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Securing Bluetooth Headphones (sopuli.xyz)

submitted 11 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

11 comments fedilink hide all child comments

I have a pair of Bluetooth headphones, which I have been using since 2022. Today, I was sitting on the bus when some random person connected to them and started playing Free Bird.

It was a bit funny, but I don't want this to become a regular thing. Is there a way of locking the headphones to certain Bluetooth addresses? Or a way of making it not show up automatically on phones (similar to a hidden WiFi network)?

The headphones in question are the JBL Tune 510, which have a USB-C port. However, I don't know if this can be used to flash firmware.

If there's already a comment telling me to "just use wired" or something, please don't tell me again. It's the best solution, but my phone doesn't have a headphone jack (fuck you, Apple).

Thanks!

top 11 comments

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[–] [email protected] 26 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (1 children)

deleted

[–] [email protected] 8 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Yeah, I think they go into discovery mode until they find a previously-paired device when you turn them on.

I'll double-check the manual.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago

This is my experience with all BT headphones I've had. Maybe they do a quick short stint of searching for an existing device but then auto switch to pairing until a device connects.

[–] [email protected] 23 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Is it at all common for BT headphones to be able to pair without specifically enabling pairing mode? I've never heard of that before.

Most headphones require you to hold down the power button when powering on to enable pairing.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 11 months ago

Mine have a weird bug when I sometimes hear following messages one right after another after turning them on:

Connected – Disconnected – Pairing

[–] [email protected] 10 points 11 months ago (1 children)

It’s the best solution, but my phone doesn’t have a headphone jack (fuck you, Apple).

You can buy a tiny DAC that plugs into the digital port of the phone.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago

While a bit expensive, the Fiio BTR5 sounds phenomenal over USB

[–] [email protected] 10 points 11 months ago

I think it depends on headphone model/setup.

My Sennheiser Momentum 3 by default only look for devices that were paired up in the past.

It goes to (forced) discovery/pairing mode only when I press a specific button on headset manually.

Check manual of your headset for similar setup.

[–] ratman150 10 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Clearly the universe decided you needed to listen to Freebird lol

[–] [email protected] 3 points 11 months ago

It was a canon event

[–] [email protected] 4 points 11 months ago

https://www.nist.gov/publications/guide-bluetooth-security-2