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Dumb question (I know): Lost Bluetooth Keyboard

GeekLawyer

GeekLawyer

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Jun 2, 2007
2,281
46
The post is coming from inside the house!
I promise, I know how crazy this sounds. And no, I don't think I'm a candidate for one of those hoarders TV shows.

I absolutely cannot locate my Apple bluetooth keyboard. My iMac can locate it. And apparently be connected to it. But it's a mystery to me where in my home it is.

Some time ago, I decided I wanted my numeric keys back and switched to a wired keyboard. And then I put the BT keyboard... somewhere.

Any ideas on how to locate it easily? Can I make it beep? Can I triangulate its location? Anything? What is its range? Could it be as far away as my garage? As close as my attic? Any way to tell at all?
 
You can't make it beep because it has no mechanism to create sound. If it's in range, it's probably within 30 feet (+/-) of your iMac. Look under the bed and in the 2nd cupboard on the right in the kitchen.
 
GeekLawyer said:
I promise, I know how crazy this sounds. And no, I don't think I'm a candidate for one of those hoarders TV shows.

I absolutely cannot locate my Apple bluetooth keyboard. My iMac can locate it. And apparently be connected to it. But it's a mystery to me where in my home it is.

Some time ago, I decided I wanted my numeric keys back and switched to a wired keyboard. And then I put the BT keyboard... somewhere.

Any ideas on how to locate it easily? Can I make it beep? Can I triangulate its location? Anything? What is its range? Could it be as far away as my garage? As close as my attic? Any way to tell at all?
Click to expand...

Well the fact your iMac can locate it probably shows that its turned on, so someone has been near it recently (as the battery probably wouldnt last as long) - I think the range is about 100m - maybe have a hunt around the internet for a Bluetooth Range Finder - other than that not sure, although if you find a solution make sure to post it :D
 
Thanks for the responses. I didn't think there was a speaker or beeper in the keyboard, but I had to ask just in case.

This means that I must do that which I do not want to do. I have some unpacked boxes from my move. There's a chance it's hiding in one of those. 30 feet pretty much encompasses the whole house from the location of my iMac.

Maybe I could use my iPad to help narrow the location down. Ugh. If there are any iOS app developers out there, this would be a great idea for an app... :cool:
 
Have you checked the under the couch cushions?:D

GeekLawyer said:
If there are any iOS app developers out there, this would be a great idea for an app... :cool:
Click to expand...

The Sound ID Bluetooth headset has a feature just like this in its app! It actually has a speaker, though.:(
The other feature is called "Find my Headset." Listed under EarPrint's tools menu, this feature helps users find a misplaced Sound ID 510. Tap on "Find my Headset" and your missing earpiece will beep for 20 seconds, with the sound getting increasingly louder. Have you ever dropped an earpiece in your car and can't find it? With my "Find my Headset," that problem has been solved.
Click to expand...
 
Le sigh. I've looked under cushions, behind furniture, and in closets. No luck finding this thing.

I can connect to it and disconnect from it on my iMac. None of my other Macs can pick it up.

Is it possible that I lost it in my move and its ghost is haunting my iMac?! Or, if I'm connected, is it here for sure?
 
GeekLawyer said:
Le sigh. I've looked under cushions, behind furniture, and in closets. No luck finding this thing.

I can connect to it and disconnect from it on my iMac. None of my other Macs can pick it up.

Is it possible that I lost it in my move and its ghost is haunting my iMac?! Or, if I'm connected, is it here for sure?
Click to expand...

No. Check and see if the iMac can see its battery level. Then we can re-assess.


flyfish29 said:
Why check under- just sit on every cushion and after each cushion check your computer screen- if you have this "hiao;hl/jf;jJvJv;N" then you found out which cushion it is under!:)
Click to expand...

Did you sit on your keyboard to type that? ;)
 
GeekLawyer said:
They are good batteries. It has the correct name, so I'm pretty sure it's mine.

I'm just about to the point of opening every drawer and box in my house. I placed it back in its original box. Maybe it's stuffed into one of my Mac boxes.
Click to expand...

If it wasn't an iMac I would say move it towards one side of your house and see how your signal is, then the other and try to figure out at last which half of the house it might be on. :D

So I would say- if you have that many boxes unpacked- if you have not unpacked those boxes by now do you really need to keep what is in them (besides the keyboard of course:))
 
flyfish29 said:
If it wasn't an iMac I would say move it towards one side of your house and see how your signal is, then the other and try to figure out at last which half of the house it might be on. :D
Click to expand...
How would that help? Where do you see a signal strength meter for bluetooth devices?
 
GGJstudios said:
How would that help? Where do you see a signal strength meter for bluetooth devices?
Click to expand...

There isn't- I was joking:D:D:D, just tryin' to think outside the box (keyboard box that is) but really if you went far enough to one side you might lose the signal altogether and then would know the keyboard was not within 30 feet of the iMac!
 
That was my idea with using a MacBook to try and see where the signal falls off. But, I guess, as long as the keyboard is connected to the iMac, I can't get anything else to pick it up. (It won't show up in the BT setup assistant on my MPB, for example.)

This has become a project that's going to have to wait for the weekend.
 
GeekLawyer said:
That was my idea with using a MacBook to try and see where the signal falls off. But, I guess, as long as the keyboard is connected to the iMac, I can't get anything else to pick it up. (It won't show up in the BT setup assistant on my MPB, for example.)

This has become a project that's going to have to wait for the weekend.
Click to expand...

only other thought is- think about the home where you last used it (you said you moved) So where would have been the place you would have likely stashed it in that home? What would it have been next to that you might have packed up together when you moved? Just a thought? I know I have a place where I stash all my electronics I no longer use.....and when i moved I threw all that in together in the same big box.
 
GeekLawyer said:
That was my idea with using a MacBook to try and see where the signal falls off. But, I guess, as long as the keyboard is connected to the iMac, I can't get anything else to pick it up. (It won't show up in the BT setup assistant on my MPB, for example.)

This has become a project that's going to have to wait for the weekend.
Click to expand...

You can deactivate it and remove it from the device list in Bluetooth Preferences. That should un-pair it, then perhaps other devices could find it in their bluetooth setup assistants.
 
serega said:
As soon you buy another one you'll find it.
Click to expand...
No doubt.

Darth.Titan said:
You can deactivate it and remove it from the device list in Bluetooth Preferences. That should un-pair it, then perhaps other devices could find it in their bluetooth setup assistants.
Click to expand...
This was a good plan. I tried it. After doing this, the iMac (or any other computer) can't locate the keyboard. I am prepared to believe that I've simply lost the keyboard, perhaps in the move. While the mystery isn't solved, I'm satisfied to list it as "missing in action" and move on from this obsession.

Thanks to all who helped.

Edit to add...

Well, I can report that the keyboard was, indeed, in the vicinity of my iMac. It had fallen behind a bookshelf in the same room. I didn't remotely think there was enough room between the shelf and the wall.

So maybe I am a candidate for one of those hoarders shows after all. :/ ;)
 
Last edited:
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