdptool browse <MAC>"
- Write down the channel. In this example is 3.
Automatically bind the COM service
- Edit the file "/etc/bluetooth/rfcomm.conf" and add the lines below.
- ```
rfcomm0 {
    bind yes;
    device 00:12:D1:4D:A8:71;
    channel 3;
    comment "Nokia 6230i COM Service"
}
          
```
- To edit the file NANO, or another text editor.
  Example: Type in the terminal "sudo nano -w /etc/bluetooth/rfcomm.conf"
Restart the bluetooth service
- Type in the terminal "sudo /etc/init.d/bluetooth restart"
Activate the serial port bluetooth service in the PC
- Type in the terminal "bluetooth-applet &"
- In the "Services" tab from the applet, activate the "Serial Services" service.
Emulate a serial port
- To remove the old link if exists, type in the terminal "sudo rm /dev/ttyS8"
- To create the virtual port type in the terminal "sudo ln -s /dev/rfcomm0 /dev/ttyS8"
Check if everything is OK
- Type in the terminal "rfcomm"
- It must show "rfcomm0: <MAC> channel <NUMBER> clean"
  Example: "rfcomm0: 00:12:D1:4D:A8:71 channel 3 clean"
- Execute the "SmsPanel". Click the "List" button and the port should appear in the list.

Link(graphy)

Pages with information about Bluetooth configuration
- http://arstechnica.com/journals/linux.ars/2007/12/10/using-a-bluetooth-phone-with-linux
- http://ubuntology.com/2007/10/27/access-your-phone-via-bluetooth-with-ubuntu-gutsy/
Sites with the Java API to connect to the serial port
- http://www.rxtx.org
- http://www.smslib.org

"SmsPanel" requirements

JDK 1.5 ou higher (tested with JDK 1.6.0_03)
The Linux user must belong to the uucp group
Serial port driver.
It is included in the SmsPanel download, but you can get the latest version at http://www.rxtx.org
Serial port API.
It is included in the SmsPanel download (I used an old version, called JSMSEngine), but you can get the latest version at http://www.smslib.org

Performed tests

Native serial port (Siemens C45 - OK; Nokia 3410 - Did not work)
- Suse 10.3
- Windows 2000
Bluetooth (Nokia 6021, Nokia 6230i)
- Kubunto 7.10 (OK)
- Windows Vista 64 bits (Error 0x1 at /home/bob/foo/rxtx-devel/build/../src/termios.c(2497): Função incorrecta)

Thanks to

Rui Brito, for the Siemens serial cable
My family for spending another weekend without me...