The Go Direct® Bluetooth® Adapter (GDX-RADIO) is a Bluetooth Low Energy USB dongle that is designed to add a new Bluetooth radio to an older LabQuest 2. It can also be used with certain computers, but there are some tricks. If you have a computer that does not have any Bluetooth, it is a simple matter to plug in the GDX-RADIO dongle and it works.
If your computer already has Bluetooth, the built in Bluetooth will have to be disabled before you can use the dongle:
- Windows: Generally the most reliable method is to disable Bluetooth in BIOS, but it is also possible to do it in the Device Manager:
- Right click on the Start Menu
- Choose “Device Manager” from the list
- Click on the “>” sign next to the word “Bluetooth” in the Device Manager to expand that section
- You should have a “Microsoft Bluetooth Enumerator” and another device, right click on the other device and choose “Disable” (Note if you have 3 things, one of which is a “Microsoft Bluetooth LE Enumerator”, you don’t need the GDX-RADIO.
After the built-in Bluetooth is disabled, plug in the GDX-RADIO and it will load the drivers via Windows Update.
- macOS: This is not trivial, but it is possible. See: http://www.geekguides.co.uk/414/how-to-select-a-bluetooth-adapter-in-os-x/
- Chrome OS: We have not yet found a way to disable the built-in Bluetooth on Chromebook without completely disabling all Bluetooth.
See also:
Will my device work with Go Direct Sensors via Bluetooth?
How do I know if my Windows PC will support Bluetooth Go Direct?
Will my Mac support Bluetooth Go Direct?
Graphical Analysis App for Windows reports "The Bluetooth connection has been lost" when trying to connect to a sensor.
How do I know if my LabQuest will work with Go Direct Sensors and Go Wireless devices?
Is there a replacement for BLUE-USB that can be used with WDSS or LabQuest Stream?