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Dual Band Wireless-AC 8260 Discovers But Won't Pair

KEvan3
Beginner
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This is on a Lenovo Thinkpad P70 with Windows 10 64-bit. It is just over a year old and just out of warranty. I have not previously used Bluetooth on this device, and would now like to attach a Bluetooth 3.0 keyboard.

In the Device Manager Bluetooth was originally hidden and the drivers said "Currently this device is not connected". I uninstalled these, deleting the software, and installed BT_20.10.0_64_Win10.exe (Verion 20.10.0.9). The drivers then said "This device is working properly".

It appears to work, but fails to connect to any Bluetooth devices I have tried. It does discover the devices and show them as available. (See the image). They just don't pair. The same devices pair and work fine with my Galaxy S7 phone and Microsoft Surface Book.

I also tried BT_19.71.0_64_Win10.exe (Version 19.71.0.2) with the same results. I tried the download from the Lenovo site, which is for 19.71.0.2). It appears to run successfully, but the drivers have light blue icons, say "Currently this device is not connected", and you have to select Show hidden to see them. (This was how the Device Manager looked when I started.) Thus, this Lenovo driver update doesn't seem to work.

The BIOS is the latest and Windows is up to date with Creator's Fall Edition.

The Intel drivers both appear to work, but don't pair. I'm not sure what to do next.

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idata
Employee
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Hello KennethEvans,

 

 

We understand you're having issues pairing devices via Bluetooth® on your laptop using the Intel® Dual Band Wireless-AC 8260.

 

 

In order to better assist you we'd like to take a better look at your hardware and settings.

 

 

Please download and run the https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/25293 Intel® System Support Utility. While connected to your network, select the option to scan everything. Once the scan has completed, please save the report and share it with us.

 

 

Note: to enable attachments, make sure to use the advanced editor while replying.

 

 

Best regards,

 

Carlos A.
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KEvan3
Beginner
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Carlos,

Thanks for your assistance. The file is attached.

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idata
Employee
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Hello KennethEvans,

There's definitely something odd going on. Here are our initial findings based on this report:

- You're connected to your router using the 2.4 GHz Band, Channel 7 (we usually recommend 1,6, or 11 for this band).

 

- Even though your settings have 802.11ac enabled, you're currently using 802.11n.

 

- Your connection rate (speed at which your adapter and your wireless router communicate) is extremely low at 54 Mbps out of a maximum possible of 300 Mbps for 802.11n, or 867 Mbps for 802.11ac.

We would like to investigate some more before providing suggestions. Please share the following:

 

 

1. Open Device Manager, expand the Bluetooth® category. Double click on your Bluetooth® module to open the device properties and go to the Driver tab. Please share a screenshot showing everything available under Bluetooth®, as well as the information on the driver tab. Example:

 

2. What is the brand and model of your wireless router or access point?

 

3. How many devices are connected to your wireless router?

 

4. How far away is your computer from your wireless router?

 

5. Is connecting to the 5 GHz band an option?

Best regards,

 

Carlos A.
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KEvan3
Beginner
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Carlos,

1. Device Manager screenshot attached.

2. The router is TP-LINK AC1750 Archer C7.

3. There are 2 computers, a phone, and 4 Sonos speakers typically connected.

4. The computer is within a few feet of the router.

5. 5 GHz is not an option as it doesn't carry through the house. I need everything on the same network.

The speed is capped by my plan with Comcast (60 Mbps). It is more than adequate for my needs.

Note that I am not having issues with WiFi wireless.

I am having issues pairing Bluetooth devices to (only) this computer.

The devices are discovered, indicating the antennas are working. They just fail to pair.

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idata
Employee
2,365 Views

Hello KennethEvans,

Thank you for this information.

Regardless of your actual download speed, an extremely low connection rate is not normal. With your current connection rate of 54 Mbps, the maximum possible download speed your laptop can achieve is approximately 27 Mbps.

Based on your settings, environment, and wireless router, there is no reason for such an extremely low number.

Although this is not the issue that we're troubleshooting, it's definitely a symptom worth noting as may be related to your Bluetooth® issues.

Would you be comfortable opening up your laptop to make sure that both of your laptop's antennas are properly connected to the adapter? If they are, perhaps you could test by switching them (1 > 2, 2 > 1) then try to pair your devices.

NOTE: Any links provided for third party tools or sites are offered for your convenience and should not be viewed as an endorsement by Intel® of the content, products, or services offered there. We do not offer support for any third party tool mentioned here.

- Lenovo ThinkPad P70* Hardware Maintenance Manual: https://download.lenovo.com/pccbbs/mobiles_pdf/p70_hmm_en_sp40j65113.pd https://download.lenovo.com/pccbbs/mobiles_pdf/p70_hmm_en_sp40j65113.pdf

Page 72 talks about how to remove your back cover. The bottom of page 75 shows your Wirless LAN adapter. Please note that the pages of the PDF file may not correctly synced to the actual page numbers, so look at the bottom of the page.

Please let us know how this works out.

Best regards,

 

Carlos A.
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KEvan3
Beginner
2,365 Views

Carlos,

I can try to remove the LAN adapter, However, I have another issue I didn't mention. I was trying to keep it simple. However, you seem knowledgeable, and I would appreciate your input on the entire situation.

When I first tried to pair the Bluetooth keyboard, the UI didn't have Bluetooth On/Off buttons, and in Device Manager there was no Bluetooth. Actually it was there but you have to select Show hidden devices. Then, the icons were grayed out, and it said "Currently this device is not connected to the computer". (This is what I said in the original post.)

However, what I actually did next is look on the Lenovo site and get the their Intel Bluetooth Driver and run it. It is supposed to install 19.71.0.2 (what was already installed at the factory). This driver appears to have problems.

1. It didn't fix the problem.

2. It did not appear in App & Features, as the instructions said it would, and so there is not way to remove it.

In the process of trying to deal with this, I found there was a BIOS update to 2.21 and installed that as well. The former BIOS was 2.19.

I eventually got to the next step in what I originally said: I installed the Intel driver 20.10.0.9. That fixes the problem with Device Manager. The driver now says "This device is working properly", the Bluetooth buttons appear where they should in the UI, and there is an icon in the Action Center. Also the Intel program is in Apps & Features as it should be. All appears to be well except that it fails to pair. (I have also tried the 19.71.0.2 Intel driver, and that works ok as well, up to the point where it doesn't pair.)

However, I found all is not well, The computer (which is always plugged in) gave a notice that the battery was down to 6% and was not connected to the adapter.

Among other things, I did a Battery Report and see that it was always charged at 100% until about the time I installed the Lenovo driver and the new BIOS. There does not actually appear to be anything wrong with the battery and adapter. In fact, the computer charges fine when it is turned off. There is a green light by the connector. It is green when it is off and turns off immediately when starting up (before the Lenovo logo and before Windows). It thus appears that this charging problem and possibly the Bluetooth problem is owing to the BIOS update.

The obvious solution is to revert the BIOS. The catch is that it won't let me run the BIOS update executable unless the adapter is plugged in. I haven't found a way around this, yet.

I do have a recent System Image and there is also a Restore Point at just before this happened as well a few days earlier. However, System Restore fails, (I have not tried other options like running it in Safe Mode or from Recovery.) This may be owing to the BIOS change. In any event, I believe the first step is to revert the BIOS. I can't do this or restore the system image with the adapter not on when the computer is on. (The system image will take more time than the battery life of about 2 hr.)

The charging problem is much more serious than the Bluetooth, and it is possible the Bluetooth problem is owing to the BIOS or to the bad Lenovo driver install anyway. It would seem to be better to try to remove the LAN card after the computer is working right otherwise and possibly reverted to when it was working (but the Bluetooth never having been used).

I am not getting help from Lenovo or I would not ask here.

It's quite a nightmare. I would appreciate your thoughts.

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idata
Employee
2,365 Views

Hello KennethEvans,

 

 

Your Bluetooth® Module may become hidden for quite a few reasons, it's actually more common than would normally think. It has a lot to do with the way that Windows* handles USB devices. Even though the WiFi module of your adapter communicates using PCIe* through an M.2 slot, Bluetooth® uses USB (through the same M.2 slot).

 

 

The reasons can go from the Bluetooth® services not being initialized since your PC doesn't recognize it as such when the driver isn't installed, to some sort of virus infection, or a simple driver corruption.

 

 

And you may just be right, the BIOS update could have very well affected the way that this device is being handled resulting in problems. Your UEFI BIOS is the base everything else runs off of after all. Will the OEM not help since your warranty is expired even though the issue was potentially caused by the update?

 

 

I believe System restore won't affect your BIOS, as it only changes your OS and programs. Even though a BIOS update 'can' be applied from Windows*, it actually makes changes that go much deeper than that. You can usually just run a previous BIOS "update" in order to revert, but your computer manufacturer is the expert here, not me. This can actually differ from brand to brand.

 

 

Also, no need to remove the adapter itself if you don't want to. But if you do, it never hurts to remove it, make sure the pins look free of debris and then reconnecting it. The main thing I want you to check or try to swap are the two antenna connectors at the top of the card, for now.

 

 

Since it's the weekend now, I won't see your reply until Monday. But if the antennas are connected securely, and swapping them has no effect, please try a much older driver and let us know if that helps. Here's the link to the 19.40 version: https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/26580 https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/26580

 

 

Best regards,

 

Carlos A.
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KEvan3
Beginner
2,365 Views

Carlos,

I solved the problem with the AC adapter. It turns out I had tried the Airplane Mode button in the Action Center while debugging why the Bluetooth icon did not appear there (or elsewhere in the UI). Apparently this changed the Power profile to Airplane and didn't change it back. It is apparently this profile that keeps the AC adapter from working. Changing back to my normal profile fixed it. So there is no need to revert the BIOS. I don't think that is the problem.

I tried to go to a System Restore Point made when all was working and Bluetooth untried. This failed in Windows and also in Recovery when I tried it there. When it happens in Recovery, the Restore Point gets destroyed, so that is the end of that. I can't restore it to before installing the bad Lenovo driver. System Restore used to be very robust and has saved me several times. Apparently now it fails much of the time (based on what I see on Google). There is no indication the current Intel driver (20.10.0.9) is not installed correctly, however.

I tried the 19.40.1702.1059 driver. It did not install well. The first time I had the driver and 3 copies of each of the other 3 Microsoft Bluetooth xxx drivers in Device Manager, all grayed out and no Bluetooth in the UI. The second time, there was no Bluetooth in Device Manager at all, even with show hidden devices. I reinstalled the 20.10.0.9 driver, and that seems to work (except for not pairing).

I did remove the LAN card and interchange the two connectors. I had trouble getting them to connect securely was the only problem. The contacts and everything else inside are clean. The computer is just over a year old.

On restarting, everything is the same as before as far as I can tell. It discovers, but does not pair.

The Bluetooth Support Service is running. The Bluetooth Handsfree Service is not It is set to Manual (Trigger Start). Starting it doesn't help.

-Ken

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KEvan3
Beginner
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For what it is worth: There are events in the event viewer. The adapter address is for the Bluetooth 3.0 Keyboard I am trying to pair and which pairs on my Surface Book.

The Details for this one are:

+System

-Provider[ Name] BTHUSB

-EventID16

[ Qualifiers] 49157Level2Task0Keywords0x80000000000000-TimeCreated

[ SystemTime] 2018-01-07T20:42:45.877733500ZEventRecordID13561ChannelSystemComputerSapiensSecurity-EventData

<...
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KEvan3
Beginner
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These are the associated drivers. The first two belong to Microsoft, and the last 3 to Intel 20.10.0.9. The ibtfw.dat looks suspicious. I get no Google hits for it. Is it supposed to be there?

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idata
Employee
2,365 Views

Hello KennethEvans,

 

 

Would you be willing to consider reinstalling the operating system?

 

 

Windows® has an interface that allows the OS to be reinstalled without needing any disks or advanced configuration:

 

 

1. Open Windows* Settings (from the start menu, or by using the "Windows* Key + i" combo)

 

2. Go to Update & Security > Recovery

 

3. Under "Reset this PC" choose to get started.

 

4. Choose to Keep my files (saves your desktop, downloads, pictures, and all the other standard user folders), or remove everything. Regardless of your choice, you will need to manually reinstall any user programs that did not come preinstalled with your computer.

 

5. Follow any prompts (there aren't many), your system may restart a couple of times, and before you know it you'll be back on a clean desktop screen.

 

 

Even though there is an option to keep your files, we always recommend to back up any important data.

 

 

If this is not an option that you're willing to consider at this time, don't worry. In that case we would like to take a look at your Event Viewer logs and WLAN report to try and investigate further:

 

 

1. Event Viewer logs:

 

1. Right click the start menu, select Event Viewer from the list.

 

2. On the left-most panel, expand the Windows Logs category.

 

3. Right click on System and choose to clear logs, then clear (or save and clear if you want to save a copy of your old logs).

 

4. Close or minimize the event viewer, try and fail to pair some devices.

 

5. Open the event viewer again > windows logs > Right click System and "Save All Events As..."

 

6. After naming the file, choose to include display information for English if available.

 

2. WLAN Report:

 

1. Right click your start menu icon and select Command Prompt (Admin) from the list.

 

2. Enter: netsh wlan show wlanreport

 

3. Go to C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WlanReport\

 

4. Upload the wlan-report-latest.html file along with your reply.

 

 

Note: If the event viewer logs are too large to attach, you may need to upload them to a file hosting service and share the link with us.

 

 

Best regards,

 

Carlos A.
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KEvan3
Beginner
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Reset this PC is not an option.

I made the two files requested, and they should be attached.

As far as I can tell the antennas are working. If I understand the Bluetooth protocol correctly, displaying the names (done in the inquiry stage) requires communication in both directions. I have run Speedtest and get 72.35 Mbps, so the WiFi is apparently working. So apparently I got the connections back all right, and both antennas are working. The problem is likely in the drivers. Unfortunately, the error messages are not very informative.

You didn't comment on the ibtwf.dat file.

Thanks for your help.

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idata
Employee
2,365 Views

Hello KennethEvans,

Sorry for that, meant to let you I was still looking into it. So far we couldn't find any information on that ibtwf.dat file. However, that fact that it's digitally signed should offer some relief, although it doesn't get us closer to figuring out what it's for or why it's there.

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/drivers/install/driver-signing Driver Signing - Microsoft HW Dev Center (In case you want to read about the subject).

Looking at your WLAN Report, your connection rate looks healthier (you're now getting the expected rate for 802.11n). The previous result may have been erroneous somehow.

Let's try the following, please test pairing your keyboard after each step:

1. From Services.msc, restart the Bluetooth® Support Service

 

2. Open Device Manager > Intel® Wireless Bluetooth® Properties > Advanced tab > Reset to Default.

 

3. Still in Device Manager > Network Adapters > Right click on your Intel® Dual Band Wireless-AC 8260 and select Disable. Try pairing with WiFi disabled, note if there is a behavior change and enable the adapter again.

4. Run the Network Reset tool: Type "Network Reset" on the taskbar search, or open Windows* Settings from the start menu > Network & Internet > Network Reset > Reset Now (make sure to let your PC reboot, or reboot manually).

Best regards,

 

Carlos A.
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KEvan3
Beginner
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Carlos,

I did all 4 tests. Unfortunately it still failed to connect after each one.

I checked the date on ibtfw.dat and it has the same date as the other Intel drivers, so it is probably legitimate. It would be nice to provide the Provider information, though.

I also checked the version on all the Microsoft drivers under Bluetooth in Device Manager. They are all 10.0.16299.nnn. (nnn varies), so they are all from the Fall Creators Update. I have run sfc /scannow with no problems, so presumably they are all ok.

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idata
Employee
2,365 Views

Hello KennethEvans,

 

 

At this point it's worth considering hardware issues. It's possible that your wireless adapter may be defective or damaged. Although the Bluetooth® and WiFi modules are part of the same adapter, they're independent and may present individual issues.

 

 

We can recommend to reach out to your computer manufacturer to have them replace the adapter, or to purchase the replacement part directly from them (if you're OK with installing it yourself).

 

 

- http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/topics/OEMs.html Computer Manufacturer Support Sites

 

 

We don't usually recommend purchasing the replacement from online stores are these may be spare parts for a different brand and model computer, they may carry customizations not intended for your system.

 

 

Best regards,

 

Carlos A.
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KEvan3
Beginner
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Carlos,

I am sure having them replace it will be expensive. I haven't checked how much just buying it would be. In addition, in researching this I see quite a few comments on the web that the 8260 is not a good adapter. It would also be the second time I have had to replace an Intel wireless adapter installed by a manufacturer because it didn't work. Getting a USB Bluetooth adapter (around $10 - $15) is probably what I'll do if nothing else works.

I would still like to fix the problem, just because I have gotten started on it. I assume there is no way to run useful diagnostics on the hardware. (I have already run the hardware tests Lenovo provides, and they passed.)

Troubleshooting in Windows, it says:

The troubleshooter made some changes to your system. Try attempting to do the task you were trying before.

Problems found

Check Bluetooth radio status

Fixed

It doesn't say what it did, and it does the same thing when run again.

There is the possibility that the manufacturer has done something additional. The Lenovo driver, what I should be using, clearly does not install correctly. I am out of warranty. I didn't find them helpful on other issues when I was in warranty. (Their main approach seems to be to reinstall Windows.) I would guess they won't help, but it seems to be a legitimate question as to what to do when a manufacturer's driver doesn't work properly. I don't know the answer.

Thanks again for your help.

-Ken

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idata
Employee
2,365 Views

Hello Ken,

The wireless adapter by itself shouldn't cost you much more than an USB Dongle. The "suggested price" on our https://ark.intel.com/products/86068/Intel-Dual-Band-Wireless-AC-8260 product specification page shows it at $18 USD, so it should be something close to that. I'm sure your computer manufacturer will be able to sell you this as a spare part.

If that fails, and in a worse case scenario where a dongle shows the same problem, then reinstalling the OS would be the next step (again, the reset option makes this much simpler than ever).

Technically, the main support for wireless adapters should be provided by the computer manufacturer. They should be able to troubleshoot and narrow down the source of the issue. If there is something wrong with the driver, they have an direct contact with our engineers to work it out. If the problem came from our base drivers, then both the OEM and our following generic versions will include the fix.

But don't worry, I know in the real world there is warranty periods, payed support, etc. In which case the Intel® published drivers should be similar enough that they should work, and our support is always here to help.

Please make sure to update us if once you get the new wireless adapter.

Best regards,

 

Carlos A.
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KEvan3
Beginner
2,365 Views

Carlos,

>> Technically, the main support for wireless adapters should be provided by the computer manufacturer.

Yes, but that isn't happening. What is happening is that they are supplying a corrupt driver update and no support other than the public forum.

It is my guess that both the LAN card and the Intel drivers are ok. We certainly haven't found evidence to the contrary. My best guess to the cause of the problem is (1) Lenovo modified something or (2) It is a Windows glitch (like turning off my AC adapter behind my back and without notice). These are just guesses, of course.

I don't think you have any more ideas to resolve the problem, and I do not.

I have ordered a USB Bluetooth adapter rather than getting a new LAN board.

  1. It is cheaper. There is no shipping, and it will be here Friday. It has lots of good reviews.
  2. If it is case (1) then it should solve the problem, whereas a new Intel board would not.
  3. If it is case (2) then it is a cheaper and easier way to find out, and I wouldn't need a new board anyway.
  4. If it really is the board, then all I lose is an internal Bluetooth implementation rather than using up a USB port.

It is not the money.

I will post here after trying it.

As for now, I truly would like to thank you for your support. I believe you are competent and honestly interested in solving my problem. Your suggestions were good and the right ones to address the issue. I am not accustomed to have an actual person from the manufacturer help in the forum. That is good. Lenovo certainly doesn't do that. Thanks again.

-Ken

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idata
Employee
2,365 Views

Hello Ken,

 

 

Thanks for your kind words. We appreciate your comprehension.

 

 

Please let us know how it goes with a USB Bluetooth adapter.

 

 

Best regards,

 

Eugenio F.
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KEvan3
Beginner
2,094 Views

Hi Carlos,

I got an email that you closed the incident, which is ok. I have not made an update because I am still working on the problem. This is the status:

I did get a USB adapter from Plugable. Their support is very good. However, it has the same problem: It discovers but doesn't pair. I have also found it does Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) ok.

I have downloaded sample discovery and pairing code for Bluetooth from Microsoft and can trace more deeply into where the problem occurs.

This is the line where pairing occurs:

DevicePairingResult dpr = await deviceInfoDisp.DeviceInformation.Pairing.PairAsync();

1. The devce to pair is in deviceInfoDisp, which comes from the discovery.

2. The call is deviceInfoDisp.DeviceInformation.Pairing.PairAsync();

3. The call returns dpr, which has dpr.Status which has "Authentication Failed" unless the device was off, in which case it has "Authentication Timeout". This is what appears in the Event logs, as well. There are many other possible Status values.

AccessDenied

Your application does not have the appropriate permissions level to pair the device object.

AlreadyPaired

The device object has already been paired.

AuthenticationFailure

Authentication failed, so the device is not paired. Either the device object or the application rejected the authentication.

AuthenticationNotAllowed

The authentication protocol is not supported, so the device is not paired.

AuthenticationTimeout

The authentication process timed out before it could complete.

ConnectionRejected

The device object rejected the connection.

Failed

An unknown failure occurred.

HardwareFailure

The device object indicated there was a hardware failure.

InvalidCeremonyData

The ceremony data was incorrect.

NoSupportedProfiles

There are no network profiles for this device object to use.

NotPaired

The device object is not currently paired.

NotReadyToPair

The device object is not in a state where it can be paired.

OperationAlreadyInProgress

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