autostart bluetooth keyboard for login use? [solved] [Solved]

[jim8085]

Bluetooth Keyboard doesn't work at login screen. I have to use Bluetooth Devices to connect each time.

I am not even sure this is possible? I have no experience with Bluetooth Keyboards.
I have to use a different keyboard to connect to the foldable keyboard if I want to use the bluetooth wireless function.
I just bought a GIGABYTE BRIX GB-BRi3-10110 Mini from Newegg and a Jelly Comb Foldable Keyboard with Touchpad.
The foldable keyboard works fine hardwired, but there is no way to switch it to wireless bluetooth as it shut of the bluetooth when it is hardwired, thus the second keyboard.
Thanks in advance, Jim

Code: Select all

System:    Host: <filter> Kernel: 5.10.0-5mx-amd64 x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: N/A 
           parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-5.10.0-5mx-amd64 
           root=UUID=<filter> ro quiet splash 
           Desktop: Xfce 4.14.2 tk: Gtk 3.24.5 info: xfce4-panel wm: xfwm4 dm: LightDM 1.26.0 
           Distro: MX-19.4_ahs_x64 patito feo March 31  2021 base: Debian GNU/Linux 10 (buster) 
Machine:   Type: Desktop System: GIGABYTE product: BRi3(H)-10110 v: 1.x serial: <filter> 
           Mobo: GIGABYTE model: MCMLUCB-00 v: 1.x serial: <filter> UEFI: American Megatrends 
           v: F2 date: 12/05/2019 
Battery:   Device-1: hidpp_battery_0 model: Logitech Wireless Keyboard serial: <filter> 
           charge: 55% (should be ignored) rechargeable: yes status: Discharging 
           Device-2: hidpp_battery_1 model: Logitech Wireless Mouse serial: <filter> 
           charge: 55% (should be ignored) rechargeable: yes status: Discharging 
CPU:       Topology: Dual Core model: Intel Core i3-10110U bits: 64 type: MT MCP arch: Kaby Lake 
           family: 6 model-id: 8E (142) stepping: C (12) microcode: DE L2 cache: 4096 KiB 
           flags: avx avx2 lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx bogomips: 20799 
           Speed: 900 MHz min/max: 400/4100 MHz Core speeds (MHz): 1: 895 2: 876 3: 900 4: 896 
           Vulnerabilities: Type: itlb_multihit status: KVM: VMX disabled 
           Type: l1tf status: Not affected 
           Type: mds status: Not affected 
           Type: meltdown status: Not affected 
           Type: spec_store_bypass 
           mitigation: Speculative Store Bypass disabled via prctl and seccomp 
           Type: spectre_v1 mitigation: usercopy/swapgs barriers and __user pointer sanitization 
           Type: spectre_v2 mitigation: Enhanced IBRS, IBPB: conditional, RSB filling 
           Type: srbds mitigation: TSX disabled 
           Type: tsx_async_abort status: Not affected 
Graphics:  Device-1: Intel CometLake-U GT2 [UHD Graphics] vendor: Gigabyte driver: i915 
           v: kernel bus ID: 00:02.0 chip ID: 8086:9b41 
           Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.20.10 driver: modesetting unloaded: fbdev,vesa 
           resolution: 1366x768~60Hz 
           OpenGL: renderer: Mesa Intel UHD Graphics (CML GT2) v: 4.6 Mesa 20.3.4 
           direct render: Yes 
Audio:     Device-1: Intel Comet Lake PCH-LP cAVS vendor: Gigabyte driver: snd_hda_intel 
           v: kernel bus ID: 00:1f.3 chip ID: 8086:02c8 
           Sound Server: ALSA v: k5.10.0-5mx-amd64 
Network:   Device-1: Intel Ethernet I219-V vendor: Gigabyte driver: e1000e v: kernel port: efa0 
           bus ID: 00:1f.6 chip ID: 8086:15be 
           IF: eth0 state: up speed: 100 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter> 
           Device-2: Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3168NGW [Stone Peak] driver: iwlwifi v: kernel 
           port: efa0 bus ID: 01:00.0 chip ID: 8086:24fb 
           IF: wlan0 state: down mac: <filter> 
Drives:    Local Storage: total: 953.87 GiB used: 7.69 GiB (0.8%) 
           ID-1: /dev/nvme0n1 vendor: Intel model: SSDPEKNW010T8 size: 953.87 GiB block size: 
           physical: 512 B logical: 512 B speed: 31.6 Gb/s lanes: 4 serial: <filter> rev: 004C 
           scheme: GPT 
Partition: ID-1: / raw size: 951.59 GiB size: 935.65 GiB (98.33%) used: 7.69 GiB (0.8%) fs: ext4 
           dev: /dev/nvme0n1p2 
           ID-2: swap-1 size: 2.00 GiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%) fs: swap swappiness: 15 (default 60) 
           cache pressure: 100 (default) dev: /dev/nvme0n1p3 
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 60.0 C mobo: N/A 
           Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A 
Repos:     No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list 
           Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian-stable-updates.list 
           1: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian buster-updates main contrib non-free
           Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian.list 
           1: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian buster main contrib non-free
           2: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian-security buster/updates main contrib non-free
           Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome.list 
           1: deb [arch=amd64] http://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb/ stable main
           Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/mx.list 
           1: deb http://la.mxrepo.com/mx/repo/ buster main non-free
           2: deb http://la.mxrepo.com/mx/repo/ buster ahs
           Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/nordvpn.list 
           1: deb https://repo.nordvpn.com/deb/nordvpn/debian stable main
           No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/various.list 
           Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/vivaldi.list 
           1: deb http://repo.vivaldi.com/stable/deb/ stable main
Info:      Processes: 209 Uptime: 31m Memory: 15.48 GiB used: 1.16 GiB (7.5%) Init: SysVinit 
           v: 2.93 runlevel: 5 default: 5 Compilers: gcc: 8.3.0 alt: 8 Shell: quick-system-in 
           running in: quick-system-in inxi: 3.0.36 

[JayM]

Bluetooth pairing happens at the user lever when you've already logged in, so I don't think what you're asking is possible. Alternatives include running MX User Manager and setting your user account to automatically log in or, at the login screen, explore the menus/icons in the upper-right corner and enable the Onscreen virtual keyboard then use your mouse to click on individual characters to enter your password, or use a different USB keyboard to log in then disconnect it and use your Bluetooth keyboard afterward.

[jim8085]

Thank you for the fast response. I was able to do more testing this AM, and did make some progress.
I switched to auto login.
After the desktop fully loads... I switch the foldable keyboard power switch to ON, and it connects as it should.

I am still not comfortable with the "auto login" as I have always been a password kind of guy, but this seem my only choice if I don't want to pack a separate USB mouse with me while traveling. My goal was to use this in a hotel room, using the TV as a monitor, and only needing the Mini GigaByte Brix and the foldable keyboard with built in touchpad.

Again, thanks for the help. I am looking forward to uses MX as my daily driver. I have been using Linux Mint Xfce for years now, I had been used MX in the live USB format.

Jim

[LionelZaylan]

I am still not comfortable with the "auto login" as I have always been a password kind of guy

You may be able to lock your screen automatically immediately after login ( add sh -c 'sleep 3 ; xflock4' & to startup ). This isn't secure and is a temporary workaround.

You may be able to write custom init scripts etc., and disable autologin as a permanent solution ( this is risky if you aren't experienced enough )

An even better solution may be to use encryption ( to access your computer, you need the encryption password even if your computer is lost ) and leave autologin enabled.
Encryption means your whole data is scrambled to useless nonsense and you MUST enter the encryption password while the system boots up / you want to read your data ( autologin after that is OK, as your data is already protected by encryption ). Also, lock the screen/shutdown when you're away.

Encryption is also superb to use for places where others are likely to have physical access to your system, like hotel rooms etc.,

[jim8085]

I am still not comfortable with the "auto login" as I have always been a password kind of guy

You may be able to lock your screen automatically immediately after login ( add sh -c 'sleep 3 ; xflock4' & to startup ). This isn't secure and is a temporary workaround.

You may be able to write custom init scripts etc., and disable autologin as a permanent solution ( this is risky if you aren't experienced enough )

An even better solution may be to use encryption ( to access your computer, you need the encryption password even if your computer is lost ) and leave autologin enabled.
Encryption means your whole data is scrambled to useless nonsense and you MUST enter the encryption password while the system boots up / you want to read your data ( autologin after that is OK, as your data is already protected by encryption ). Also, lock the screen/shutdown when you're away.

Encryption is also superb to use for places where others are likely to have physical access to your system, like hotel rooms etc.,

Thank you for the reply. I do like full disk encryption and use it on live USB with MX.

But the Bluetooth keyboard, in the wireless mode, will not work to type in the password during the boot process.

I recently read an article about how File Encryption was better than Full Disk encryption. It hit very close to home for me.

My standard operation mode is just to leave on the computer and turn of the monitor. I find having to re-enter my password when the screen locks annoying, so I disable it also. In the middle of my desktop is a folder named “TAX” which has stuff in it that should be hidden with File Encryption.

Yesterday I installed VeraCrypt and set up a 5G folder. I am learning how to use, I think it will work best for me.

Again, thank you for the reply.
Jim

[LionelZaylan]

You're welcome.

Anyway, it is good to use VeraCrypt for encrypting your sensitive files.
Still, beware that if an attacker chroots into your root filesystem (from a live system etc.,) , that person can install keyloggers etc., ( though these are just remote possibilities ) --- Full disk encryption is always better.

Bonus: VeraCrypt's containers are just files, and you can take them along in any memory device, any OS etc., (Just be wary from where you enter your password and/or keyfile)