Iphones and Androids Bluetooth not showing on BLE scanning/clients

rrocha
Getting noticed

Iphones and Androids Bluetooth not showing on BLE scanning/clients

Friends, I don't why, I can't see any mobile phone with Bluetooth enable in Wireless --> Bluetooth clients.

I can see other things, like a Jawbone or the meraki access point.

 

There is two apple device that I don't know who they are. The two apple(iphones) that I enabled myself I cant see them(from the mac address), even if the iphones are 30 cm from the AP.

 

Is any conflict having the mobiles using the wireless from the aps and expecting them to read Bluetooth from the same devices ?.

 

 

 

 

 

 

9 REPLIES 9
LudwigD
Getting noticed

I see the same behavior. 

My was told (helpdesk) to use the latest Firmware. No difference seen.

 

 

LD 

rrocha
Getting noticed

I am using the MR 25.11 Released Apr 10, 2018, there no beta firmware for the Access Point.

They should give me other kind of directions. (I opened a support case too)

rrocha
Getting noticed

Let me ask a question just to be sure.

 

To have a external application mapping( on a indoor map) BLE devices my meraki access point must be reading them right ?

Like...If they are not showing on my bluetooh client page even exporting using the API settings they wouldn't be on the data transfer packets.

 

 

PhilipDAth
Kind of a big deal
Kind of a big deal

Make sure the device has bluetooth enabled.  It might help if it was set to being discoverable.

 

Also note that bluetooth beacons might only be sent every 10 minutes.  On the whole, using adhoc bluetooth beaconing is not very useful.

Thank you for your help Philip, I am pretty sure that they are enabled, I test with mutiples mobile phones, none of them is showing up.

 

What is showing up, the Jawbone fitness tracker,  two bluetooth earphones (they are on, but the meraki only show them for like one entry and the rest is off, which is wrong). A Mac OS notebook(is scanning correctly), and themselves(2x MR32).

 

Iphones and Android, nothing, even if the time period for sending beacons is 10 minutes, they never show up, even when a device is been pared or something like that.

 

 

Devices being paired does not guarantee BLE beacon advertisements, which are what Meraki APs are listening for.

Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)
https://documentation.meraki.com/MR/Bluetooth/Bluetooth_Low_Energy_(BLE)

MichelRueger
Building a reputation

Hi,

 

Did you already tried to install a free App on your I-phone like "My Beacon" from OliveStory or a other? with this type of app you can see the beacon from your AP but you also can send beacon out. I Know that Apple and Samsung are doing all possible to hide there Smartphone from being tract.

 

Regards Michel

Green_Ghost
Meraki Employee
Meraki Employee

Cisco Meraki AP devices only report BLE clients.

 

There are a few apps which can report BLE clients exclusively, which should give an indication of which devices will be seen by a Meraki AP.

 

Mac OS utility "Bluetooth Explorer" will also do the trick. This tool requires Apple Developer account (free).

 

If interested, search for, and download the DMG "Additional tools for Xcode [current version is 9.3]" from the following URL: 

https://developer.apple.com/download/more/

 

This DMG contains a folder called "Hardware" which contains the application "Bluetooth Explorer" Within this application, select "Devices "->"Low Energy devices "->"Start Scanning"

 

If the device does not list, then it will not be detected by a Meraki AP 

 

 

 

 

The_Dude
Here to help

We have noticed that even though the Bluetooth devices are showing in the Meraki dashboard, some are not showing up in the raw data.  We have also noticed that Meraki is very selective which devices it detects as well. Some IOS and Android devices are detected while others aren't. The same goes for headphones as well. We have a well-controlled testbed where we are able to isolate devices and we have also used various beacon tools to verify that the devices are broadcasting. Any Ideas?

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