SmartGarden3 Read Bluetooth Sensors Fix for Pi

SmartGarden3 is a an easy to put together system for managing your garden inside and outside.   This posting talks about how you can do scanBluetooth if you are having a problem with your Raspberry Pi.   You use scanBluetooth.py on your Pi to associate Bluetooth Soil

We have notice in a few cases, there is some kind of interference between the Bluetooth BlueZ stack and the Raspberry Pi Network stack used in WiFi in combination with an interaction with the WiFi network that you may be connected.   We have seen two problems.  One, Sonos devices on the local network seem to conflict with the scanBluetooth.py program in some cases.   Another example just sits and hangs when you are logged onto a WiFi network.  A third example is running scanBluetooth.py seems to slow the Raspberry Pi to the point where it is unusable and has to be rebooted.

The fix below works for all of the above problems.

What is  SmartGarden3?

The SmartGarden3  system (available here) allows you to build your own remote monitoring and management system for your indoor or outdoor garden.   Do you want to share your garden and the weather world wide?  You can learn the Raspberry Pi and how to connect to the real world through this easy to build no-soldering kit.   You can measure soil moisture and then use that as feedback to provide your plant or garden just the right about of water.

 

Procedure for Fixing the SmartGarden3 Bluetooth Sensor Scan Problem

Step 1)  Edit your /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf file using “sudo vi” or “sudo nano”

Step 2) Change the name of your Wifi SSID by adding an “X” in front of it.  Save.

ctrl_interface=DIR=/var/run/wpa_supplicant GROUP=netdev
update_config=1
country=us

network={
	ssid="XMySpectrumWiFi88-2G"
	scan_ssid=1
	psk="your password" 
}

 

Step 3) Reboot your Pi

Step 4) On another computer, navigate to the WiFi hostpot called “RPiHostspot” If it prompts you for a password, use “1234567890”.

If you want to use VNC, connect to 10.0.0.5:5900 from a VNC Server

If you want to use SSH, type ssh pi@10.0.0.5

Step 5) change directories into your SmartGarden3 directory and run “scanBluetooth.py” as shown in the manual for setting up your Bluetooth Soil Sensors.

After you have done all of your sensors, proceed to Step 6.

Step 6) Edit your /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf file using “sudo vi” or “sudo nano” and remove the “X” that you inserted in Step 2. Save the file.

Step 7) Reboot your Pi.

Now you can continue provisioning your SmartGarden3 system as shown in the manual.