I configured my Gentoo system as per the Gentoo Linux Bluetooth Guide, which required recompiling the kernel with bluetooth support and installing the bluez-libs and bluez-utils packages.
Usage notes
Query (HCI) device:
hciconfig -a
Bring the device up:
hciconfig hci0 up
Substitute hci0 with your device name, as shown in the query. You can also take it down or reset it.
Scan for remote devices:
hcitool scan
Get information (inquire) about remote devices:
hcitool inq
Example
slap steph # hciconfig -a
hci0: Type: USB
BD Address: 00:0B:6B:5C:83:76 ACL MTU: 377:10 SCO MTU: 64:8
DOWN
RX bytes:692 acl:0 sco:0 events:27 errors:0
TX bytes:611 acl:0 sco:0 commands:46 errors:19
Features: 0xff 0xff 0x0d 0x38 0x08 0x08 0x00 0x00
Packet type: DM1 DM3 DM5 DH1 DH3 DH5 HV1 HV2 HV3
Link policy: RSWITCH HOLD SNIFF PARK
Link mode: SLAVE ACCEPT
slap steph # hciconfig hci0 up
slap steph # hciconfig -a
hci0: Type: USB
BD Address: 00:0B:6B:5C:83:76 ACL MTU: 377:10 SCO MTU: 64:8
UP RUNNING PSCAN ISCAN
RX bytes:1083 acl:0 sco:0 events:46 errors:0
TX bytes:937 acl:0 sco:0 commands:65 errors:19
Features: 0xff 0xff 0x0d 0x38 0x08 0x08 0x00 0x00
Packet type: DM1 DM3 DM5 DH1 DH3 DH5 HV1 HV2 HV3
Link policy: RSWITCH HOLD SNIFF PARK
Link mode: SLAVE ACCEPT
Name: 'BlueZ (0)'
Class: 0x3e0100
Service Classes: Networking, Rendering, Capturing
Device Class: Computer, Uncategorized
HCI Ver: 1.2 (0x2) HCI Rev: 0x69 LMP Ver: 1.2 (0x2) LMP Subver: 0x694a
Manufacturer: Broadcom Corporation (15)
slap steph # hcitool scan
Scanning ...
00:1D:FD:6F:56:8B Twonk
slap steph # hcitool inq
Inquiring ...
00:1D:FD:6F:56:8B clock offset: 0x5c8c class: 0x5a020c
