Bluetooth Tethering support on Steam Deck

[V𝐢𝐧𝐢gas Ba𝗸𝗸 🫎]

I think it would be useful to get SteamUI for Bluetooth Tethering toggle. It would allow to get slow connection automatically for save files sync while you are on-the-go, as an failover internet connectio,n or if you just pulled SteamDeck out of your backpack and didn't enabled WiFi-AP on your phone just yet.

Of course e-SIM LTE would be even better, but Steam Deck hardware is great anyways as it is right now.

Reddit post: https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamDeck/comments/qlwaur/bluetoothtethering_support_on_steamos_linux/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3

Reddit post citation: "Will BluetoothTethering (bnep0) connection with phone will be available? I mean SteamDeck as BlietoothTethering internet endpoint-receiver. I have done it to Linux PC in the past. I know that will be available via unix terminal tweekings. But SteamOS UI for that would be very cool.

Would be useful to get constant ~1Mbps internet connection availability without turning WiFiHotspot on the phone manually everytime. Also battery friendly, battery used only for internet packets transmitted, meanwhile wifi uses energy constantly while on.

If you leave your phone bluetooth always-on it will reconnect automatically with BluetoothTethering. Right out-of-the-backpack.

As a failover for internet connection. As a backup if WiFi is not available instantaniously.

It doesn't cost anything to do this. Less than 10 commands to do this in shell terminal.

What it needs is just user-friendly SteamOS UI in the menu. To be exact toggle-button to allow accepting BluetoothTethering internet from connected device.

Technology is already there in Linux-BlueZ library.

What y'all thinking?
"

[ReBoot]

Valve already announced BT functionaliy and it stands to reason, they will also have a easy-to-use UI to manage your BT connections. Meaning chances are pretty good, you'll be able to use your BT router.

[Silence]

If you can setuo it Today with KDE or Linux in general, then yes, you can do it already and its probably easy.

[retrogunner]

I suspect the Deck's BT management will be regarding peripheral connections, not BT networking.

From my experience, if you're going to tether a "PC" to a modern 4G or 5G phone [which would be needed for reasonable sync and online activity] it should be over the phone's wifi hotspot OR USB Tethering.

"But retro, I don't mind slower transfer over BT - it's just cloud saves after all". Here's my counter:

1. Linux has very full featured BT stack built-in. Valve may not put BT Tether in the UI but someone in the community will do something about it. (Like added a shellscript as an "external game" - you can run more than one game at a time in Steam.)

2. BT Tether is so slow (even the fastest BT) as you're effectively establishing an old school PPP-type "serial link" to the phone.

3. If you have an Android phone, you might be better off with a "Wired" Tethering. Yup, Ethernet over USB. Sure, it's not as convenient as wireless, but it would be more private than sharing your Phone's Wifi connection. And with a USB-C & USB-3 phones, they'll have plenty of bandwidth over the cable.

4. The Valve Steam client. It's not just saves, its updates. If you're in offline mode, why are you trying to tether (rhetorical question)? But if online for saves, even single player games will not play frequently unless updated.

5. If it's about Saves, the Steam client is being reworked per yesterdays DEV Stream so both cloud and disk saves happen *simultaneously*. Yah. Offline, it caches saves until it can sync. Online, both saves happen together. If you have a slow connection, those "autosaves" in a game are going to ruin you're experience if you tether over bluetooth.

Of course, the above should be considered with a grain of salt, Even without the Steam Deck, once SteamOS 3 beta comes out, folks will be able to install it laptops OR even handhelds like the Aya Neo.

Until SteamOS 3 beta comes out to test BT Tethering, you best option is to see how it fairs with Manjaro per:

https://partner.steamgames.com/doc/steamdeck/testing
Developing for Steam Deck without a Dev-Kit

Cheers, retro