Getting fed up with constant Bluetooth disconnects

[wayne_rowley]

I’m sure my Mac Mini 2018 is getting worse! The other day it was losing the mouse every 2-3 minutes while I was downloading to an external USB drive.

Would replacing my Apple wireless keyboard and mouse with one that uses a USB wireless dongle solve this?

If so, any recommendations?

Thanks,
wayne

 

[frou]

On this model Mac Mini, I think it's heavy activity on the USB-A ports at the far side that generally causes the annoying interference. If you can plug your drive into one of the 4 USB-C ports (with a A->C adapter if needed) then it might not happen.

 

[wayne_rowley]

The issue was when I was using a USB-C hard drive.

 

[now i see it]

I’ve never had great luck using a wireless keyboard OR mouse.
I use cabled ones now.

 

[Fishrrman]

"Would replacing my Apple wireless keyboard and mouse with one that uses a USB wireless dongle solve this?"

YES.

Best solution is to also buy a "USB extension cable" like this:

Amazon.com: Usb Extension Cable 3ft

Amazon.com: usb extension cable 3ft

www.amazon.com

Put the wireless receiver (I'm thinking of something like a Logitech unifying receiver, which I use) into the extension cable, and plug the other end into the Mini.

Then, "swing the end around" so that the wireless receiver is close to the keyboard and mouse.

I will make a confident prediction that doing this will SOLVE your connection problems.

If you try this, please save this thread and post a followup...

 

[InuNacho]

On this model Mac Mini, I think it's heavy activity on the USB-A ports at the far side that generally causes the annoying interference. If you can plug your drive into one of the 4 USB-C ports (with a A->C adapter if needed) then it might not happen.

I'm not entirely sure about that. I have my two old style rotational backup drives connected over the USB A and when using my Bluetooth headphones I don't get any dropouts when using something like CCC to backup.

 

[Monotremata]

I had some odd issues with a hub connected to the A ports, where my two WD hard drives would randomly disconnect throughout the day. I seem to remember some issues now and then with my Logitech mouse disconnecting when I first bought my Mini in 2020 as well. Bought a USB A to C adapter and moved the hub to USB port on my Oyen USB-C drive enclosure and the disconnecting stopped, my mouse and keyboard never disconnect either. Been pretty stable for the last year or so. The only thing I keep connected to the A ports now is my MOTU audio interface. For some reason it no longer works connected to the hub or if I use a USB-C adapter, it HAS to be plugged into the A ports. When Im working in Logic Pro/Cubase Pro/Ableton Live/etc all my audio goes in and out over that port and everything stays connected just fine (my audio gets recorded to one of the drives in the Oyen enclosure).

 

[robertjoe]

Over the years, we've seen the Mac Mini's Bluetooth problem and they've become known for their bad Bluetooth connection problems.
My Magic Mouse and Keyboard are a bit far from my Mac Mini, but they never get the Bluetooth connection properly.
Sometimes the mouse will work in such an unusual way that the computer will fail to register the mouse click. And it became very unbearable.
I was looking for fix, then I saw someone recommend using a USB a Bluetooth dongle and that's what I did, got Hideez USB Bluetooth dongle, I plugged it into a USB port. Honestly it's still working seamlessly.
It's very unfortunate that Apple's Macs have such a Bluetooth problem Which is not in any way as expected.

 

[pshufd]

We have not had good luck with Bluetooth on our 2018 and M1 Mac minis. We're using wired (USB-A mouse and keyboard) on the 2018 and wired keyboard and wireless mouse on the M1. The wireless mouse uses a Logitech unifying transceiver and it's plugged into a USB-A extension cable so that the transceiver is away from the mini itself and has direct line-of-sight to the mouse.

 

[InuNacho]

We have not had good luck with Bluetooth on our 2018 and M1 Mac minis. We're using wired (USB-A mouse and keyboard) on the 2018 and wired keyboard and wireless mouse on the M1. The wireless mouse uses a Logitech unifying transceiver and it's plugged into a USB-A extension cable so that the transceiver is away from the mini itself and has direct line-of-sight to the mouse.

Interestingly I do find that Bluetooth interference affects this over any other device or connection. Mine goes through a KVM and then an extension to be near my MX Master 2S.