Bluetooth + Wifi Interference issues

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Level 1

4 points

Bluetooth + Wifi Interference issues

Hi, I recently bought a Magic Mouse for my MacBook Air. My wifi connection worked fine before (I had the Bluetooth turned off, no bluetooth devices at all), but after I started using the bluetooth for the mouse, the wifi connection is almost unusable. Sometimes is better and I don't have interferences at all, sometimes is worse - but most of the time is very slow. Changing the wifi channel sometimes works, but only as a temporary solution. Turning off the bluetooth restores the connection to the normal speed.
Anyone with the same problem? Any solution for this, besides stop using bluetooth?

MacBook Air (Late 2010), Mac OS X (10.6.6), 13", 128GB storage, 4GB RAM

Posted on Jan 23, 2011 5:56 AM

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Answer 1

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Top-ranking reply

captfred

Level 7

26,446 points

Jan 23, 2011 10:08 AM in response to CarlosRG

Try restarting your router so it can choose the channel with the least interference. If you have 5Ghz capability that would be ideal.

Here are other things that affect it, maybe something will "ring a bell".

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1365

Regards,
Captfred

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Answer 2

Feb 20, 2012 10:34 AM in response to CarlosRG

Had the same issue here, here is how I resolved it:

You have to define a new "Network Location" and set proper network service order in Preferences.

First you need to be logged as an administrator on your system (if you're the only user, that should be the default)

Open System Preferences

Goto Network Pane

On top of that pane is "Location" that by default is set to "Automatic"

Click on the right of that selection and then "Edit Locations"

Click the "+" to add a new location

Use any name that makes sense for you then "Done"

Select the right WiFi network (in Network Name) just below Location on the preferences pane

Then at the bottom left of the pane, click on the action cog (gear icon just above the lock icon)

Select "Set Service Order"

Then make sure your WiFi network is above Bluetooth.

Cheers!

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Answer 3

Sep 24, 2014 9:15 AM in response to Anonymous61073

Hi,

did you try this workaround ?

ow that a couple folks have verified the workaround, here it is:

sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.airport.bt.plist bluetoothCoexMgmt Hybrid

Then you need to reboot. I've tried and thus far failed to find a way to make this take effect without a reboot.

Background: after a lot of snooping and head scratching, here's what I found: the issue here seems to be that the system isn't using the same Bluetooth/Airport coexistance mode for BLE as it uses for BT Classic. One tell tale sign: if you have any BT Classic devices connected and active, the bug won't repro (neither for the Classic device nor any connected BLE device). The moment the Classic device disconnects, the bug repros (ie all the BLE connections are also dropped).

Further, I was able to find reference in the symbol table of an airport configd agent to an override setting for the coexistance mode. If you set the mode manually as above to 'hybrid' (the same mode that is usually invoked when a classic device is connected), the bug no longer repros.

I'm not sure if it works as I didn't try… But I do have the same problems with Wifi and Bluetooth on my MBA.

Seen here :

http://lists.apple.com/archives/bluetooth-dev/2013/Aug/msg00023.html

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Answer 4

Jan 28, 2011 10:44 AM in response to CarlosRG

I had this exact same issue with my new 2010 Macbook air. Wifi was working fine as soon as I enabled Bluetooth and enabled my magic mouse it ground to a halt!!

I disabled bluetooth, connected to my Wifi router config page and saw it was set to automatic channel selection and had chosen channel 1, changed to manual and tried channel 6 (same problem) then channel 11 and that fixed it!!

Strange problem though???!!!!

Does that mean my new Macbook air won't work on certain wifi channels, when using the magic mouse??

My Old Macbook air had none of these issues?

Also where are the light up keys, I miss them, why remove features from the air!!!

Richard

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Answer 5

Eddman11

Level 1

0 points

Feb 1, 2011 8:42 AM in response to CarlosRG

same issue here, apart from i just drop of the network, the wifi module is slow at the best of times my macbook (unibody aluminium 2008) gets 1.2Mb's and this gets around 0.7Mb's, and as i am at a university i can not change any of the wifi settings! meaning the bluetooth has to be turned off all the time, (no mighty mouse can be used) interestingly in bootcamp the network seems to be more stable with bluetooth on.

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Answer 6

BethPNW

Level 1

5 points

Mar 1, 2011 8:04 PM in response to CarlosRG

a month of lost wi-fi connections and some dollars of on-site support and today have turned off bluetooth mouse and keyboard so that I can maintain network connection. It's very annoying that I can't use my bluetooth devices with my MacAir - isn't that what they're FOR?? We did everything else to try and fix this – new router, upgraded OS, changed channels, got a booster (which was subsequently removed since it didn't help), changed the fragmentation threshold, removed the cordless phones - nothing worked until the bluetooth is turned off. From what I read in other fora this is a known issue and has been for some time. Does anyone know of a fix coming? Or some decent workaround short of USB mouse/keyboard? (and I so love my magic mouse and BT keyboard:(

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Answer 7

MrAustin

Level 1

0 points

Mar 4, 2011 4:14 PM in response to CarlosRG

I'm experiencing issues but nothing quite as severe as total network loss. Everything for me works fine until I try and use iTunes with Airplay. It doesn't take more than a couple seconds for the mouse to become unresponsive and for the audio to drop out (but iTunes still thinks it's playing). I've tried changing channels on my Airport Express but nothing seems to work. The latest 10.2 iTunes upgrade has made things a lot worse. Prior to that, I only suffered these problems occasionally.

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Answer 8

tapinos

Level 1

0 points

Mar 15, 2011 4:53 AM in response to MrAustin

I have the same problem as well...
After using the Magic Mouse for a while, the WiFi connection starts to run slower and slower till I need to restart the AirPort to load web pages. Anyway, even after restarting the AirPort, the connection remains slow and unstable. The only solution is to turn the Bluetooth off: when I do so, the WiFi works immediately at his best once again!

Has anyone already called the Apple Support to ask about this? Do you think it is an hardware problem or a software/driver one?

My Air has just a month or so and I don't know whether to ask for a repair/replacement...

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Answer 9

Mar 29, 2011 4:00 PM in response to tapinos

I called apple today, and since I passed the 90 day 'complimentary' phone support, they said they can't help me unless I get their apple care or the 3 year phone support service. I'm still technically under their 1 year warranty. Any one figured out a fix? My magic mouse and wireless keyboard is just money down the drain if I can't use it. 😟

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Answer 10

w7ox

Level 4

2,407 points

Mar 29, 2011 4:46 PM in response to geekygirl17

Welcome to the forum, Geekygirl 🙂

This MB Air is my third MacBook (Black 2006 MB and Late 2008 13" Al MB, both still in use). In both those cases AppleCare has more than paid for itself:
o Replaced worn keyboard in both at about the 30 month point
o Replaced Superdrive in 2006 MB in the second year
o Replaced system board in the 2006 MB
o Replaced a swollen battery in the late 2008 MB at 30 months (battery had plenty of capacity left -- 5 hrs in run down test -- but the bottom cover would not fit flush).

Since the MB Airs are really designed for Apple-only service (e.g., I put a larger HDD in my 2008 MB in about 20 minutes), AppleCare seems a very wise investment.

Phil

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Answer 11

Apr 4, 2011 3:53 PM in response to w7ox

Well the point I was making was not that I didn't want to purchase AppleCare, the point was the tech support made it clear that they wouldn't even try to help me unless I had AppleCare. I purchased a new iMac in October, and I still have a good half a year before my 1 year hardware coverage was up. I'm just really shocked at their attitude.

I mean I've called Apple a few times before and I've also been to apple store to see the awesome genius a few times with my first macbook (est 2006?) which was way past warranty and the 3 year applecare, but they were still super nice about helping me out. I just didn't want to lug the iMac to the store if I don't have to..

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Answer 12

_BobS___

Level 1

59 points

Apr 4, 2011 7:16 PM in response to geekygirl17

The long and short of it is this. BT will conflict with 802.11g WiFi. Update your WAP to 802.11n and it will work. Alternative is to use the USB Ethernet adapter when on the desktop and using BT input devs like keyboard & mouse...this is what I've done.

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Answer 13

leo_dd

Level 1

8 points

May 24, 2011 8:55 AM in response to CarlosRG

Hi,

I had the same problems the last days with my

15'' MBP 2,2 with an intel 510 ssd (I thought that could be important)

I also use the macig mouse and sync my cellphone throuhh BT.

I still don't know if I solved the problem, but for now it works.

I put my router on g wifi (not mixed) and the channel to 5 (away from 12, as I read it messes up with BT)

I also had the problem with the mouse the last days for 2-3 times.

If it appears again, I'll have to call apple support...but from home no way...don't wanna pay 20Euros just to talk with some idiots knowing probably less than me about computers...no offence, but that is the usual telsupport impression I have.

Let you know

L

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Answer 14

Aug 24, 2011 12:44 PM in response to CarlosRG

the mba was fine till 2 days ago when it suddenly had very slow connection and i couldnt figure out why. the ipad was working fine. then i checked the forum and sure enough, when i turned off the bluetooth, the connection was fast again (i am using bt mouse and keyboard).

logged on to my router and wap has no 802.11n. only 802.11g or 802.11b (i'm on sky) but it did have a 'mix 802.11g and 802.11b' option which i chose. that solved it.

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Answer 15

Jan 7, 2012 7:23 PM in response to CarlosRG

Same problem here. In my case, the Wifi doesn't auto connect when I'm NOT in my office, where I have my bluetooth accesories (keyboard and magic trackpad).

My guess is that the interference is produced when the bluetooth keeps looking for known devices to pair with. I have reassured this since if I turn off the bluetooth, all the Wifi problems disappear. Actually, this is my current solution to the problem.

This could also explain why there aren't too many users complaining about this, since it only happens to people who use bluetooth devices regularly.

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Bluetooth + Wifi Interference issues