Bluetooth keyboard and mouse stop responding

Situation: Brand new MacBook Pro 17" unibody, 2.93GHz, 4GB RAM, glossy display. I have paired an Apple wireless keyboard (older model, white plastic not aluminium) and Apple wireless mouse with the MBP. Accounts, applications and files migrated with Migration Assistant from older MBP 17".

Problem: Keyboard and mouse become unresponsive very often. Bluetooth indicates that both devices are still paired and connected but nether mouse nor keyboard activity registers with the MBP. Turning Bluetooth off, then back on seems to re-establish the working connection.

Has anybody else been experiencing this problem. I know, on the previous MBP and on an MB that I still use, if the keyboard batteries become very low, connection with the mouse is sometimes lost. This is not the case here, though. The batteries in both devices still display green.

MacBook Core 2 Duo 2 GHz, MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo 2.93 GHz 17" glossy screen, Mac OS X (10.5.6), 4GB RAM

Posted on Mar 14, 2009 6:04 AM

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47 replies

Apr 21, 2009 6:40 PM in response to Richard Liu

OK - so I own my Mac Pro for only a week now... the all new bad *** Nehalem processor... costs a **** load of money... and YES... everyday my bluetooth key board and mouse disconnect at least 2 or more times a day.

***... extremely disappointing.
Yeah, OK... if I connect my wired mouse and open up my system preferences the reconnect... but this is just ridiculous when you've just paid over $3k for a bad *** machine that just seams to be a pain in the *** already!!!

What's the solution Apple... since this has been happening across the board on many of your products??????

Apr 22, 2009 7:28 AM in response to bryanb124

Some more thoughts...I have an iPhone with Bluetooth turned on, and also from an old preference file I had imported to this new machine, there was a modem connection through bluetooth setup. I've turned off bluetooth on my iPhone and deleted this modem connection.

My thought here is that there was some sort of interference from the iPhone bluetooth. Also I've made my computer 'not discoverable' via bluetooth. The impetus here was that this problem never happened to my wife (she has no iPhone) but always happened to me. Could be coincidence, but regardless, this is the path I've gone down...

Bryan

May 6, 2009 4:32 AM in response to edep561

All my external hard disks, incl. the one I use for Time Machine, are connected via FW800, so the combination of USB and Time Machine would not seem to be the cause. That doesn't rule out Time Machine alone, of course.

Also, I almost never lose the wireless keyboard until the batteries get low, and then the "lost keyboard connection" icon appears.

May 24, 2009 6:10 AM in response to Richard Liu

Similar problems here. Occasionally my MacBook Pro would lose the mouse and keyboard. Then Bluetooth stopped completely this morning. Gone from System Preferences and under System Profile it said "no information".

Used Applejack and zapped the PRAM as advised elsewhere. Bluetooth reappeared but refused to connect. Restarted Bluetooth had gone. It now is intermittent whether it appears or not on a reboot. Whether it is there or not I cannot connect to my keyboard or mouse, which is really hurting my productivity.

Now desperate to find a solution.

May 27, 2009 4:47 AM in response to Ken McEwen

Same problem here since the update to 10.5.7

UnibodyMacBookPro + Apple Wireless Keyboard + Wireless Mighty Mouse.

Complete Bluetooth stops working at random intervals. Temporary solution is to dis-/reen-able Bluetooth via the Touchpad. Nothing critical but very annoying because i work in "clamshell"-mode most of the time with the notebook out of immediate reach.

Message was edited by: Ralf Schumacher

May 27, 2009 7:29 AM in response to Richard Liu

new to these forums and yes, new 17" MBP 2.93/8MB ram and i have constant (daily) issues with
dropped bluetooth with my wireless might mouse. i also have the 2..83 15" and never had one iota of problems, but the 17 has been problematic from the start. the other issue i have is that the I beam cursor changes by itself to a hand, and i have to go through all sorts of machinations to get it back,
mostly quitting the program it happens in more often and then restarting that program. but sometimes he hand appears even when the one photo editing program is closed... very frustrating

May 27, 2009 9:36 AM in response to PHOTOlink.net

Hi Photolink
The issue that brought it to a head for me was the intermittent complete loss of Bluetooth. After searching the discussion forums I came across the SMC reset suggestion at http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1917499

That appears to have sorted the intermittent disappearance of Bluetooth. However I am having intermittent loss of Bluetooth to my mouse and keyboard. It does seem to date from around the update to System 10.5.7.

Ken

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Bluetooth keyboard and mouse stop responding

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