How do I make a GATT server connect to a specific clients(without pairing mechanism)?

[Rifat Mahmud]

How do I make sure, the GATT server running on the BLE peripheral client connects only to a specific app based central/GATT client app, which has been authenticated via web? In other words, how Estimote allows its BLEs to connect only to its specific app.

[Anders Strand]

Hi.

If you are referring to estimote beacons? These are iBeacons, which just broadcasts a set message out in the area around them. The smartphone app does not connect to the beacons, it just scans them and read the information they broadcast.

A BLE peripheral cannot choose which central is allowed to connect. The only exception is with whitelisting, where the peripheral has stored information about a previously bonded device. It will then only allow connections from that device.

If you tell me more about what you want to make, i might be able to provide more specific tips. How are you planning to do authentication over web to a BLE device?

-Anders

[Rifat Mahmud]

"The smartphone app does not connect to the beacons, it just scans them and read the information they broadcast." If connecting means using the GATT service, then, I think the Estimote app does connect(logged in as the owner user of the device via internet) to the Estimote device after the device is registered. And it doesn't let other apps(namely, Nordic MCP) to connect to it/use the GATT service. Also, you might be aware that Estimote uses nRF51822. So, I guess, what they are doing is doable with nRF51 SDK too.