Bluetooth connectivity issues

Switching off wifi and using hardwired ethernet resolved the bluetooth issue for me, at least until Apple fixes problem in 10.14.3. Received tip from Apple Support. See related posts under title "Wireless trackpad and keyboard disconnect frequently from the new Mini"

As I reported last time I was having intermittent connection/disconnection issues with my Apple wireless keyboard and trackpad. I had another issue that may be related to the BT that is the auto-unlock feature by Apple Watch. This worked for me only once but most of the time it did not work until today I found that this is caused by an USB-3 hub that is plugged into one of the two USB-3 ports. This hub is powered by a power adapter however so this is not a peer drainage issue.  If I unplug the hub and plug in each device individually into the Mac, no problem. This hub is made by: Sabrent as seen here on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00TPMEOYM/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The second USB port on my Mac is connected to an external HD that is not itself powered, but whether this is plugged in does not interfere with Apple Watch functions.

Thus if you are having any BT related problems, check any non-Apple devices that are plugged into your USB ports. So far my keyboard and trackpad are working fine. Will see if the USB was the issue that also affected these two other BT devices.

I've found that it's a power problem, but complicated immensely because the power is SHARED between the USB and Bluetooth hardware. Similar things happened to PCs back in the early days of USB. What a fun mess, I bought several hubs before I found a mystical combination that worked, then I never changed it. So far, the addition of a powered hub has fixed my mouse tracking problem. Like any good game of Jenga, I'll probably think twice before adding another USB device to the mix.

If it was a USB issue, would turning off wi-fi make the problem go away? I have USB C, 3, and 2 devices connected directly and through hubs. By turning off wi-fi only, why do my bluetooth devices work?

I am not saying that there may not be USB issues; however, I do not think it is the issue that I am having.

As it has been said earlier or maybe in another thread - the USB and Bluetooth have power shared, thus, when certain devices are plugged in and heavily used the signal for the keyboard /mouse is too weak for that period of use. That’s the first issue.

Secondly, if the WiFi signal of the router you connect to is 2.4ghz then that will cause erratic behavior for the Bluetooth keyboard /mouse. The fix here is to connect to the 5Ghz band for your router (I was fortunate to have that option with my brand of router)

this is has been the results of my investigations and the other option if you have lots of data transferring over USB is to get a powered USB hub. But I haven’t tried that.

My router has both the 2.4 & 5 Ghz bands. The 5 works no better than the 2.4. I only have powered hubs. The only ways the keyboard and the trackpad work reliably are either connected through a hub via a Lightning cable to the Mini without Bluetooth, or turning off wi-fi which allows me to use them as Bluetooth devices.

You asked for help - I answered.

If you do not like the answer I have given, or have not bothered to read the link I posted, then solve the problem yourself. I am not here to force anyone to do anything. I wish you the best of luck, but I will not assist you any more.

It is unlikely a power issue, but a "shielding" issue from the USB-3 cable, which is an known issue of USB-3 to interfere with BT. In your case, when you switched to a powered hub, the power version may have different shielding so the problem did not occur. For a device that the shielding is fundamentally bad, plug in the power or not, does not matter.

Unplug all non-Apple USB cables, adapter, hub, speakers, keyborad ... what ever, and see if the problem goes away. If so, add each one back to identify the one that is causing the problem. The best way to problem-shoot the BT problem is to use unlock with Apple Watch feature because this allows you to test the BT very quickly and reproducibly.

Like other users, I am having the exact same problems with the MacBook Pro 15" 2018 as well. There's several threads on the issue. It's absolutely nauseating having to have disconnects sometimes several times a minute, sometimes 'only' several times an hour. Both V1 magic mouse and keyboard have been working, and still do work, perfectly on my MacBook Pro 2013 and on other computers. It's the 2018 generation that Apple seems to have used some flawed bluetooth module in I assume.

I am having major issues with Bluetooth, Apple must know this by now but are staying silent. My first Mac Mini 2018 3.2Ghz i7 kept diconnecting the mouse and the keyboard randomly and when I plugged in the trackpad to pair it also loses intenet connectivity. I sent it back as presumed faulty unit as was totally unusable. I now have the replacement and although not quite as bad I constantly lose keyboard connection and was losing Magic Mouse too until I swapped to my logitech which is more stable. The tackpad also works, however, if I plug my SD card reader into a thunderbolt port I lose internet again - WiFi shows connected but no internet. Once I unplug the SD card reader it I get the internet back. There is a fundamental design issue here and Apple need to either recall the Mac Mini 2018 or issue a fix of some sort as it's infuriating. As I write this I have lost keboard connection 3 times, seems to be when taking a pause typing.

I feel your frustrations more than I articulate. I do not know what is going on with Apple lately. The silence and apparent denial on their end is not helping matters either. It only serves to spark more and more outrage. There are a number of issues that have escaped Apple QC that have blown my mind. T2 chips issues that are still lingering that began back with the iMP, throttling issues, keyboards issues, thermal issues, screen issues, OS bugs, etc etc etc... You get the point. I dearly miss Steve Jobs.

Hi Buster, I assume you've not experienced these sorts of nauseatingly frustrating problems yourself.

I'm actually taking my brand new MacBook Pro 15" 2018 to the store tomorrow for exchange, hoping that it'll better the unbearable situation of otherwise flawlessly working Magic Mouse and Keyboard cutting out and lagging every 20 seconds or even more often.

The problem many of us users from the 2018 generation of MacBooks or - apparently - MacMini's face is that all former generations of hardware have worked beautifully, regardless of the fantasy of 'unshielded cables'. I'm sitting at home with my trusty Late-2013 MBP Retina, which has NEVER had a bluetooth problem. Other users report the same up to the 2017 generation. Since the 2018 gen, something has changed. Now don't come on here saying: 'It's not Apple's fault' when clearly it is.

Buster, all my cables ARE Apple cables! These are the very same cables I use on my MBP with absolutely no issues. Apple confirmed my first Mac Mini 2018 was faulty. Your assumptions are incorrect. However, I have found a way to minimise the loss of keyboard and mouse connection and that was to change the router channel from 8 to 1. Today I ony lost connection to my keyboard once, and that was just for a few seconds. Let's be frank here, there is a problem and inteference from non-Apple cables is bullsh*t - the bluetooth and wifi modules inside the mac mini should be able to cope with this. It's all utterly rediculous, even my nasty PC can run run the same hard drives I connect to my mac and connect flawlessly to my bluetooth keyboard and mouse without any issues at all.

I had the same problem with my 2018 mini even with new magic keyboard 2 and trackpad 2. I asked Rene Ritchie about it a “Bluetooth Mini gate”on twitter and he replied “nothing whitespread”. I returned my mini and got a MacBook Pro and with MBP I have had 0 problems.

Its frustrating trying to find a solution for a great computer like the mini and I think apple it’s not going to do anything about it; just maybe a miraculous software update.

Note: I scape the mini Bluetooth issue for a probable stage lighting on the MBP. What’s wrong with apple?