Bluetooth connectivity issues

I love my Mac Mini but this BlueTooth and mouse issue has been a pain. I have had better luck with my Logitech UltraThin mouse which is a worthy competitor to the Magic Mouse and works in almost an exact function. The Logitech mouse seems to be less problematic than the Magic Mouse.

I also have an Intel Hades Canyon NUC and I set it up as a Mac alternative for my work-from-home job in case my Mac breaks down. I did this when my iMac was having graphics card issues that led to its demise and my getting the 2018 Mini. Other than the power cable it is pretty much a straight plug for plug replacement. I wish it ran MacOS since I much prefer that over Windows 10.

So far with only using the outer port for charging/syncing my iPhone and using the Logitech mouse things seem to be pretty happy with the Mac Mini 2018 on my desk.

[Edited by Host]

Has anybody looked at the connection quality of their bluetooth devices? I just checked by OPTIONB-clicking the bluetooth icon in the stratus bar and inspecting my connected mouse, keyboard and trackpad.

The values I see are between -45dB and -63dB for RSSI.

Looking at different sources on the web I find comments that anything below -50dB is considered a bad connection.

My mouse is about 50cm away from the macMini! How can that give me -63dB?

What values do you see there?

So just as bad (?) as mine. Would love to know comparison values from a working non-MacMini.

By the way: I have now tried to disabled the Mac's WIFI connection and use ethernet instead. Will see if this has any effect.

On my wife's iMac 21 inch Late 2013 her Magic KB is reporting 53 and the mouse 45.

On my Mac Mini 2018 my Magic Mouse reports 60; the keyboard 48; and the Logitech mouse 51.

On both the devices are within 18 inches of the computer.

Has anyone heard anything from Apple on this? Have they acknowledged an issue?

I kind of verified my suspicions: haven't had any issues with wifi off for 4 days. Turned it back on and hours later the problems started with Magic Trackpad disconnecting, then the mouse. Turned wifi off again and stable since.

Could this really be interference? I'll try and turn off 2.4GHz wifi next and only keep 5GHz on.

I’ve had WiFi off for a long time, and I still have mouse problems IF I start 3D number crunching and the internal fan spins up. I still think it’s a power shortage, and the Bluetooth hardware is specially sensitive to a brownout.

Oh, that's an interesting observation. Maybe it was coincidence with the wifi after all. Because my connection started to drop when using Windows in a VM and running some heavy tasks there. I also noticed the fans going up and the the BT connections started to die. Then I turned off wifi but I was also done with the high CPU load operation.

Now that I think about it: the last time it happened, it was a similar situation with OBS running. Again I remember the fans revving up and then boom, there goes the keyboard.

If this is really the case, an external BT module plugged into a USB hub with external power supply should stop this from happening, right?

A powered hub works, kinda, at least for lighter tasks. Unfortunately, the power to heat the CPU (aka work) far outweighs the power savings from the hub. I leave a mouse connected to the CPU at all times, just so I can continue to work. I’ve found that, after the Bluetooth goes wonky the only way to fix it is a full reboot.

I do, however, think the power problem was ALWAYS there but software handled it better. The latest OS upgrade did something to the Bluetooth module that allows it to disconnect during a brownout. I think it’s related to the new gaming efforts, trying to increase response time.

Sooo... Did Apple release a statement on this? I just bought one, having the same problem. I'm probably not even 1m away from my mini and the keyboards don't work, and my airpods drop connection frequently. I'm using a wired keyboard now. I had a 2009 iMac before that worked perfectly. This is unacceptable for the price we're paying, honestly.

@flavorcha,

no, not that I know. Last advice I got from Apple was to wait for a software update. How a software update will solve a very highly likely a hardware issue is a mystery though. If this issue is bothering you, I highly recommend you just return it while they still accept (2weeks.) After that, they will never accept it. Apple advisers will keep on giving advice, try this and that. Later they will ask you to take a log and send for which they will spend a week to analyze. Soon you will find your two week window is gone.

It is sad to see how they treat their most loyal customers so badly.

I spent 3 days trying every method known until I turned off 2.4ghz signal on my router which I believe is the same frequency as BT. So far so good. If your router supports 5g just kick off that. Worth a try.

If it is indeed interference from a 2.4 GHz. router that might be fine for some people but some of us have many devices that still do not support 5GHz. In my network I have several devices (mostly home automation) that only work on 2.4 GHz. so shutting off that part or the router is not an option.

I am still looking for a wired mouse that replicates the swipe functionality of the Apple Magic Mouse. The Magic Keyboard works as a wired keyboard since i can just leave it plugged into the Lightning cable but the Magic Mouse does not since the connector placement prohibits it.

You don't have to shut down your 2.4 GHz network. Most routers now let you run both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz networks simultaneously. The 2.4 only seems to interfere when that's the network the Mac is connected to.

That's what I did; set up a router running both 2.4 and 5 GHz networks. I connect my Mac Mini to the 5GHz; no more problems. I can still connect other devices to the 2.4 network.

I worked out this situation about 5 months ago and have never had issues since.

It is crazy to think that there is no solution from Apple regarding this, especially since their Apple Watch uses the 2.4ghz only yet You can only have your Mac and watch work properly if you have a router capable of both bands - well this has been my experience- happy WiFi playing

I don't even have the WiFi turned on on my Mac Mini, I use the Ethernet port, always have. I still have had the same issues with Bluetooth not working well, if at all.

So far for me I have had fewer issues with the Logitech UltraThin mouse then the Magic Mouse. I also get very limited range with my BT headset compared to that I was getting off the iMac. That part I can understand since the iMac BT antenna could have been at the top of the display but the mouse and KB issues are inexcusable as they are within a foot of the computer.

FWIW it works much better with the outer USB port unoccupied and the backup hard drives relocated under the desk but still nowhere near as well as it should, especially for an Apple product.