Bluetooth Gone AWOL

[hughvane]

OS High Sierra, Mini 2010
Bluetooth has disappeared, cause uncertain.

•The Mini was connected to a JBL sound system, and to my iPhone. Both those devices are working, but there is no communication between either of them and the Mini.
•A check of (what was) the Bluetooth symbol in the menu bar tells me Bluetooth: Not Available
•A check of SysPrefs show the Bluetooth icon missing
•Bluetooth PAN in Network shows Not Connected.

A *possible* cause was a Bluetooth headset connected by USB to charge its battery. It's likely the headset was left on during recharging in order to show the progress in a small display window. Later the headset was turned off and the cable disconnected.

It was then it was noticed that
•Bluetooth function had ceased
•there was no input from the Bluetooth keyboard - since restored
•sound was through the Mini's internal speaker only
•the headset was not pairing with the Mini.

Mini was checked with OnyX - no faults found, Mini rebooted.

Solution(s)?

 

[hughvane]

Update: after a shutdown (straw-clutching?), and restart, Bluetooth has returned.
•connection with keyboard continues
•connection with iPhone is restored.

Still no connection with the JBL sound system, Bluetooth Prefs keeps trying.
JBL prefs removed
JBL system remains on for the Mini to make contact.

 

[MacInWin]

You may need to reinitialize the connection to the JBL. That means deleting it from the Mac list of BT devices, then putting the JBL in discovery mode and then adding it back in on the Mac.

 

[ferrarr]

Or maybe just turn the JBL speakers off. Then back on.

 

[hughvane]

That means deleting it from the Mac list of BT devices, then putting the JBL in discovery mode and then adding it back in on the Mac.

Thanks, I've done that.

The JBL<>Mac connection has misbehaved before, tho with my '18 Mini (still in hospital). I fixed things on that occasion by doing as Ferrarr has suggested.

The JBL system is working just fine streaming Accuradio from the iPhone.

Seems to be an issue between the Mini and H-Sierra with its Bluetooth version, altho it was working okay until yesterday (Wed). Bluetooth Prefs keeps trying to find paired devices, and has detected those actually switched on - all but the Mini.

 

[hughvane]

Resurrecting the Bluetooth AWOL issues, but this time with the 2018 Mini (MacOS 10.14.x).

A brief background:
The '18 has only recently been returned from an extended stay in Mac hospital (an overheating issue posted elsewhere in M-F), having first one replacement logic board (a dud), then a second unit installed, before the Mini pronounced recovered.

The lengthy process of apps, utilities and browser restoration is ongoing, but the major issue currently is Bluetooth vs JBL (a 5.1 sound system).

Reiterating
• the JBL works just fine with my iPhone, and used to work equally well with the '18 Mini
• it refused to work with the 2010 Mini which was being used as temporary cover for the '18 version. That situation continues.

Attempted
A debug of Bluetooth, followed by a Mini restart. No effect.

Other than what has already been suggested as 'fixes' for this issue, is there anything else that might be investigated or tried?

EDIT: Update - I opened the Mini18 System Report>Bluetooth. A lot of what is there is meaningless to me, but one item - Discoverable - caught my attention. It shows as being Off. That makes little or no sense, because Bluetooth is working with the keyboard and the iPhone. What other Bluetooth devices may be trying to connect to my Mini18 include the JBL sound system, headset (√) and a portable soundbox.

A check of the 2010 Mini's Bluetooth report shows Discoverable as being ON.

How might I turn the Mini18's Bluetooth 'discoverable' on?

 

[MacInWin]

Does the Mini connect by BT to anything else?

What does "a debug of Bluetooth" mean? What did you do?

 

[hughvane]

Does the Mini connect by BT to anything else?

Yes, to a b/t keyboard; and to the iPhone, but connection has to be activated from the phone.

What does "a debug of Bluetooth" mean? What did you do?

[It was a new one to me too, found with a Google search.]
Hold Option-Shift, then click the Bluetooth icon in the top menu bar. Debug should show. You're given a warning, which I ignored, basically.

Now see Edit to my earlier post, perhaps it shows a potential problem.

 

[MacInWin]

Not there in Ventura, so I can't help with it, sorry. Good luck.