How to get xDrip+ to work?

Thanks elver, I’m willing to try anything that might work at this point. but even after “forget device” and restarting the phone, the transmitter isn’t showing up in my list of avail BT devices.

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@dsten that is sounding more and more like a bad transmitter.

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I just got another transmitter. I started a new sensor, crossed my fingers and… nothing.
Neither of my phones (Moto Z Force and Samsung Note 5) show the dexcom transmitter on the list of available bluetooth devices. The previous transmitter would at least connect (barely) with my phone. Is it possible that my phones are incompatible?

@dsten You can check phone compatibility on the list on this page:

https://github.com/NightscoutFoundation/xDrip/blob/master/Documentation/Phones_For_G5.md

It is more likely that you have a conflicting device, like the Dexcom app, running concurrently. You may also have a mis-setting in xDrip+.

Go through your settings one more time and turn off the Dexcom app while you are trying to connect. By turn off the Dexcom app I mean make it incapable of communicating with the transmitter by moving it more than 25 feet from the transmitter, or if it’s on the same phone as xDrip+, delete it.

Let me know how it goes.

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Thanks again for the quick response.
I checked that list earlier, and the note 5 is on it, while the moto z force is not. But neither one is seeing the dexcom transmitter as an available device.
I have never used or downloaded the dexcom app. I have a G5 receiver which stopped working around the same time my previous transmitter timed out. I decided to try a refurbished transmitter, and my understanding was that it wouldn’t work with dexcom receiver so I would need the xdrip app.
I’m wondering if the problem might be the battery replacement service sending me refurbished transmitters. The first one would connect with my phone, even if it wouldn’t work as a cgm. The one I just got yesterday isn’t even connecting; no bluetooth link at all.; I triple checked the transmitter id, though I was wondering why this one was only 5 characters instead of 6 like the others.
I’ve gone into the BT settings and checked everything that looks like it might help, but so far I’ve got bupkis

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@dsten Try connecting to the phone with the phone’s Bluetooth applet. The G5 gives a Bluetooth burst every 5 minutes, so you’ll probably have to run multiple scans before it is detected.

My guess is that it will not be discovered because of a defect in the transmitter radio. If it is detected let me know so we can get it connected to xDrip+.

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I’ve done a lot of searching from the bluetooth app on my phone, but zero results for this new “battery replaced” transmitter. The first one would at least show up as an available device, even if I could barely get any readings. In system status, all I get is:
“Scan error: Enable bluetooth and try again”
The battery replacement guy seemed to think that a bad transmitter radio was a rare thing, but he sent a replacement anyway.

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Well, I don’t understand it, and I’m not complaining, but…
After not getting my 2nd refurbished transmitter to connect to my phone at all, I put the first (and seemingly) defective transmitter back onto my (now 3rd) sensor to check if maybe the sensor was bad. Quite the opposite! It connected. It started getting BG readings and then enough for calibration. I’ve been getting readings for almost 2 hours now. Its like a miracle!
As long as it keeps working I don’t need to know why it wouldn’t work for the past month. Maybe I had 2 bad sensors (I put in a fresh one when I got the replacement transmitter last week).
(I started using the Dexcom Seven in 2008 and only had one bad sensor in 6+ years, but who knows?).
The only change I made in settings was in the bluetooth section of “Less common settings”, so maybe that was it.
Whatever did it, I just wanted to thank you again for all the work you put in to helping all of us with this technology.

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@dsten Well Hallelujah! I’m glad you finally got it working!

Changes in the Bluetooth settings can indeed have an enormous effect on the function of xDrip+. Best to leave it alone once you have it running properly.

Just make sure that while you’re still using G5, that in G5/G6 Debug Settings you have “authenticate G5 before each read” checked. This was a big problem for me when I started a new G5 transmitter.

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Thanks! No changes as long as its working, and authenticate g5 before each read is checked

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@dsten, congrats on the successful startup this time!

These problems are always terribly frustrating, all the more so when what worked is still not clear after the fact.

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Thanks Michel. One benefit to this long ordeal is that I came across your website. And I’m not surprised to find a ghost in the machine when I’m now part machine…

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Hey @docslotnick,
I’ve been using this app for several years now and I love it. My phone just updated to Android 10 and now it won’t connect. Are you aware of any issues with Android 10, and if so, do you know of any work-around?
Thanks,
Mike

Ok… I’ve been doing some more troubleshooting and the issue seems to be with the bluetooth not connecting. My phone will only sometimes see it, but it won’t connect. Any ideas would be helpful…
Thanks,
Mike

Check out this topic

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@pix645q I think the developer addressed this issue in the latest nightly, do download it and give it a try. Let us know if it works.

@docslotnick, I’m pretty sure I have the latest version. (xDrip-plus-20191027-6d4d283.apk) is this the latest?

No, that might be the latest stable release. I’m talking about the latest nightly build on 2019-12-22.

Oh, ok… Can you tell me where to find it?

Ok, I found the update and was able to download it, but I’m still having the same issue. My phone won’t connect (bluetooth) to my G5. It only shows up sometimes in my “available devices” list and when it does it won’t pair. When I select it, it says “pairing…” for 10-15 seconds, then it just stops and stays in the “available devices” list.

In G5/G6 Debug Settings, try checking “Allow OB1 Unbonding”, Allow OB1 Initiate Bonding", Scan for G5 Constantly", Authenticate G5 Before Each Reading", and “Unbond G5 Before Each Reading”.

This will initiate a new BLE connection and GATT session on each reading.