USB Keyboard Plugged into Monitor Often Doesn't Work

I have had the USB keyboard not working problem with both the current and last revision of the MacBook Air. I have changed the keyboards, tried connecting direct to the MBA or through the external display. It doesn't matter how I do it, 50% of the time (probably more) the Keyboard is not available. The only resolution I have come to is to unplug it and plug it in again. This issue has existed for at least 12 months (since my first MBA) and all devices are up to date on firmware.

If anyone has an update please let me know.

All though I have a MBP 15" and Thunderbolt Display, I believe my problem is related to this string. After connecting my keyboard and mouse directly to the MBP in clam shell mood I have had no problems with those items. The HDs and iPhone I have used with the USB port on the display seem ok although it is tougher to tell if they have issues. So my keyboard or mouse must not be the problem it must be the USB on the display.

In my current set up I have no USBs available other that what is on the display. So, problem is not solved.

Last I talked to Apple Care they were investigating the issue. Bought system Dec 2011.

Wish I believe Apple would let me know of a firmware update on my display.

Dave,

I too have the same problem -- MBP and Thunderbolt display. When re-docking, USB keyboard won't come up. I haven't found a reliable way to resolve the problem, although eventually I can get the keyboard to come up. It sounds from this thread that this is a widespread problem? Any updates from Apple?

Brett

Same problem. Keyboard + mouse plugged into display, takes a lot of unplugging + replugging to get them to recognize when 27" thunderbolt display is plugged into MBP. I assume it's being worked on, as it's a fairly common use case.

Same problem. Sometimes unplugging and replugging the keyboard into the monitor USB works, most of the time it does not. Much less frequently, the Display Ethernet isn't working. It seems ( I need to confirm 100% ) from memory that it doesn't matter whether the machine is waking from sleep or initially powering up.

Unplugging and plugging the monitor fixes everything every time.

This reminds me of the last time Apple released a device without even a "soft" powerswitch... that was a headache too.

Note to apple: if you're going to release a device without a power switch you need to put more engineering and testing into the firmware ...

I would like to confirm that not only is this issue still happening, I can also confirm that often the ethernet does not work as well, but it is very intermitent, maybe only 5% of the time whereas the keyboard issue is 100% of the time. Apple, do you read these forums??? Do you not have a macbook, a thunderbolt, and a usb keyboard? If you do, this issue would be driving your NUTS every time you go home and back to work!!!

I have a late 2001 MBP and an Apple extended USB keyboard plugged into a Thunderbolt display. Up until today I've been able to get the keyboard to work by unplugging and replugging or by restarting or by doing any of the variations listed so far in this thread. Today, however, nothing short of plugging the keyboard directly into the MPB works. Tried the update - my system didn't need it. It's getting really frustrating.

Same problem here.

One additional work around that works some of the time...

Unplug the wired keyboard from the back of the TB display and plug it directly into my MBA and the keyboard works. After typing a bit then I can plug it back into the TB and it works again but not every time...

This is getting tiresome! Please help Apple.

Yes -- I've seen this problem just as described -- sometimes works, sometimes doesn't. I don't see this problem at all at home on my Thunderbolt Display with Apple keyboard with numeric keypad. Got 14 Thunderbolt displays and numeric keyboards at work and I've been seeing this problem with interesting results.

To try and figure out what was going on, we tried various combinations without any reboots. We'd get different results using combinations of different Thunderbolt Displays with different Apple keyboard with numeric keypads hooked up to various laptops. (Thunderbolt Displays are new and already have firmware update).

Scenario: Laptop 1 plugs into Thunderbolt and keyboard (Dock 1) - works everytime no problem. Next day plugs into a different setup (Dock 2) and keyboard doesn't work unless plugged into laptop directly. Dock 2 has been problematic for a couple people. Laptop 1 plugs into Dock 3 and shows no problems. Keyboard from Dock 1 is plugged into Dock 3 and has no problems with either laptop. Keyboard from Dock 3 is plugged into Dock 1 and shows no problems. Keyboard from Dock 1 is put back into Dock 1 and shows the problem again. We put keyboard 1 away and grab a new keyboard and plugged it into Dock 1 -- no problems.

So, various combinations seemed to have different results with a keyboard not working with one display, but working fine with another display. I'm not sure if the problem is isolated to the Thunderbolt Display, the keyboard or if various combinations of display, keyboard and laptop can cause the problem. I've seen plugging and unplugging the keyboard work on one setup while not working on another. Totally confused and sad that Apple hasn't sorted this out. Afraid they'll ignore and build a new thin replacement thunderbolt display and never address the issue for the older ones.

I was having the same issue with the keyboard USB plug into the monitor - then I realized that the usb from monitor to computer was not plugged in. So the display cord & the usb cord from the monitor both need to be plugged into the computer. Hope this helps!

I got the same problem as described above by many users my setup (MacBook Pro, Thunderbold Display and Keyboard with NumericalPad). Lately it seems it gets worse, nearly every time the it comes out of the Sleep mode or is even turned on the key board is not functioning at all. It takes a few times to un-replug it to get it working (what a hassel). Not even unplugin the dispay itself helps anymore.

As it seemed the problem exists for a long time... the updates have in my case just increased the frequency of the problems. I though these times are over, but I guess could switch back to a Windows there the hardware is working at least :/

Just to add, this issue seems to extend further than the USB bus. I have a thunderbolt-interface external hard drive, used for Time Machine, connected to the Thunderbolt Display (firmware ver 22.2). I also have an extened USB keyboard connected to the Thunderbolt Display. Plugging my MBP Retina (OSX 10.8.3) into the Thunderbolt Display and having EVERYTHING wake up from sleep happens 25% of the time. I always eject my external drives before disconnecting, and administered all the appropriate updates. Can't think of anything else, will be calling Apple.

Similar symptom.

Hardware:

1. Macbook Pro Retina (15"), Mid 2012, 2.6Ghz i&, 16GB RAM, OS X 10.8.3

2. LED Cinema Display 27" USB Hub Version 1.0 Version 2.99, Display Audio Version 1.2, Display iSight Version 2.61, Keyboard Hub Version 96.15

3. Apple Keyboard with Numeric Keypad - English (USA) (USB) Version 0.74

4. Apple Wireless trackpad. (previously used Wireless Apple Magic Mouse with same symptom)

I use the macbook on trips and typically enter sleep mode by closing the top cover (display). When I return I connect the macbook pro to display by connecting LED Cinema Display connections in this order; 1. Power (adapter for new power connector) 2. Mini display port 3. USB (on left side of MBP). I use the track pad to wake up the macbook.

Unpluging keayboard from back of Display works sometimes. Other times I have to open the laptop and reconnect to get Apple USB keyboard to work.

Trying to toubleshoot this AM I connected as usual and verified the Apple USB keyboard was unresponsive. Opened the macbook cover and then opened System Information -> Hardware ->USB.

Under USB Hi-Speed Bus ->Hub I could see: 1. Apple LED Cinema Display, 2. Display Audio, 3. Display iSight

After going through workaround to get Apple USB keyboard to work I now see Keyboard Hub and under that Apple Keyboard displayed in System Information. (Requires that you close window and click System Report)

Complete listing from System Information

System Information -> Hardware ->USB.

Under USB Hi-Speed Bus ->Hub I could see: 1. Keyboard Hub -> Apple Keyboard 2. Apple LED Cinema Display, 3. Display Audio, 4. Display iSight

Looks to me like the Apple LED Display Keyboard Hub is not being initialized properly.

Hi everyone, I think I might have a solution - convenient and cheap:)

I've had a similar problem - my Apple keyboard would sometimes work, sometimes it wouldn't, sometimes I had to plug/unplug or plug in another device for it to work.

But one day I was doing some organizing with all my spare or unused cables and I'd found I have 2 spare Apple USB cables. I thought it's a shame that they're wasting away:), so I figured I could use one for the keyboard - didn't really need it, but few extra CMs couldn't hurt. And since I've connected the keyboard via the extension cable my problems with TBD were GONE! Finally! I've used this set up for over 2 weeks now and had no problems. The keyboard works everytime right from the boot up and also after sleeping and then waking up my MBP. I've also checked that when I unplug the extension and plug in the keyboard directly the old problem returns.

Thus I encourage everyone having this annoying USB problem to try an extension cable for the keyboard.

Hope that helps you guys.

Take care.

This may not help everyone, but what worked for me was that I discovered the external screen will light up even when the plug into the MacBook is not properly seated. For some reason only the keyboard (plugged into the monitor) failed to respond. Going through the helpful suggestions above I noticed that the plug (video to MacBook) was not snug, so I pushed it in further, and then things worked normally. I would not have expected the video to come up at all, but apparently this connection is quite picky about the tiny little electrodes. I hope this helps someone, as this forum has often helped me over the decades.