Technology Insights

btscanner: Update OUI List – Vendor Organizationally Unique Identifier List

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If you use btscanner, which is a Bluetooth scanner found in Backtrack Linux, a lot like I do then you will notice that the Public OUI list included is pretty far out of date. The OUI or Organizationally Unique Identifier list is what matches MAC addresses to manufacturers or vendors. This is how you can determine who produced a specific product that is talking on a network for instance a Bluetooth device that is attempting to communicate with your phone or your computer.

Technology Insights

Bluetooth CoD: Bluetooth Class of Device/Class of Service Explained

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While testing some tools in Backtrack Linux I was working with some Bluetooth tools including btscanner, BlueProPro, bluediving, etc. and wanted to know more about the Bluetooth Class of Device/Class of Service also know as just Bluetooth CoD. Not only how it was formatted but also what exactly it meant and what it could tell me exactly about Bluetooth devices. In the end I feel I have a pretty good understanding of Bluetooth CoD and what it can tell you about various hardware devices even though it appears the standard for assigning CoD numbers is fairly loose most people appear to adhere to it somewhat. It should be noted that Bluetooth CoD is easily modified such as on Linux you can set it using hciconfig and thus could provide fasle information if you wanted to do so. Obviously not many people are going to understand this or know how to accomplish this so typically if you are scanning for Bluetooth devices you will be getting whatever the manufacturer has set when the item was manufactured. Below we describe more specifics about Bluetooth CoD including what the CoD hex means and some examples of Bluetooth CoD. Check out our Bluetooth Class list by clicking here.

Technology Insights

Change Background Display On Polycom SoundPoint SIP Phones

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Another task I recently completed for a client of mine was to modify the background image for Polycom SoundPoint SIP phones connecting to the companies VoIP network externally. Depending on the model of the Polycom SoundPoint you can modify the background image that displays on the LCD panel using a URL. In this case the phone type was a Polycom SoundPoint 550 and he phones connecting via an external network were not displaying the background image that was set for phones on the internal network. Below is information on where you can find where the background image is set and an example configuration file that explains what could be changed to have different phones locate the background image on the Polycom SoundPoint SIP phones also known as the home display.