Bluetooth Mouse/Keyboard intermittently disconnect

You’re not alone…I’m having the exact same problem with by Dell Bluetooth Keyboard and Mouse. As an experience technical person, I could not determine what’s actually causing these intermittent problems, so I contacted the Dell Support Team for assistance. So far we have spent over 20 hours troubleshooting this issue. Here’s a list of things done so far: Uninstalling/Reinstalling the BT devices from the Device Manager and BT Manager, replaced batteries (several times) in both keyboard and mouse, replaced both BT keyboard and mouse, replaced BT Adapter, update BT Drivers (several times), reinstalling OS (3 times), modified system configuration, disabled my system firewalls, and replaced my Hard Drive. After all this, the problem still exists even before adding any extra device drivers and software (except MS Office 2007). This issue has been escalated to Dell’s Resolution Team for further troubleshooting.

I noticed an additional symptom that may or may not be related to this BT issue.  Once my BT device loose connection and reestablish itself, I noticed the function keys and shortcut keys with my BT keyboard and the onboard laptop keyboard changes (Win key, Esc key, Alt+Tab, Ctrl+Esc, and other shortcuts) until the system re-reset the devices, usually  after 2 to 5 min, then everything is working fine until it happens again. If you or anyone else that reads this is having the same issues and/or symptoms, please reply to this message so that I can continue work with Dell to resolve this issue.

Thanks,

Trouble Maker
Inspiron 1720 w/Vista

I too had this exact same issue. It seemed to coincide with the installation of the latest version of Nokia PC Suite, so i uninstalled that last night and has not re-occurred since. Must be the drivers on that conflicting with the mouse/keyboard drivers.

I have exactly the same problem - exactly as you described.  Most annoying if the last key pressed was backspace or delete.  I had the problem before loading the Nokia PC Suite and it has continued the same since - perhaps a bit more frequently.  Quite annoying when your phone is constantly connecting and disconnecting.  Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

SORRY this is a Duplicate Reply.

After several hours troubleshooting this problem, I was able to resolve most of my BT issues, with the exception of my keyboard and mouse intermittently disconnecting. I feel that there is a conflict between the BT devices/drivers and other hardware devices/drivers installed on your system. I know this problem is more command then Dell wants us to believe, and I feel that Dell have a responsibility to find a solution to this issue. 

To resolve most of my BT issues, I performing these basic tasks:

1.     Replace batteries,

2.     Check device manager for device errors

3.     Check for Windows critical and important updates

4.     Check for multiple firewalls running at the same time

5.     Scan system for common memory and hardware issues

6.     Scan system for viruses

7.     Download and install all Dell critical and important device drivers from Dell Support website

8.     Download and install Dell’s Bio update from Dell Support website

After completing these steps, If you’re still having problems, try the following:

1.     Re-installing Windows and repeat the steps above

2.     Replace BT adapter

3.     Replace BT device (s)

If you’re still having problems with your BT device(s), you can either replace the device(s) or deal with it, until a solution is available.

Other Posting: Trouble Maker posted DELL BLUETOOTH DEVICES INTERMITTENTLY DISCONNECTS

I am having the same issue-- except it has gotten much worse.  I had this issue for about two years on a Dell Precision T3400 running WindowsXP.  Once in a blue, the keyboard would disconnect, or do the runaway keystroke thing.  However, it did it fairly rarely.

Recently I upgraded to WIndows7 64-bit.  And that's where my current nightmare begins.

I have performed FOUR clean installs trying to isolate the issue, but it is most definitely something about the driver.  First of all, Dell doesn't have a driver for 64-bit Windows7 per se-- they have the driver for 64-bit Vista, which works the best on my system.  And I mean "the best" loosely.

The intermittent disconnect happens 4-5 times PER HOUR.  I am ready to through this thing out of the window and invest in something from Logitech with explicit support for Windows7.

Dell support was useless.  They ran me through this uninstall/reinstall routine as described above by other posters, but in the end, no solution.  But for anyone who is reading this in the hopes there is a solution-- hang it up.  My only hope is that a driver engineer can actually call me, which isn't going to happen because I happen to BE a driver engineer for a medical device company and I'll tell you-- we are NEVER allowed to talk to customers.  Knowing Dell the engineers are probably sitting in Bangalore anyway.  Bottom line, this only gets worse in Windows7 (at least the 64 bit version).

I am in the same boat as you, I was having intemittent issues with mouse not responding 4-5 times per hour for around 10 seconds but mind you this also was happenning to me when I was running Vista x64, now I am running 7 x64 using the Vista x64 drivers from the Dell website and now I have ANOTHER problem, where everytime I restart the computer it always wants to reconnect the mouse and keyboard, 2 - 3 attempts sometimes gets it working again and I'm on my way until it happens again, so I unistalled the drivers and reinstalled them and it seem to have fix it and as soon as a few days later it started doing it again. I can put up with the intermittently disconnections but not going through reconnecting the devices everytime I need to restart my computer.

I have performed many clean installs over time, upon checking the event viewer I see there are many entries in there about  "The mutual authentication between the local Bluetooth adapter and a device with Bluetooth adapter address (00:07:61:d8:44:1b) failed" and the source of that is BTHUSB

It may have something to do with the motherboards USB ports? Chipset drivers maybe? I moved the bluetooth dongle to another port, I have had devices stop working on the USB ports and unplugging them and plugging them back in seems to fix the problem until it happens again.

I also have a Dell Precision T3400 like you do with 8GB memory, btw what AntiVirus/Firewall software are you running? I have Symantec Endpoint Protection V11.0.5002.333, might disable that at some stage and restart to see if it wants to reconnect my mouse and keyboard again.

Other than that, I will be looking to Logitech or Microsoft for a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse soultion, but even in the Logitech fourms they are having issues as well, I wonder how many of them have Dell systems, as we all know, Dell motherboards are cheap and nasty and stripped of extra functions.

Last week I was having issues where the mouse wouldn't show up in the dell setpoint software or was it the keyboard anyway it was one of them and without that in the setpoint I have no notifications of the battery status etc, no matter what I tried nothing would work so I decided it was time to do a clean install but before I did I removed the Dell setpoint software and installed the new Logitech setpoint v6 software and that fixed the problem, but only one problem, everytime I hit the Caps Lock there was no taskbar notifications.

My next problem is that if Dell are still selling the Bluetooth keyboard & mouse they should be looking at supplying a Windows 7 x32 and x64 driver package, just because Vista and 7 drivers are similiar doesn't mean they work the same.

As RRM1000 was saying, I do have Nokia Ovi Suite installed also

Just my 2 cents worth

I have most of the problems all of you are having except most of the time I have to turn off/on all wireless devices using the switch on the side of my XPS M1330 to restore use. Problem existed with both Vista and Windows 7 64bit. Many driver installs including 3rd party driver stacks fixed some problems and created others.

I am curious, how many of you have mobile phones with Bluetooth enabled near your computer when you're experiencing problems? I find removing my mobile phone significanty reduces the connection loss. I'm switching to a 27Mhz Logitech keyboard and mouse and expect it will resolve the issues. From what I can tell, Bluetooth isn't designed to deal with extensive environmental noise which is why it seams to work great in my car and not so great at home. I have a VTech DECT 6.0 landline with Bluetooth headset and phone pairing, 802.11A/B/G/N wireless data network. Plantronics Calico Pro unified communications phone with Bluetooth DECT 6.0 and proprietary wireless headset and handset, external monitorsand speakers and all he associated chargers in my home office. Just setting my iPhone down on my desk usually causes my speakers to start chirping, and I can predict an incoming phone call or email by the noise generated by my iPhone when it's increasing power for incoming data and voice.

One embarrasment for Dell should thier Bluetooth driver stack. I do a lot  of VOIP for work, and I wanted to pair a Bluetooth headset to my laptop to handle the calls. I couldn't get any brand of headset to pair with the Dell, Microsoft or Broadcom driver. The only way to get any capability was to install a Lenovo Bluetooth driver stack and software app that allowed me to pair and use my headset, but created greater instability between BT keyboard, BT mouse and BT headset.

Dell's support team knew less than I did, happily wasted 3 hours of my time. Took 5 days to send a replacement BT adapter that should have arrived next day according to my 3 year paid support contract, and of course didn't fix the problem. Seams like Dell has real quality issues these days. This same XPS M1330 arrived from the factory with a defective OS image. final solution recomended by support, install the OS from a DVD and manually build up your machine. So I did that and it fixed the issue (802.11 hanging), but a pretty lowsy way to start out with a brand new $2200 laptop.

Funny thing is I'm a VP of Sales for a software company and I happen to be technical from the early days of my career. Many of the people I work with have similar problems and just give up. I will be looking at a different brand of computer next time I upgrade.

sounds like you have alot of devices moving around the 10m mark...

your sound.... interference from motherboard (basically a large antenna) try turning off analog (digital only) tho you will need to turn D.O. off to play some media, but your speakers should stop transmitting the false analog signal. (all electronic devices emit EM) as well be sure the cabl connecting the speakers to the computer are well shielded (thicker = better) and as well be sure to run cables paralell to each other when you can (helps eliminate some em noise by using one wire to help shield another and EMF's stay in-line making noise from crossing cables much less) 

to test that out take a mic with a barely shielded cable (or eliminate some of the shielding even) turn the +30db on and max out outgoing audio (might want to keep speakers @ 25%)  upload something to an external hard drive and stick the cable accross the usb cable you'll def hear the transaction. as a high pitched whine or higher static.... some people use this technique to make music, albeit mostly crap, but still music.

↑ as the name suggests... i deal with audio regularly...

it may be "levino" is not correctly handling the multple devices well (may be a reason dell did not include support for that device)

it would be impossible for any single os/computer combo to work with everything at all times.... simply put. there is alot of programing and device translation (driver) going down inside... your asking for every programmer working on millions of lines of code to include a few hundred more for every type of device...

only way for a computer to work with even every brand of the exact same device would be accross the board standardization. this would be nice to have in place... but will never happen when every company is competing. (by standardizing i mean a specific type of device must output the same "language" for a single driver to translate) this approach if used accross the board would definately free up space on your computer (not to mention a good bit of preformance boost without having to process thousands of different languages to a single one that your computer can use befor resending it's command back through the processor, ooh and while their at it pre separate visual/audio/charachter before processing... (call it a pre-VAC) 

(wonder if dell and/or intel has a wishlist area)

I have been struggling with this problem for over 2 years and finally found the solution.

(NOTE: The following applies to Windows 7 but Vista and XP should be similar)

Go to: Control Panel -> Device Manager -> Bluetooth Radios

Right click on the Bluetooth device (not "Microsoft Bluetooth Enumerator") and select Properties

Select the Power Management Tab

Clear the check box labeled  "Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power"

I have not had the problem again since doing this.

(Now I just want to know why Dell Support does not know this very simple solution.)

Thanks for the fix. This was driving me crazy!

I was so thrilled to read this, thinking I finally had a solution to this absolutely annoying experience! This same answer/solution has appeared on other tech support sites since this was posted, so it gives it even more credibility.

However...I have Windows XP Pro, SP3 and don't have the "Power Management Tab" in Device Manager. Does this require running Advanced Power Management? I have ACPI running now, and was cautioned about changing that to APM. Or is there some other place to find Power Management options for a keyboard? I've looked everwhere I can think of in Control Panel and various properties.

I feel so close to the answer now, but it's still out of reach.... Does anyone have a suggestion? One more repeating key epidsode is going to kill any patience I have left and might close the books for good on my ever buying another Dell product. Thanks!

Ron - thanks for the reply. I won't throw Dell under the bus entirely, but it's their mouse and keyboard, and their laptop, and there wasn't good support for the problem. That's where the frustration was coming from, but I agree that plenty of problems can be pinned directly to Microsoft! :p

So, i'm not sure this solution is going to work. Maybe I'm missing something on a more nuanced technical level, but let me offer more detail. The mouse and keyboard I'm using are both entirely bluetooth devices. I don't have anything going into a USB hub, not even any sort of antena or receiver. When I go to the Bluetooth Devices in Device Manger, I don't have the tab that allows for Power Management. That's the part that seemed to be the fix i need, but I don't seem to have a way to get there.

The Power Management tab for a USB root hub typically doesn't show up in XP if there's a device connected to that root hub. So find one that doesn't have a device attached and look for the tab there. When you find one, uncheck the box "allow PC to turn off this device...". Then move the keyboard USB connector to that root hub on rear of PC. To make it easier, uncheck the box for all USB root hubs were you find the Power Management tab.

If you can't figure it out that way, look for the root hub in Device Manager which says the keyboard is attached to it. Then disconnect the keyboard from the PC, noting which USB port where it was connected. Now use the mouse to open the Power Management tab for that hub. You may have to close and reopen the Properties window for that root hub after disconnecting the keyboard (use the mouse) so you can see the tab. Change the setting and exit Device Manger. Now reconnect the keyboard to the same port on the PC.

Ron

EDIT: This is NOT a Dell problem. This is Microsoft problem. It can happen on any brand PC. :emotion-4: