keyboard problem

[J Lunis]

This is likely an easy question but, because I probably don't know the
right key words, I can't find the answer.
Wireless keyboard - has worked well for almost 2 years. Recently, the
keys no longer respond - intermittently. The keyboard will function
normally for an hour or two but either
striking a key results in nothing for a few seconds and/or
I get duplicate characters.
Changed the batteries so I don't think that's it. Tried playing with
the dongle (if that is the proper terminology).
Ideas please.

 

[Sjouke Burry]

This is likely an easy question but, because I probably don't know the
right key words, I can't find the answer.
Wireless keyboard - has worked well for almost 2 years. Recently, the
keys no longer respond - intermittently. The keyboard will function
normally for an hour or two but either
striking a key results in nothing for a few seconds and/or
I get duplicate characters.
Changed the batteries so I don't think that's it. Tried playing with
the dongle (if that is the proper terminology).
Ideas please.

Another transmittor on the same frequency??
Like babyphone, wifi, bluetooth, wireless link, etc..?
(check bluetooth one your(new?) phone!)?
Or the phone itself,when it crancks up the power in case
of a bad connection...

 

[UCLAN]

This is likely an easy question but, because I probably don't know the
right key words, I can't find the answer.
Wireless keyboard - has worked well for almost 2 years. Recently, the
keys no longer respond - intermittently. The keyboard will function
normally for an hour or two but either
striking a key results in nothing for a few seconds and/or
I get duplicate characters.
Changed the batteries so I don't think that's it. Tried playing with
the dongle (if that is the proper terminology).
Ideas please.

I had a cordless mouse that was acting as if it had old, weak batteries
even with new batteries. Sometimes it was fine; other times not. Long
story->short, it was dirty/oxidized contacts in the battery compartment,
not on the batteries. Once I thoroughly cleaned the contacts, all was well.

Couldn't hurt...

 

[J Lunis]

Another transmittor on the same frequency??
Like babyphone, wifi, bluetooth, wireless link, etc..?
(check bluetooth one your(new?) phone!)?
Or the phone itself,when it crancks up the power in case
of a bad connection...

Very good, The phone is and PC worked happily together since I bought
the PC. I doubt that is it. Wireless printer - same story. Bluetooth?
Now that one is fairly recent and may be the culprit. I'll unplug the
dongle and see if that's it.

 

[J Lunis]

I had a cordless mouse that was acting as if it had old, weak batteries
even with new batteries. Sometimes it was fine; other times not. Long
story->short, it was dirty/oxidized contacts in the battery compartment,
not on the batteries. Once I thoroughly cleaned the contacts, all was well.

Couldn't hurt...

Thanks, I'll check.

 

[J Lunis]

Another transmittor on the same frequency??
Like babyphone, wifi, bluetooth, wireless link, etc..?
(check bluetooth one your(new?) phone!)?
Or the phone itself,when it crancks up the power in case
of a bad connection...

OK, apparently it was the bluetooth dongle. Now does this mean I can't
use bluetooth as long as I have a wireless keyboard?

 

[Paul]

OK, apparently it was the bluetooth dongle. Now does this mean I can't
use bluetooth as long as I have a wireless keyboard?

Bluetooth uses frequency hopping. It splits up a band of frequencies
into bins. It tries to get through on the different frequencies.

Other, non Bluetooth devices, could use a single frequency. So that
other device will "notch out" one or more bins on the Bluetooth device.
The Bluetooth should be able to "step around" the interference. (I
doubt the keyboard can step around anything.)

But the devices might get upset, if their front end is overloaded
with RF energy. As Kony suggests, try separating them, even if it
means adding an extension cable to a USB port for the dongle(s).
There is a chance that the protocols can co-exist, if the front
end isn't overloaded.

I think there is even overlap between Bluetooth and some WiFi.
Which is why, if you're a "wireless person", it pays to keep
a list of all the wireless devices in the house, so you can
understand why some device has stopped working. For example,
one user noted that his WiFi stopped, every time the phone
rang. It turned out there was a cordless phone on 2.4GHz,
and when the cordless base contacts the cordless phone,
to tell it to ring, that burst of RF wiped out WiFi for
a fraction of a second. So you need to keep a chart, with
details about whether cordless phones are on 900MHz, 2.4GHz,
5GHz or whatever. The available bands can be crowded.

Paul