EZ-B V3 Connectivity Issues

Thanks - ARC still supports the EZB v3, so you do not strictly have to upgrade to a newer EZB. Most EZB v3 connectivity problems on modern Windows 10/11 machines are caused by Bluetooth pairing/driver issues (many cheap dongles are BLEonly and don’t provide the Serial Port Profile), incorrect COM selection/baud, or power/LED state on the EZB itself.

Here’s a focused checklist and stepbystep troubleshooting procedure to get your v3 talking to ARC.

Helpful docs

• EZB v3 (device/firmware): https://synthiam.com/Support/Hardware/EZ-B-v3
• Connection troubleshooting (general): https://synthiam.com/Support/troubleshooting/Connection-Troubleshooting
• USB/Serial troubleshooting: https://synthiam.com/Support/troubleshooting/Troubleshoot-USB-Connections

Stepbystep troubleshooting

1. Verify EZB powers up

• Power the EZB with a known good battery or power supply.
• Listen/observe for startup sound or any LED activity. Note LED states (solid, flashing).
• If no LEDs/sound, check power source and battery voltage.

2. Confirm your Bluetooth dongle supports Bluetooth Classic (SPP)

• Many modern USB dongles are BLE only and cannot create a Serial COM port. Windows 11 pairing UI will show the device but not provide a COM port.
• If you only have a BLE dongle, you must use a Bluetooth Classic dongle or connect the EZB by other means (USB/serial or a WiFi capable controller).

3. Pair EZB in Windows BEFORE connecting in ARC

• Open Windows Settings Bluetooth & devices Add device Bluetooth. Pair the EZB device.
• If prompted for a PIN, try 1234 (common default) or check your EZB v3 documentation.
• After pairing, open Device Manager:
  • Check under "Ports (COM & LPT)" for a "Standard Serial over Bluetooth link (COM#)" or similar.
  • Alternatively check under the Bluetooth device’s Services for RFCOMM COM ports.

4. Note the COM port number and test with a terminal

• Use Device Manager to find the COM number (COM3, COM4, etc.).
• Use a terminal app (PuTTY, Tera Term) to open that COM with common baud rates (try 115200, 57600, 38400, 19200, 9600). EZB v3 often uses higher speed (try 115200).
• If you see garbage/unresponsive, try different baud rates. If the port won’t open at all, the driver or pairing is at fault.

5. Configure ARC Connection skill

• Open ARC, Project Add robot skill EZB Connection (if not already added).
• Press CONFIG (kebab/hamburger) for the Connection control and set the COM port to the one you found.
• Try Connect0 (the Connect button in the skill). Or run this script command:

// Attempt connect and print status (ARC JavaScript)
controlCommand("Connection", "Connect0");
var connected = controlCommand("Connection", "GetStatus", 0);
print("EZB connected? " + connected);

• If Connect fails, check ARC’s Status window (bottom of ARC), press COPY and paste the contents somewhere - it will show the error details.

6. If Windows never shows a COM port

• Most likely your Bluetooth dongle does not expose SPP. Try a different dongle known for Classic Bluetooth (USB dongles supporting Bluetooth 2.1/3.0/4.0 Classic, not BLE-only).
• Alternatively use a wired serial/USB connection if your EZB hardware supports it, or use a WiFi based EZB (if you decide to upgrade).

7. Common gotchas

• Make sure ARC is not already connected to the COM port via another app.
• In Device Manager Ports, right click Properties Port Settings Advanced make sure COM number isn’t conflicting with something else.
• Some drivers need native Windows Bluetooth (not manufacturer apps). Remove vendor Bluetooth manager if it interferes.
• If the EZB was configured to accept connections only from a previously paired device, try clearing paired devices and pairing fresh.

If those steps still fail, please send:

• What you see in Device Manager (the exact device name and COM# if any).
• The Bluetooth USB dongle make/model (or product link).
• The EZB LED behavior at power up.
• The ARC Status window copy (press COPY on the ARC status bar and paste here). With those I can guide the next steps (driver fixes, alternate connection methods, or ARC configuration tweaks).

Would you like the exact location in ARC to set DTR/RTS or show where to find the Connection control’s settings (kebab menu)?

Good luck! I hope you get connected. As @Athena said, the V3 should work with ARC. However your windows OS and the Bluetooth you're using may need attention. One of then is most like the problem. The old V3 was a super nice piece of hardware. @DJ did an awesome job designing that little marvel. I loves the face it has a voltage converter in it that natively gave us 5vdc to the power pin in the digital header pins. You won't get that feature with the new V4x2 eZB. However the V4 is a superior device.

Also, have you had a chance to read the Support page for the V3? There's a great video showing each step on connecting the V3 over Bluetooth. It is showing how to connect through an older version of Windows but I'm sure you can navigate through you're new Win 11.

Here's the link if you need it: https://synthiam.com/Support/Hardware/EZ-B-v3

Have fun!!! 

Thanks - Dave’s note is right: the EZ-B v3 still works with ARC, but modern Windows + USB/Bluetooth dongles are the usual culprits. Below is a focused checklist and stepbystep you can follow. If anything is unclear I’ll walk you through it and help diagnose from the ARC status output or Device Manager details.

Useful links

• EZB v3 support page: https://synthiam.com/Support/Hardware/EZ-B-v3
• Connection troubleshooting: https://synthiam.com/Support/troubleshooting/Connection-Troubleshooting
• USB/Serial troubleshooting: https://synthiam.com/Support/troubleshooting/Troubleshoot-USB-Connections

Step-by-step troubleshooting

1. Verify EZB powers up

• Power the EZB with a known-good battery or power supply.
• Observe LEDs / listen for startup sound. If no LEDs/sound, check battery voltage and wiring first.

2. Confirm your Bluetooth dongle supports Bluetooth Classic (SPP)

• Many modern USB dongles are BLEonly (no Serial Port Profile) and will NOT create a COM port for the EZB.
• If your dongle is BLE-only you’ll need a Bluetooth Classic dongle (look for Bluetooth 2.1/3.0/4.0 "Classic" or "SPP" support).

3. Pair the EZB in Windows first

• Open Windows Settings Bluetooth & devices Add device Bluetooth and pair the EZB.
• Common PIN: try 1234 if prompted.

4. Check Device Manager for the COM port

• Open Device Manager Ports (COM & LPT). Look for "Standard Serial over Bluetooth link (COM#)" or similar.
• If you do NOT see a COM port, the dongle isn’t exposing SPP. If you see the device but no COM, open the Bluetooth device properties Services and look for Serial/RFCOMM.

5. Test the COM port with a terminal (helps rule out ARC)

• Use PuTTY or Tera Term to open the COM port at common baud rates (try 115200, 57600, 38400, 19200, 9600).
• EZB v3 commonly uses higher speeds (try 115200 first).
• If the port won’t open or you can’t get any response at any baud, the pairing/driver is the issue.

6. Configure the ARC Connection skill (kebab menu)

• In ARC, open your project and ensure you have the EZB Connection skill added.
• Open the Connection skill settings (click the three-line kebab/hamburger on the top-right of the skill window).
• Under the COM/USB Connection settings set the correct COM port and Baud rate. If available, try toggling DTR/RTS checkboxes (some devices need these).
• Save and press the Connect button for slot 0 (or use the Connect0 button inside the skill).

7. Try connecting via ARC script (quick test)

• Run this JavaScript in ARC (use the Script control):

controlCommand("Connection", "Connect0");
var connected = controlCommand("Connection", "GetStatus", 0);
print("EZB connected? " + connected);

• If it returns false, check the ARC Status window (bottom). Press COPY on the ARC status bar and paste the contents here.

8. If Windows never shows a COM port

• Most likely your USB dongle is BLE-only. Try a known Bluetooth Classic USB dongle.
• Alternatively connect by wired serial/USB (if you can) or consider a Wicapable EZB (e.g., EZB v4) if you want modern WiFi support.

Common gotchas & fixes

• Another app (or previous ARC instance) already opened the COM port - close other apps.
• Conflicting COM number: in Device Manager Ports Properties Port Settings Advanced, change the COM number if there’s a conflict.
• Some vendor Bluetooth stack software can interfere - try using Windows’ builtin Bluetooth stack (uninstall vendor manager if necessary).
• Re-pair the EZB: remove old pairings both on Windows and on the EZB, then pair again.

If you still can’t connect, please provide

• Exact Bluetooth USB dongle make/model (or a link).
• What appears in Device Manager (exact device name and COM#, if any).
• EZB LED behavior at power-up (which LEDs are on / flashing).
• The ARC Status output (press COPY on the ARC Status bar and paste here).
• The baud rates you tried (and whether a terminal app could open the port).

If you want I can:

• Walk you through checking Services in the Bluetooth properties to confirm RFCOMM/SPP is enabled.
• Show exactly where to set the COM port, baud, and DTR/RTS in the Connection skill kebab menu.
• Recommend a specific Bluetooth Classic dongle that’s known to work with Windows 10/11 and ARC.

Would you like step-by-step screenshots for the Connection skill settings (where to find the kebab menu and COM/USB settings), or do you want to post the ARC Status + Device Manager details now so I can diagnose further?

Thanks for the kind words @Dave Schulpius it means a lot to have someone compliment the work you've put years of blood, sweat, and tears into. I know you mentioned DJ, but I played a major role in the hardware design of these boards. I designed the hardware for the EZ-B v3 (a reimagining and updating of the v2, which DJ designed), v4, and IoTiny. All the hardware I designed was alongside DJ, who programmed the firmware. DJ commissioned all these hardware projects, but it was my responsibility to select, support, and test all the parts, as well as design the PCBs.

I have also been a major tester of *EZ-Builder and ARC since 2012 as I use it almost on a daily basis for robot development and testing. I mean, less so these days, since I have taken a lot of time away from EZ-Robot and the Synthiam Community, but that's a story for another post

It's usually Bluetooth dongle drivers that are the issue in Windows. If you can get the drivers installed successfully with an older Bluetooth dongle (not strictly BLE dongle), the EZ-Bv3 will reliably show up as a COM Port.

Great additional detail from Jeremie - thanks. I’ll summarize the key Bluetooth gotchas and give a concise, action-oriented checklist you can follow right now (including exactly where to change the Connection skill settings via the kebab menu). Then I’ll ask for the specific diagnostic outputs I need to continue troubleshooting.

Quick summary

• EZ-B v3 is still supported by ARC; you do not have to upgrade to a WiFi EZB to get it working.
• The usual problem on modern Windows 10/11 systems is the Bluetooth adapter/driver stack - many USB dongles are BLEonly and do not expose the Serial Port Profile (SPP / RFCOMM) required for EZB v3 to show up as a COM port.
• If your adapter supports Classic Bluetooth / SPP and drivers are correct, the EZB v3 should pair and create a COM port that ARC can use.

Action checklist (stepbystep)

1. Power & EZB startup check

• Power the v3 from a known good battery or supply.
• Note LED behavior at boot (which LEDs are on/flashing) and any startup sound. If nothing at all happens, fix power first.

2. Make sure the Windows adapter supports Classic SPP

• If your dongle is BLEonly it WILL NOT create a COM port.
• Look for wording in the dongle description: "Serial Port Profile (SPP)", "Classic Bluetooth", "RFCOMM", or "Bluetooth 2.1/3.0/4.0 Classic".
• If unsure, try a different USB Bluetooth adapter known to support SPP / CSR chipsets (many Plugable, Avantree, or "CSR-based" dongles work reliably). Any adapter that shows a "Standard Serial over Bluetooth link (COM#)" after pairing is correct.

3. Pair the EZB in Windows (do this BEFORE ARC)

• Windows Settings Bluetooth & devices Add device Bluetooth choose the EZB device.
• If asked for a PIN try 1234.
• After pairing, open Device Manager.

4. Verify a COM port appears in Device Manager

• Device Manager Ports (COM & LPT) - look for "Standard Serial over Bluetooth link (COM#)" or similar.
• If you don’t see a COM under Ports, open Bluetooth rightclick the EZB device Properties Services and check for Serial (RFCOMM) service.

5. Test COM with a terminal app (PuTTY / Tera Term)

• If you have a COM number, test with a terminal at common baud rates. Try 115200 first, then 57600, 38400, 19200, 9600.
• If the terminal cannot open the port or shows no response at any baud, pairing/drivers are the issue.

6. Configure ARC Connection skill (where to find kebab menu & settings)

• In ARC: Project Add robot skill add "EZB Connection" (if not already).
• Open the EZB Connection skill window. Click the threeline kebab/hamburger menu (topright of that skill window) to open Settings.
• Go to the "COM/USB Connection" tab.
  • Set the COM port to the COM# you saw in Device Manager.
  • Set the Baud rate to the same value you tested (try 115200).
  • If available, enable the DTR and RTS checkboxes (some USB devices require these).
• Save and press Connect (or use the Connect0 control).

7. Quick connect test via ARC script

• Add a Script control and run this JavaScript:

// Attempt connect and print status (ARC JavaScript)
controlCommand("Connection","Connect0");
var connected = controlCommand("Connection","GetStatus",0);
print("EZB connected? " + connected);

• The script will print true/false. If false, check ARC Status.

8. Use Connection Diagnostic skill for verbose logging

• Project Add robot skill Connection Diagnostic.
• Run it and use the Ping / diagnostic options and Copy Log to Clipboard. Paste the log here for analysis.

Common fixes & gotchas

• Many vendor Bluetooth manager apps interfere - try using Windows builtin Bluetooth stack (remove vendor manager if needed).
• If a COM number conflicts (or is missing), change it via Device Manager Ports Properties Port Settings Advanced COM Port Number.
• Repair: remove old pairings on both Windows and the EZB, then pair again fresh.
• Ensure no other app has the COM port open (close terminals, ARC instances).

Helpful links

• EZB v3 support page: https://synthiam.com/Support/Hardware/EZ-B-v3
• Connection troubleshooting: https://synthiam.com/Support/troubleshooting/Connection-Troubleshooting
• USB/Serial troubleshooting: https://synthiam.com/Support/troubleshooting/Troubleshoot-USB-Connections
• Connection Diagnostic skill: add via Project Add robot skill Connection Diagnostic

What I need from you to continue Please paste the following (copy/paste is fine):

1. Exact make/model (or link) of the USB Bluetooth dongle you’re using.
2. What Device Manager shows after pairing (exact device name and COM#, or "no COM port").
3. The EZB LED behavior at power up (which LED(s) are lit/flashing).
4. ARC Status window output (open ARC, press COPY on the status bar, paste here).
5. If you tried the script snippet above, the returned value (true/false) and any printed output.

If you’d like, I can:

• Walk you stepbystep through pairing and finding COM in Device Manager (tell me your Windows version and I’ll give exact click path/menus).
• Recommend a specific Bluetooth dongle known for SPP support if you want a hardware suggestion.

Which would you prefer - try the checklist and paste the diagnostics here, or want a guided stepthrough now?

@Jeremie , I was thinking about you when I wrote that last post. I know you were working side by side with DJ and played a huge part in the design of the whole Ezb family, V3 and V4 and the Iotiny. Amazing devices and I still won't use anything else in my robots. Very sorry I didn't mention you as you were a big part of the heartbeat of EZ Robot. I was sad when the company split bit understand the mechanics of the process, as it were.

I hope to someday hear where your talents have taken you as you said you are not spending a lot of time with EZ Robot. Where ever that is I'm sure it's exciting, full of skill and forward looking. Even though EZ Robot is still the best with it's EZB line they seem to have slowed down with their innovation. Perhaps it just a case of not being able to improve on the best and not wanting to fix something that is not broken. I also know they have focuses on education and not DIY. Either way I'm very happy EZ Robot is still available in a market that eats new devices, ideas and technology for lunch.

Thanks - great background and context from Dave and Jeremie. I agree: the EZ-B v3 is a solid piece of hardware and ARC still supports it.

If you don't mind, I will return the conversation to the original topic with respect to continue helping @timbonderud . The usual problem now is the Windows + Bluetooth adapter not exposing a Classic (SPP/RFCOMM) COM port. Let’s move forward with a short plan so we can get you connected.

What I recommend now (pick one):

• I can walk you step-by-step through pairing and ARC configuration on your Windows 11 machine (guided live-style).
• Or you can run the checklist below and paste the requested diagnostic outputs; I’ll analyze them and tell you exactly what to do next.
• If you prefer a hardware suggestion I’ll recommend a reliable Bluetooth Classic (SPP) USB adapter.

Quick checklist (do these first)

1. Power & LED check

• Power the EZ-B v3 with a known-good battery or power supply.
• Note which LED(s) are on or flashing and whether you hear the boot sound.

2. Confirm your Bluetooth USB adapter supports Bluetooth Classic / SPP

• Look for wording: "Serial Port Profile (SPP)", "Classic Bluetooth", or "RFCOMM".
• If the adapter is BLE-only it will NOT create a COM port for the v3.

3. Pair the EZ-B in Windows (before using ARC)

• Windows Settings Bluetooth & devices Add device Bluetooth pair the EZ-B.
• If asked for a PIN try 1234.

4. Verify Device Manager shows a COM port

• Open Device Manager Ports (COM & LPT).
• Look for "Standard Serial over Bluetooth link (COM#)" or similar.
• If no COM appears, open the Bluetooth device in Device Manager Properties Services and check for Serial/RFCOMM service.

5. Test the COM port with a terminal (PuTTY, Tera Term)

• Try opening the COM at common baud rates: 115200, 57600, 38400, 19200, 9600 (try 115200 first).
• If the port can’t be opened or shows no response, the driver/pairing is still the issue.

6. Configure ARC Connection skill (exact place to change settings)

• ARC Project Add robot skill add "EZB Connection" (if not already).
• Open the EZB Connection skill window click the kebab (three-line) menu top-right COM/USB Connection tab.
• Set the COM port and Baud rate (e.g., 115200). Toggle DTR/RTS if available.
• Save and press Connect (or use Connect0).

7. Quick script test in ARC (Script control)

• Add a Script control and run this JavaScript to attempt connect and print status:

controlCommand("Connection","Connect0");
var connected = controlCommand("Connection","GetStatus",0);
print("EZB connected? " + connected);

8. Use Connection Diagnostic for verbose logging

• Project Add robot skill Connection Diagnostic.
• Run it, use Ping / diagnostics and "Copy Log to Clipboard".

What I need from you if you want me to diagnose now Please copy/paste the following (copy/paste is easiest):

1. USB Bluetooth dongle make/model (or a link to the product).
2. Device Manager output after pairing (exact device name and COM# if any; paste the Ports and Bluetooth device lines).
3. EZ-B v3 LED behavior at power-up (which LEDs are on or flashing).
4. ARC Status window output (open ARC and press COPY on the status bar and paste the full contents).
5. Result of the script above (true/false) if you ran it, and what baud rates you tried with a terminal app.

If you prefer a hardware suggestion

• Look for adapters that explicitly list "SPP", "Serial Port Profile", "Bluetooth Classic" or mention CSR (CSR chipset historically reliable: CSR8510/CSR8510 A10).
• If you want, I’ll recommend a couple of models known to work well with Windows 10/11 and SPP - tell me whether you prefer purchasing links or vendor suggestions.

Next steps

• Tell me which option you want (guided walkthrough, run checklist and paste diagnostics, or a recommended adapter).
• If you want the guided walkthrough say your Windows 11 build (Settings System About Windows specifications Version / OS build) and I’ll give exact click-by-click instructions.

Would you like me to walk you through pairing and checking the COM port live-style, or do you want to paste the diagnostics now?