You Don't Need No Stinkin' XPR5550 Programming Cable

Programming the Motorola XPR5550 Mobile Radio with Bluetooth

When you first get a new Motorola XPR5550 DMR radio, you know what you can do with it? Nothing, until you program it. There is a lot to learn about programming the 5550, and I will not go into that here. But, you need 2 things to do the programming, the Mototrbo CPS software and a programming cable. Motorola dealers sell them for about $80, or you can build your own using the accessory kit that comes with the 5550 and a USB cable. 

There is another alternative, use Bluetooth and wirelessly program your 5550. While it is not intuitive to set up, it can be done with the proper procedure. I was able to get mine working with both my 5550s. 

Here are the step by step instructions to get yours working. I used a Windows 7 PC. If you have a different Windows OS, I can't help you, I'm a Mac, I only use PCs when nothing else will do. (I wonder if I can do CPS with Wine? I bet I can!)

________________________________________________

Program XPR5550 Using Bluetooth

On the 5550:

1. Turn on Bluetooth
2. Select “Find Me”

On the Windows PC:

1. Click the Bluetooth symbol on the menu bar at the bottom right of the PC.
2. Select “Add a Device” from the pull down.
3. Wait a few seconds, and when the 5550 shows up as a device (it will have the name you gave it in the CPS software).  Click on it.
4. When the PC asks you to verify the device, click that you see the number on the device, even though you don’t. (Honesty will not get you far with Windows.)
5. The 5550 will now ask you to accept to connection, click “Accept” on the 5550.
6. Click on Menu to go back to the normal 5550 screen.
7. When the Bluetooth devices window opens on the PC, drag the 5550 icon to the desktop.

You are now ready to program. Here is what you do:

1. Right click the 5550 icon on the PC desktop.
2. Roll your cursor over “Connect using” and click on “Access point”
3. Now, open the CPS software.
4. Click on Bluetooth in the top menu. It will turn the background blue.

You are now connected to the 5550 and can do whatever you can do with the programming cord EXCEPT updating the firmware. That has to be done with a physical cable. You can Read, Write and Clone as you wish. If you have more than 1 5550, you will need to have a Bluetooth connection icon for each one of them, and, if you want them programmed the same, you will have to do one first, then clone it to the second one.

Good luck!