Retrofit Bluetooth in iBook

The only hack that I can remember for this was where a guy soldered the dongle's connectors to the USB port traces, effectively disabling that port for outside use. I'm sure you could work something more complicated out, though...

shoehorn a usb hub inside the clamshell, remove the external usb connector from the logic board, route a usb cable to that location, and run the bluetooth dongle from the hub. Finding a small enough usb hub will be a challenge, as will messing with the logic board. you may have to remove the internal modem for space as well.

(has never done this, so don't read my suggestions as gospel)

yes! that could work. I removed the modem anyway because the conncector had crumbled when i got the ibook. something like this?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/TRUST-FULL-SPEED-2-PORT-USB-HUB_W0QQitemZ130050681805QQihZ003QQcategoryZ96866QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

If i removed the case it would be pretty small. one port for the bluetooth, and then i extend the other port out to the casing?

that looks like a step in the right direction.

Stashing the guts from a tiny hub inside your machine somewhere should work, assuming you can find room for it all, but you probably won't be able to run any bus-powered devices from your machine anymore. For that matter, the Bluetooth adapter might not work plugged into a non-powered hub. You'll want to try it before dissecting everything. In principle you *might* be able to tap power for the hub circuitry somewhere from the iBook, but doing so would probably be nontrivial.

I know with both my B&W desktop and Bondi iMac plugging a 4-port passive hub in pretty much limits me to chaining self-powered things like scanners, printers, what-have-you. Plugging in a webcam is right out, and I've even had sporadic issues with hanging an optical mouse off it. Of course, the USB ports on those machines seem to be unusually anemic, so undoubtedly your mileage may vary.

--Peace

I added a switch YES, However , it was the 4 reed relays inside that actually drive the switching, i was also using the switch to turn on LEDs i installed in it.

You can just solder the leads on to the back of the usb port and put the dongle inside - IF you dont care about the usb port on the outside, otherwise you need a switch to allow the external port to work(by disconnecting the BT module).

You need to switch the BOTH data lines and the Power, you dont need to worry about the ground.. technically that means only 3 wires to worry about.

here's an updated link- the site just moved to a new engine

http://www.the-missing-byte.com/tmb/?page_id=13

Hope it helps-

Hooptie J

If you choose to put a hub internally on your ibook-

The hub will be connected to the ONE bult in USB port still.

You'll need to wire one of the Hubs' ports into the original location there or you'll still lose the original ports' functionality.(this was the catch that just made me go with a switch- I was also using it for an M$ mouse)