How about we check if the bluetooth systemd service is actually running. If not, this will cause the type of behaviour that you are describing within a GUI like Blueman.

Assuming Mint uses systemd, could you please run the following command in the terminal and get back to us with the output :

If it's running, you'll see some green coloured text with the word "Active" along with a whole lot of other information ....

Ah ! Great news. Now do you know if the netbook's WiFi supports both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands ? The conflict, when it occurs, is caused by linux's inability to manage contention between WiFi and Bluetooth communication when both are using the 2.4 GHz band ... Windows somehow deals better with this.

For WiFi cards that are dual-band, if you configure it to exclusively connect to the 5 GHz band (your router/access point must obviously also support this ...), you can work around the conflict.

... and with respect to having 2 GUI tools installed to manage Bluetooth, I don't think it matters as long as you don't fire up both of them at the same time. I personally manage everything from the command line with systemctl and bluetoothctl - I find it simpler, but it's a question of personal preference.

So I wouldn't worry about this. You can eventually uninstall Blueman if you find that the GUI included with your desktop environment does the job.

Here is the output -

systemctl status bluetooth
● bluetooth.service - Bluetooth service
Loaded: loaded (/lib/systemd/system/bluetooth.service; enabled; vendor preset
Active: active (running) since Fri 2017-07-28 19:55:08 IST; 4h 2min ago
Docs: man:bluetoothd(8)
Main PID: 2025 (bluetoothd)
Status: "Running"
CGroup: /system.slice/bluetooth.service
└─2025 /usr/lib/bluetooth/bluetoothd

Jul 28 23:43:55 alok-1015CX bluetoothd[2025]: Current Time Service could not be
Jul 28 23:43:55 alok-1015CX bluetoothd[2025]: gatt-time-server: Input/output err
Jul 28 23:43:55 alok-1015CX bluetoothd[2025]: Not enough free handles to registe
Jul 28 23:43:55 alok-1015CX bluetoothd[2025]: Not enough free handles to registe
Jul 28 23:43:55 alok-1015CX bluetoothd[2025]: Sap driver initialization failed.
Jul 28 23:43:55 alok-1015CX bluetoothd[2025]: sap-server: Operation not permitte
Jul 28 23:43:55 alok-1015CX bluetoothd[2025]: Endpoint registered: sender=:1.40
Jul 28 23:43:55 alok-1015CX bluetoothd[2025]: Endpoint registered: sender=:1.40
Jul 28 23:44:40 alok-1015CX bluetoothd[2025]: /org/bluez/hci0/dev_08_DF_1F_56_EF
Jul 28 23:44:41 alok-1015CX bluetoothd[2025]: Control: Refusing unexpected conne

Have you got sound playing through the Bose speaker yet ?

OK it's running - that's good.

Not sure what that last message is about refusing unexpected connection ... Is everything working ?

As for the waveband stuff you suggest - 5 GHz as against 2.4 or whatever - that sounds like its way beyond my present competence. But I have a Linux manual coming my way soon from Amazon!

Meanwhile, will await your next.

(As you can see from the time-stamp on the output, it's late here, and I must get to bed now - finally reassured that I have a system that works! Thank you again!)

O yes, full, happy sound coming from the Bose!

Don't know about the "refusing unexpected connection" but I'll let that rest as long as it lets me do the same!

That's great and all that matters ! :-)

Have a well-deserved break, Alok - you solved your problem !!

Glad I was able to be of some help.

Thanks! I'm sure I will be back...