Bluetooth mouse drops pairing

I have a Logitech Bluetooth Mouse (their name for it is exceptionally long, despite this being their only Bluetooth Mouse product I can find that specifically says it is Mac compatible). There are very few alternatives to this wireless mouse, at least at local retailers. The Apple Wireless mouse being about it.

I thank you for the information about the mouse losing its pairing with the computer, as this one does that as well and I was considering the Apple brand in hopes things would be better.

I have just upgraded my Bluetooth firmware to the 1.6 version that Software Update claims is the most current for my system, and this has done nothing to reduce the frequency and severity of disconnections with the Mac.

Usually the Mac thinks there's a loss of connection when the mouse sleeps due to inactivity. Scooting the mouse around for some seconds usually clears this up for me.

Then there are the irregular times when it seems we lose connectivity not because of idling, but because of something more mysterious - be it a neighbor flipping open their cell phone or alien transmissions jamming my signal, I can't tell you what causes it. These irregular interruptions sometimes are cleared up by switching the mouse off, waiting for the CONNECTION LOST graphic, then switching it back on.

Sometimes this problem is cleared up by clicking and scooting the mouse for several seconds. Then there are times when pressing the button to reset the Bluetooth communications does the trick. Lastly is the most frustrating procedure, the need to re-pair the mouse with the computer. Since I no longer can point and click, I have had to write down keyboard shortcuts to navigate to the Bluetooth Setup and answer its questions.

I notice that the DEFAULT method of communication between the Mac and Bluetooth Mouse is an empty passkey. Might some or all of these problems be corrected if there were a secure protocol employed? Of course, I've yet to find a Bluetooth mouse that has a passkey supplied with it.

The most predictable thing that will almost always interrupt the mouse connectivity is the use of a high-bandwidth Bluetooth communication, like that with my Motorola Bluetooth Headset. If I listen to audio or switch on its mic, the mouse goes erratic and ultimately stops responding altogether, needing another re-pairing.

I assume this problem will extend to such things as file transfers, cell phonebook updates, anything that is more than the extremely momentary blip of data that occurs when we type on a wireless keyboard.

I honestly don't know if mice (including Apple's) are not very tolerant of sharing bandwidth with other Bluetooth peripherals, or whether the Apple Bluetooth firmware still lacks an ability to sort out two or more bandwith intensive data streams, like mouse concurrent with headset.

I did have problems before pairing an Apple Wireless Keyboard with my Mac Mini, and well before I had any other Bluetooth peripheral other than the Logitech mouse in my posession.

I sincerely hope something can be done with Mac Bluetooth firmware to make mouse connectivity less prone to these problems.

Are you still having this problem? (It's been several days since the last post).
If so, have you done a restart since installing the Kensington?

I got a Pilot mouse several months ago, and at first it would never re-connect after going into "sleep" mode to save the battery. But once I did a restart, it was fine?!?

Doesn't sound quite the same as your problem, though, because my Pilot would never reconnect, but the Apple mouse was always fine.

Also, I use the Apple mouse about 4 feet from my iMac, but the Pilot from about 15 feet.

What are the keyboard shortcuts to access bluetooth and get it working?
thanks

I'm not quite sure what you mean by "keyboard shortcuts".

You can get to the Bluetooth Setup screen by clicking on the Bluetooth icon at the upper-right of the screen, or from System Preferences.

If you mean your only mouse is dead, you may be able to use the keyboard instead. That's IF you previously checked "Press the Option key 5 times ..." box on the Mouse screen in System Preferences.

If so, press the Option key 5 times (you should hear a clicking noise as confirmation). Then you can use the 8, 4, 6, and 2 keys in the numeric keyboard pad to move the cursor around, and the 5 key to "click".

iMac G5 Mac OS X (10.3.9) 1.8 GHz 512 MB

I'm not quite sure what you mean by "keyboard
shortcuts".

You can get to the Bluetooth Setup screen by clicking
on the Bluetooth icon at the upper-right of the
screen, or from System Preferences.

If you mean your only mouse is dead, you may be able
to use the keyboard instead. That's IF you
previously checked "Press the Option key 5 times ..."
box on the Mouse screen in System Preferences.

If so, press the Option key 5 times (you should hear
a clicking noise as confirmation). Then you can use
the 8, 4, 6, and 2 keys in the numeric keyboard pad
to move the cursor around, and the 5 key to
"click".

iMac G5 Mac
OS X (10.3.9) 1.8 GHz 512 MB

had to look around for that one. its under universal access in the system preferences/system area. that's a good one to know. turned it on even though I really don't need to cause I have an ibook. but may come in handy with the wireless keyboard. Thanks