Wireless keyboard signal on MBP

[mac000]

I bought the microsft comfort keyboard but i'm getting a low wireless keyboard signal an the freaking reciever is like 1.5 - 2 ft on the desk from the keyboard.

When i try to pair them again and i just hit the reciever it has a full reception and when its paired with the keyboard it has a high reception for a few seconds then it drops down to low again. What could be the problem here?

[mkrishnan]

Could be bad batteries...people report that experience periodically. Is this a Bluetooth keyboard? It could also be a source of 2.4 GHz interference -- e.g. other devices in your home or nearby such as microwaves, cordless phones, WiFi equipment, etc. If you have a WiFi network, you should particularly try just changing your WiFi channel.

[mac000]

Could be bad batteries...people report that experience periodically. Is this a Bluetooth keyboard? It could also be a source of 2.4 GHz interference -- e.g. other devices in your home or nearby such as microwaves, cordless phones, WiFi equipment, etc. If you have a WiFi network, you should particularly try just changing your WiFi channel.

it is 2.4 ghz, i tried changing the channels on the wi fi , no luck. its a microsoft wireless 6000 v2 keyboard if that helps

[mkrishnan]

Did you try changing the batteries?

[mac000]

Did you try changing the batteries?

its not that, they are new batteries.

[mjstew33]

its not that, they are new batteries.

Where those the batteries included from Microsoft? Who knows how old those could have been.

I'd still try changing the batteries.

It might just be a shoddy product, mate.

[mac000]

ok i might just end u returning it.

if macmall is adverting this: http://www.macmall.com/macmall/shop/detail.asp?dpno=612507&Redir=1

is should work with a mac then, right?

[mkrishnan]

is should work with a mac then, right?

No idea...they list Windows as the only operating system that supports it. It might. Almost any available bluetooth device should work with a Mac without drivers. Wireless products that use their own transceivers and don't adhere to a standard like Bluetooth are much more iffy.

I'd read the reviews on that page. At least one of them said to expect certain features may not work:

It may or may not be possible to use the wheel for this purpose in Windows or MacOS, as I use Linux.

And none of them seem to explicitly talk about using it on a Mac. MacMall is part of a company that also sells PC products (pcmall or something like that?), so it's certainly possible they just cross-listed it.

Or you could always get the Apple Wireless KB or another one known to work with Macs. Looks better, guaranteed to work.