JS 2 BLE connection Failing

I recently attempted to reset the time on my bangle and it failed to connect to the app loader. I then tried to use the IDE, which also failed. I simply wish to find a BLE method that doesn't involve me using SWD debugging. HID is off, Privacy is off, Passkey is none, whitelist is off, Programmable and BLE are on. I am using Degoogled Chromium on a Macbook Air. One possible app causing issues is OpenHaystack.

It looks like you already were to the troubleshooting page.

Maybe you'll find an answer among these search results: https://forum.espruino.com/search/?q=bluetooth+

Hope it starts working again!

Also, the watch shows up in Bluetility and I can connect, but it seems to fail with the programmability as there are no attributes

I can connect, but it seems to fail with the programmability as there are no attributes

You can try https://www.espruino.com/Bangle.js2#recovery-menu
When the menu is shown the watch should be connectable and programmable.

If you still see no attributes and can't connect properly then it can also be some issue on your computer.

As @fanoush says really - give it a go in the recovery menu as even if OpenHaystack is causing issues (which is quite possible) it won't be running at that point.

But also maybe just try rebooting your Mac, just in case. Sometimes the Bluetooth stack on the host computer does get into a mess and will refuse to connect.

I have rebooted the Mac, and tried both recovery and clean booting. On the Bangle, it shows

->Bluetooth
<-Bluetooth

On the client it says

<BLE> Device Name:       Bangle.js -----
puck.js:409 <BLE> Device ID:         ----
puck.js:409 <BLE> ERROR: NetworkError: Connection Error: Connection attempt failed.
ui.js:86 <TOAST>[error] Device connection failed, 

I really want to get BLE working before setting up a SWD.

I really want to get BLE working before setting up a SWD.

SWD setup is unrelated to getting BLE working so you can definitely go for it if you wish without having BLE working, however I wonder what you want to achieve with that.

In the clean boot nothing runs so it is in the best state it could be so if that doesn't work it is either issue on client side (can you try other device?) or some hardware/firmware issue but that is unlikely if it worked before and the only thing you did was attempting to "reset the time". Well unless you did it by taking device apart and replacing 32kHz crystal.

You can also try to restore device to factory state but that should make no difference to the clean boot state.

EDIT: more info is needed - did it work before and for how long? what exactly you did before it stopped working?

Yes, please just forget about the SWD - it won't be useful for what you want to do at all.

It'd be a good idea to try connecting from some other device and see if that can keep a connection - a phone maybe?

It has worked for about 2.5 years now, and I will try with another device soon.

Still failing no matter what device I use.

Are you able to connect to it when it's in DFU mode? The IDE/App Loader won't connect in that case, you'll have to use the DFU app: https://www.espruino.com/Firmware+Update#nrf52

If you were on an old (pre-2v22) firmware, there were some changes in 2v22 that made Bluetooth more reliable on some devices (if the crystal oscillator wasn't running as accurately as we'd assumed).

I guess it's possible that you have a bluetooth hardware problem on your Bangle, although the fact that it seems to at least start connecting makes me feel like it's less likely. You could try pinching the Bangle in the top right corner and see if that improves the connection (there's a sprung connection to the aerial inside the watch there, and I've seen a few devices where it can lose contact with the aerial)

Well, not sure if its the same problem, but I have (again) the problem that my bangle2 will not work anymore.
A few years ago the bluetooth died, and @Gordon replaced it...now it gradually got worse again over the last few weeks, and currently I can not get it to show up anywhere (web IDE, mobile, PC, DFU, nrf app, nowhere)
I've tried the new recover option, and according to the page it should then be visible...
Since the "bluetooth broken" idea was thrown in again, my question would be:
Why does the banglejs2 bluetooth sometimes just...seem to die?
My wife has still her first bangle2, and its still working...mine seems to be bluetooth-dead again...

Any ideas what could be the reasons besides bad luck? Could there be any app/logging or such be the reason?
I tried the clean boot in the recovery, and it showed a CRC error...but otherwise it was working until now, besides the gradually bad working blueooth over the last few weeks.
Now I tried Power off and left it for some minutes...turned it back on, and it has wrong time (ok, to be expected ;) ), and since it will still not connect, I can leave it off my wrist :(

Greetings, Uno

can it be mechanical? do you frequently do some sports with the watch where you rapidly move your hands a lot (and your wife does not)?

Does squeezing in the top right make it come back to life? That's usually the sign it's a hardware issue.

Why does the banglejs2 bluetooth sometimes just...seem to die?

In the very first KickStarter batch there appeared to be an SMD soldering issue in some watches and it seemed the chip itself lifted slightly off the PCB, which is why we replaced those ones. But since then the rate of failures has been very low.

The aerial is part of the case, and the connection to it is made with a gold-plated contact from the PCB to the case. If your watch was getting wet inside (do you shower with it?) the aerial contact could get corroded over time and then lose contact?

If that's the case, repeated squeezing might make the contact move slightly, wear off the oxide and it might start working semi-permanently again.

The other possibility is the battery expands slightly and pushes the PCB away, breaking the contact, but I haven't yet seen any watch with any sign of that happening.

Finally, it began working after restarting everything, flattening the battery and then recharging the watch.

Hello Gordon,
sorry for the late reply, I only got the reply notification for fanoush and forgot about it later.

For my watch:

• no showering with the watch
  
• the one contact which always has a voltage applied is corroded quite a bit, but this should not translate to inside the watch over time, hm?
  
• battery also seems not inflated
  
  

When I find it again (not sure where I put it, and its not where I'd expect it to be ;) ), I will try if a complete drain has helped, but I have little hope right now...

the one contact which always has a voltage applied is corroded quite a bit, but this should not translate to inside the watch over time, hm?

No, that should be fine, but it's worth covering up anyway in case it increases corrosion on the two outside pins that you need to charge it.

If pinching it makes it appear on Bluetooth then that would kind of clinch it - and might even bring it back to life.

the one contact which always has a voltage applied is corroded quite a bit, but this should not translate to inside the watch over time, hm?

No, that should be fine, but it's worth covering up anyway in case it increases corrosion on the two outside pins that you need to charge it.

If pinching it makes it appear on Bluetooth then that would kind of clinch it - and might even bring it back to life.

ok, I think we are on the right track...I found the watch, charged it..and it was still not working...
but, I tried to remove the green stuff from the pin in question, just with some cloth (my t-shirt ;) )...and suddently there was a black hole...

I removed a bit more on the sides then, and the rest of the pin has still some gold...but as you can see in the picture, somehow the pin has a small hole, which...not sure...
seems like the corrosion somehow found perhaps a weak spot or imperfection and got there through the remaining parts of the pin...

I've not testet how deep this thing goes, but I think this could be some way for humidity to get into the watch...

My wifes bangle pin looks similar green, but apparently no hole until now...I hoe it stays this way :)

edit: not sure why he puts the 1. in the quote...

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Wow, that is surprising. I imagine there's a via in there that actually makes the connection to the far side of the PCB. I guess that could have gone all the way though, but it's got to be maybe 0.8mm of copper that would have to have corroded away.

I hoe it stays this way :)

Please can you try and clean hers and then cover up that particular pin with a sticker or maybe a small dot of nail varnish? Just something to stop the corrosion - it's why we ship them with the sticker on the back.

we put nail polish on it, right after the kickstarter back then...but seems like we should gently redo it...On my 2nd bangle I did try to protect it in the beginning, but since it would still go over time through the protection I gave up at some point...(never would have thought it ends up like this...I thought it gets a bit green but would not go a lot deeper ;) )

I'm not sure how well the casing/pins will response to attempts to clean up the old polish first with polish cleaner stuff...do you have experience regarding this plastic and such cleaners? It was a non-aceton-clear-polish I think, so the newer, 'healthier' stuff ;)

Otherwise I don't think simply a new layer of nail polish on the old partial cleaned polish will help a lot, hm?

I'm not sure how well the casing/pins will response to attempts to clean up the old polish first with polish cleaner stuff...

Thanks for checking - yes, the pins should be ok but the case will melt with Acetone which is normally in nail varnish remover. Maybe your stuff will be better - but you could try first on a small patch under where a strap attaches so if it messes up something you'll never see it :)

Things like IPA (Isopropyl alcohol) will be totally fine, but won't soften the paint.

I think as long as you've cleaned the area with detergent to get any oils off, applying paint on the old paint would be ok if it really has worn away.