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I bought a MacBook Pro in October 2017 and the computer’s connection to the internet and sometimes my Bluetooth mouse will drop out whenever a USB-C dongle or my Segate Backup Plus hard drive is plugged in. Removing these and refreshing the page fixes the problem.
Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can use my computer normally with things plugged in? Has anyone else experienced this before?
Why do I have difficulty with Wi-Fi or Bluetooth devices when USB 3 devices are attached to my computer?
Some USB 3 devices can generate radio frequency interference that can cause Wi-Fi and Bluetooth devices operating in the 2.4GHz band to have issues communicating with your computer. Here are some tips to avoid this issue:
- If your USB device has a cable long enough that you can move the device, place it away from your Mac—and make sure not to place it behind your Mac, or near the hinge of its display. The antennas for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are located there, and USB 3 devices placed there might interfere with your wireless connections.
- If you're using adapters or dongles on a Mac computer with Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports, plug them into the front port on the left side of your Mac, or into the ports on the right side (if your computer has them). These ports are the farthest away from the antennas, making interference less likely.
- To avoid interference on the 2.4GHz band using Wi-Fi, try using the 5GHz band instead. You can change this on your wireless base station. Bluetooth always uses 2.4GHz, so this alternative isn't available for Bluetooth.
from:
Using USB devices with your Mac - Apple Support
also, any of these items may be involved:
• Power Adapter cable recall
Apple USB-C Charge Cable Replacement Program - Apple Support
• firmware update for the Apple Multi-Port display adapters (specifically to reduce interference).
About the USB-C Multiport Adapter Update 1.0 - Apple Support
• LG-display recall -- to address Wi-Fi interference so severe, it knocks the Router off the air if too near the Router.
.
Why do I have difficulty with Wi-Fi or Bluetooth devices when USB 3 devices are attached to my computer?
Some USB 3 devices can generate radio frequency interference that can cause Wi-Fi and Bluetooth devices operating in the 2.4GHz band to have issues communicating with your computer. Here are some tips to avoid this issue:
- If your USB device has a cable long enough that you can move the device, place it away from your Mac—and make sure not to place it behind your Mac, or near the hinge of its display. The antennas for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are located there, and USB 3 devices placed there might interfere with your wireless connections.
- If you're using adapters or dongles on a Mac computer with Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports, plug them into the front port on the left side of your Mac, or into the ports on the right side (if your computer has them). These ports are the farthest away from the antennas, making interference less likely.
- To avoid interference on the 2.4GHz band using Wi-Fi, try using the 5GHz band instead. You can change this on your wireless base station. Bluetooth always uses 2.4GHz, so this alternative isn't available for Bluetooth.
from:
Using USB devices with your Mac - Apple Support
also, any of these items may be involved:
• Power Adapter cable recall
Apple USB-C Charge Cable Replacement Program - Apple Support
• firmware update for the Apple Multi-Port display adapters (specifically to reduce interference).
About the USB-C Multiport Adapter Update 1.0 - Apple Support
• LG-display recall -- to address Wi-Fi interference so severe, it knocks the Router off the air if too near the Router.
.
USB-3 interference
USB-3 interference can be caused by a poorly shielded USB cable, or poor shielding in the USB-3 disk drive enclosure, or any component between the Mac and the device.
Thanks for the reply,
So My only hope is a new USB hub. I am still unsure about the hard drive though. For a quite expensive hard drive, I would expect it to work properly with Macintosh computers, as described on the product packaging. Is there any way to fix the issue with the hard drive? It is a shame that it can't be constantly be plugged in.
For a quite expensive hard drive, I would expect it to work properly with Macintosh computers
It can be any component between the USB-C port on the Mac up to and including the disk. This includes the cable, the adapter, the disk enclosure, the USB-C to USB3 adapter, if you have a USB3 hub, etc...
If any of the components are generating radio interference it will interfere with ANY WiFi or bluetooth active device that is too close to it, including a Mac, a Windows PC, a WiFi router, a tablet, a phone, etc.... If a WiFi or bluetooth device is close enough the source of radio interference it will be affected. Bluetooth is 2.4GHz which is a harmonic frequency to 5GHz USB3 radio interference. WiFi is either 2.4GHz or 5GHz and can be subject to USB3 poor shielding as well.
Again, if it is poor radio interference shielding, any component can be at fault. It does not need to be the disk. The disk enclosure may be perfectly OK
If it is the disk, that is something you need to take up with the vendor. If it is the cable, then get a better cable. If it is a hub, then get a better hub. If it is the USB-C to USB3 adapter, etc....
If you can move the disk and other components further away from the Mac that might help if it is USB3 radio interference.
You could experiment with aluminum foil as a way to create a makeshift shielding. I would NOT suggest it as a solution, just something to try and isolate the root cause (be careful around power plugs, do not want to give yourself a shock).
And since I am just speculating, I cannot say for sure it is USB3 interference, I'm just speculating, based on what I know about USB3 issues, and from reports that have been posted in these Apple Discussion forums.
Thanks,
I will give it a go, I am just shocked that a computer which costed me £1250 has this issue, but the older, cheaper Windows laptop that I had before worked fine. Thanks for the suggestions though, I will give it a try. 🙂
Again assuming it is radio interference, depending on placement of the radio interfering device, it can affect any WiFi or Bluetooth device. It may just be where the Mac's antenna is located vs where the device is, which may be a different orientation then for Windows.
Again, I do not know that this is caused by radio interference, it is just that all the4 symptoms you are reporting sound very much like radio interference.
I am not totally unsure about this issue, it may require a visit to the Apple Store now, or a phone call to support. I have tried everything from moving the computer around, to shielding it with aluminium foil, nothing has fixed the issue 😔
MacBook Pro 2017 Wi-Fi problem
