GL_Philly

Q: Thunderbolt Display USB Keyboard Problem Workaround

Hi everyone,

I've seen hundreds of messages related to the fact that the thunderbolt displays will occassionally not recognize a wired apple keyboard connected to the display when connecting to a laptop. I might have a workaround for those affected.

 

My 2103 15" MacBook Pro would never see the keyboard once I unplugged the unifed thunderbolt cable and plugged it back in. I've done everything from doing the switching USB ports dance, turning display off (pulling out power cable), connecting and reconnecting in various different steps, and even tried a new thunderbolt cable to bypass the built in one. Nothing ever worked, or a least, worked consistently. USB drives, iphone cables etc all work just fine, so I know the USB jacks are functioning.

 

I discovered that if you use the USB keyboard extender cable that Apple provides with some macs, and plug your keyboard into the the display through that cable, it will see the keyboard instantly. Everytime. We've tried it on a few computers at work and it solved the problem on those as well. I should note that the keyboards we are using are the latest apple ones with the launchpad key on F4.

 

If you are having problems, give it a shot. It just might solve the issue, until Apple gets it act together and acknowledges there is a problem.

 

Happy typing.

Posted on Jul 19, 2013 7:46 AM

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Q: Thunderbolt Display USB Keyboard Problem Workaround

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  • by e_van,

    e_van e_van Jan 14, 2015 2:06 AM in response to GL_Philly
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Jan 14, 2015 2:06 AM in response to GL_Philly

    I have that same problem FOR YEARS! With both Led Display and Thunderbolt Display and having that f*cking cable around the desk all the time! I never expect that the cable can fix that annoying problem.

     

    It's working now so thank you for that.

     

    :-)

  • by MJ_Fris,

    MJ_Fris MJ_Fris Feb 9, 2015 9:12 PM in response to GL_Philly
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 9, 2015 9:12 PM in response to GL_Philly

    I have had this problem for ages and gave up on plugging my keyboard into the Thunderbolt display, but after trying the extension cable trick 1, am astounded that it works, and 2, am thrilled that it works.

     

    Thank-you!

  • by harito,

    harito harito Feb 9, 2015 10:46 PM in response to GL_Philly
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 9, 2015 10:46 PM in response to GL_Philly

    I had this problem, have send in the display, received the answer/report 'all is fine'…which wasn't! The old extension cable seemed to help sometimes, but not consitently.

    Anyway, since the last Update "Thunderbolt Display Firmware Update" from Feb 3, 2015, my display works well and always wakes up, fast.

     

  • by Philly_Saleman,

    Philly_Saleman Philly_Saleman Mar 29, 2015 2:44 AM in response to GL_Philly
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 29, 2015 2:44 AM in response to GL_Philly

    Thank you GL_Philly! I remembered that I had one of those Apple extenders stored in a dresser draw where I store most of my loose cables. Plugged it in and it worked instantly. Used the keyboard to type this reply.

  • by broncowebdev,

    broncowebdev broncowebdev Apr 1, 2015 7:18 AM in response to GL_Philly
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 1, 2015 7:18 AM in response to GL_Philly

    This solution worked perfectly! Thank you for the tip!

  • by ehzastrow,

    ehzastrow ehzastrow Apr 14, 2015 3:09 AM in response to GL_Philly
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 14, 2015 3:09 AM in response to GL_Philly

    Working++

     

    I'm a trained computer engineer, and I can't think of a good reason why this should work...

     

    additional cable length and connection adds a tiny bit of impedance?

    adds a bit of signal latency?  (usb 2.0 isn't fast enough for this to matter...)

     

    really strange.

  • by ben_mackie,

    ben_mackie ben_mackie Jun 26, 2015 6:30 AM in response to GL_Philly
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 26, 2015 6:30 AM in response to GL_Philly

    I have two Mac keyboards. Same model. One is about 6 years old, the other is brand new. The new keyboard has the same problems as everyone is describing, but the old one does not.

  • by HighSider,

    HighSider HighSider Jun 29, 2015 11:30 PM in response to GL_Philly
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 29, 2015 11:30 PM in response to GL_Philly

    Thanks - it was a mystery even to the local AppleStore genius who gave me a long lecture on how the USB had to be pushed firmly into the socket - REALLY? Thanks again.

  • by Quiksilvermusic,

    Quiksilvermusic Quiksilvermusic Jul 8, 2015 7:26 AM in response to GL_Philly
    Level 1 (21 points)
    Apple Watch
    Jul 8, 2015 7:26 AM in response to GL_Philly

    This was absolutely a life saver. I've been going through the "dance" as you called it for months now with my 11inch MacBook Air and Thunderbolt Display and it's been driving me bonkers. And you were right. The second I plugged that extender in, the keyboard worked.

     

    Thanks very very much for finding this solution.

  • by Bernard Kowalski,

    Bernard Kowalski Bernard Kowalski Jul 8, 2015 5:18 PM in response to harito
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 8, 2015 5:18 PM in response to harito

    Where did you find an update dated Feb 3, 2015? I only see v1.2 and that's from 2014.

  • by duaneg5008,

    duaneg5008 duaneg5008 Aug 20, 2015 4:50 AM in response to Bernard Kowalski
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 20, 2015 4:50 AM in response to Bernard Kowalski

    bizarre as it is - i must say this extender cable did the trick.  That doesn't make sense - as the signal will be weaker, not stronger with an extender.  Once again - Apple proclivities are sometimes strange

  • by uandco,

    uandco uandco Aug 27, 2015 11:21 PM in response to GL_Philly
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 27, 2015 11:21 PM in response to GL_Philly

    Actually it depends on the keyboard.

    We've had this issue too at the office. Tried another keyboard (Apple wired keyboard too, looks exactly the same as the non working one) and it worked!

    Apple must have changed something in the keyboard internals and we were lucky enough to switch with a more recent (or older, can't say) keyboard.

  • by haneytay,

    haneytay haneytay Nov 29, 2015 9:33 AM in response to GL_Philly
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 29, 2015 9:33 AM in response to GL_Philly

    Does anyone know which USB extender is compatible with the Thunderbolt? Trying to order on Amazon since I can't seem to place my original one that came with the keyboard. I've been having this problem for years and I'm sick of it!

    All help is appreciated, thank you!

  • by haneytay,

    haneytay haneytay Nov 29, 2015 9:36 AM in response to cannell
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 29, 2015 9:36 AM in response to cannell

    Is it the one with the Thunderbolt cord type end or the USB end for the keyboard? Trying to figure out which one to purchase to fix this issue.

  • by kino314,

    kino314 kino314 Dec 2, 2015 4:49 PM in response to GL_Philly
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 2, 2015 4:49 PM in response to GL_Philly

    Thanks to the post by rustem.galiullin.russia on Aug 30, 2014 8:04 PM, I could solve the problem WITHOUT USB extension cable!. Upon plugging the USB cable of the keyboard to USB port of TBD, making 1 to 2-mm gap between the surface of TBD and the white plastic cover of the USB plug worked for me. Thank you very much!

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