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castelletta Author

Level 1

11 points

Poor Bluetooth reception and jerky mouse

I want to share my findings upon the poor reception of the internal Bluetooth module on my 2009 Mac Pro. The mouse in particular seems to suffer the most from the low BT signal.

It has to be said that if you succeed to place your Mac Pro in a particular position you can obtain optimal mouse reception. It seems that the field covered by BT signal is very irregular (due to the aluminum case?) and I think also altered by other metal objects that can exist on your desk (or inside/under you desk and his structure).

This can explain why some users tell of fantastic BT reception with their Mac Pro and others (majority) complain about awful Magic Mouse tracking.

In my situation I've been forced to plug-in a D-LINK DBT-120 dongle. It performs very well and maintain always connection with mouse and keyboard upon restart......unfortunately the same peripherals can't awake my Mac Pro during the sleep mode. A little uncomfortable (because you have to press the power button) and I thing very strange since this dongle is considered the only BT dongle fully supported from Apple.

I tried other dongles but all seem to lose connection. Some after restart, others after sleep mode.

For sure it's a shame that the most powerful and most expensive machine that Apple is selling right now is so badly performing in the BT compartment and it's more unforgivable since Apple seems to push very much their wireless peripherals.

Ok Apple, it's not easy to grant a powerful BT antenna in the metal case of the Mac Pro? Well please provide or support an external module that fully support all Mac OS functions (key selection on startup, wake on sleep ... etc) and consistently. I don't think it's a science fiction task.

I'm waiting your experimentation in placing your Mac Pro differently.

Please share your experiences....thank you

MacPro 2009 - 8 core, Mac OS X (10.6.2)

Posted on Nov 12, 2009 8:05 AM

357 replies

pmrosado

Level 1

0 points

Jun 30, 2010 5:16 PM in response to Mark Hollingsworth

I started my journey by trying to find a new mouse for my iMac as I was going mental with the poor performance of the Magic Mouse. Fortunately I've found people with this very same problem and I've focused my attention on resolving it.

1- Delete the files AppleMultitouchDriver.kext and AppleBluetoothMultitouch.kext from 'MacHd\system\library\extensions'

2- Restart

3- Install apple wireless mouse update 1.0 (can be download from apple's website)

4- Restart

5- It should be perfect now but do install the free MagicPrefs should you need extra tracking speed.

I hope this helps as it did for me.

Jul 5, 2010 6:44 PM in response to pmrosado

I'm telling you, Mark, all you have to do is buy a wi-fi antenna and a U.FL Mini PCI to RP-SMA cable. To tell you the truth I didn't even drill a hole to mount the antenna on a PCI slot cover - I just took one of the covers off and routed the wire to the front of my machine (because the U.FL-RP cable I bought was too short - my stupidity - and I haven't got around to buying one long enough to reach the PCI slot covers).

It's incredibly easy and it solves the problem 100% with absolutely no issues at all.

This is the one I bought:

http://www.data-alliance.net/-strse-173/TL-dsh-ANT2408C-antenna-magnet-dsh-mount -8dBi/Detail.bok

CKoepf

Level 1

0 points

Jul 6, 2010 4:32 AM in response to derivativemusic

I mentioned that I had followed the lead of a few other people and installed the external bluetooth adapter and disconnected the internal bluetooth on the mother board.

For anyone considering this, I'd like to point out that I'm using a Linksys BT100 adapter, which works just fine with no driver issues, and that it has AWESOME reception. If all you're using is a keyboard and mouse you may not care, but I occasionally use a bt headset with Skype and with this adapter, I can walk all over my house and even some outside while staying connected to my Mac Pro in my basement office.

Yes, Apple should fix this problem in one way or another, but right now their fixes are proving to do anything, except cause lots of frustration.
Keep reporting he problems to Apple, but rather than driving yourself insane, either add the external antenna to the existing internal adapter or disconnect the internal adapter and get a decent external adapter. Trust me, you'll feel much better and won't be ready to throw your mouse or keyboard out the window every day.

Jul 24, 2010 7:14 PM in response to castelletta

I have the exact same issue with the Bluetooth. It has a weak signal. I found this out recently when I bought Bluetooth headphones and decided to use them with the Bluetooth feature on my Mac Pro. Three feet away from the MP the headphones don't receive a strong enough signal from the Bluetooth antenna to work well. I didn't know this problem even existed until I started using the Bluetooth feature and my MP is almost a year old.

EricC99

Level 1

0 points

Jul 25, 2010 8:31 PM in response to castelletta

Hi Guys, I made my own solution to the Magic Mouse/Mac Pro 8 core problem. It is a little jerry rigged, but it didn't cost me a cent and works 100% Perfect. I stopped down the Mac including removing the logicboard. Located and pulled out the BT antenna which is installed in a ******** place. Then taped the BT antenna to the outside of the case and put it all back together. Unfortunately I knocked off a component from the bottom side of the logic board (PCB), I think it's a small capacitor. I resoldered it back on the board and so far everything is working, including my magic mouse for the first time in months. Here's a link to the pictures, comments welcome.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/10550957@N05/sets/72157624458133127/detail/

-Eric

Jul 26, 2010 12:47 PM in response to EricC99

Well Eric your a brave man or a little insane.
I wouldn't recommend that
1. your take your logic board out and
2. remove your bluetooth antenna.
What you have done is way too drastic for the average user including you by the looks of what happened to your board.
.
Not forgetting that your warranty, if any left, is now void.
For those who want to sort the BT problem out themselves read back a few pages and you will find a much easier way on my blog.
All the best..

Jul 26, 2010 5:23 PM in response to EricC99

EricC99 wrote:
Hi Guys, I made my own solution to the Magic Mouse/Mac Pro 8 core problem. It is a little jerry rigged, but it didn't cost me a cent and works 100% Perfect. I stopped down the Mac including removing the logicboard. Located and pulled out the BT antenna which is installed in a ******** place. Then taped the BT antenna to the outside of the case and put it all back together. Unfortunately I knocked off a component from the bottom side of the logic board (PCB), I think it's a small capacitor. I resoldered it back on the board and so far everything is working, including my magic mouse for the first time in months. Here's a link to the pictures, comments welcome.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/10550957@N05/sets/72157624458133127/detail/

-Eric

I just wonder how good the signal would be if it was taped to the wire mesh inside the case? All I can say is WOW!! How long can Apple ignore this?? We just want what we paid for when we bought our Mac Pros.

EricC99

Level 1

0 points

Jul 26, 2010 6:01 PM in response to John Birchfield

I would imagine the signal would be too weak if one tapes the antenna inside of the case or wire mesh. Any metal between the antenna and the BT device (mouse) will shield the signal away. I know my method was very risky and jerry rigged, but this shows that the antenna itself works. The defect is in the Mac Pro's design in where the antenna is placed.

-Eric

Jul 26, 2010 7:57 PM in response to nobblynoel

I have just one challenge to the theory that it's the case/enclosure: why did my Mac Pro 8-core work perfectly fine with a Magic Mouse for a good month or so, and now suddenly, the mouse is sluggish/jerky? That doesn't support the theory that it's the case... it's not like the case has changed in composition over time, right?

Jul 27, 2010 3:08 PM in response to CaptSaltyJack

CaptSaltyJack wrote:
I have just one challenge to the theory that it's the case/enclosure: why did my Mac Pro 8-core work perfectly fine with a Magic Mouse for a good month or so, and now suddenly, the mouse is sluggish/jerky? That doesn't support the theory that it's the case... it's not like the case has changed in composition over time, right?

I assume you have a Mac Pro (early 2009). Did you do any updates to it before it started acting sluggish/jerky?? By the way my iPod Touch has a more reliable Bluetooth connection than my Mac Pro. I can put the iPod in my dresser drawer and walk 20-30 feet in the house and the signal will go through 2 walls and I can hear the music on my headphones!! The Bluetooth in my Mac Pro can't even make it that far....

Jul 28, 2010 10:55 AM in response to John Birchfield

Not sure if it's early 2009.. maybe. The model is MacPro4,1. I haven't made any major updates or changes.. it just kinda happened randomly. But oddly enough, I brought the mouse closer to the case, moved the mouse around a bit, then put the mouse back on my desk, and it works fine now. Very very odd.

Aug 1, 2010 8:58 AM in response to CaptSaltyJack

CaptSaltyJack,

I tried the same thing that you did and it doesn't work for me. My Bluetooth still cuts out if I'm not within 2 feet of the Mac Pro. My understanding is that the Bluetooth antenna is supposed to have a signal that reaches roughly 30 feet. Even when I turn my head perpendicular to the MP the signal cuts out and my headphones are audioless.

robkath

Level 1

0 points

Aug 2, 2010 8:10 AM in response to John Birchfield

If you look in /Developer/Applications/Utilities/Bluetooth you will find some utilities that will allow you to look at reception and communications of bluetooth devices.. Might be interesting to compare info between someone having the issue, and someone not...

rob

Aug 5, 2010 10:33 PM in response to John Birchfield

John the Mac Pro Bluetooth is known to have a very week signal with some users. You have proved it yourself with just 3-4 feet and we can clearly see the signal strength drop. I see the drop in the middle but whats going on at the end of the graph ?
This graph is from my MP my signal drops off around the 30 feet mark although I have modded my antenna which you can read about in my blog.
http://nobblynoel.wordpress.com/2010/04/25/mac-pro-2009-bluetooth-fix/
Why don't you try a BT usb and compare the results?

image: !http://nobblynoel.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/connection-quality-window.png!

Aug 7, 2010 7:48 PM in response to nobblynoel

What's going on at the end of the graph is that the signal was cutting in and out at about 4 feet. I would like to try a BT usb adapter. It is frustrating since I paid $2000+ for this MP and the Bluetooth on it doesn't work correctly.

Poor Bluetooth reception and jerky mouse