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Bluetooth and Wifi MBA

  • 11-05-2013 7:02pm
    #1
    Bigcheeze
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,858 ✭✭✭


    I have a 2012 MBA with official Apple bluetooth keyboard and mouse. As soon as I turn on bluetooth my wifi speeds drops from 40-50mbps to 2-3 mbps. Once I switch bluetooth off wifi goes back to normal speed.

    Anyone else have this problem and a solution ? Right now the expensive accessories are unusable.


Comments

  • #2
    Sad Professor
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 22,693 CMod ✭✭✭✭Sad Professor


    WiFi and Bluetooth both use the same frequency band (2.4GHz) which can result in performance issues. I've experienced this as well, though in my case the Bluetooth was affected, not the WiFi. You can try changing the WiFi channel, which might lessen the interference a bit. But the only proper solution is to get a 5GHz router.

    For more suggestions, see here:

    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1365

    And for the old thread I started about my issue:

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056110195


  • #3
    Bigcheeze
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,858 ✭✭✭Bigcheeze


    Sad Professor wrote: »
    WiFi and Bluetooth both use the same frequency band (2.4GHz) which can result in performance issues. I've experienced this as well, though in my case the Bluetooth was affected, not the WiFi. You can try changing the WiFi channel, which might lessen the interference a bit. But the only proper solution is to get a 5GHz router.

    For more suggestions, see here:

    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1365

    And for the old thread I started about my issue:

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056110195

    Thanks. I have a 5ghz router but use it on 2.4 as the range of 5ghz isn't good. I might try the plugs to extend wifi range.

    Strange thing is it doesn't impact a 2011 MBA when I tested it in the same location.


  • #4
    frozenfrozen
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,903 ✭✭✭frozenfrozen


    Interesting that the 2011 MBA isn't effected, could this be that it's inference within the 2012 laptop while both the bluetooth and wifi are in use? Try use the keyboard with the 2011 MBA, while trying to use the wifi on the 2012 laptop, to see if its the bluetooth in the 2012 that would be slowing it down. So basically checking if its the bluetooth signal that is stopping the 2012 MBA, or if it is the use of the bluetooth card in the 2012 which is causing the problem.


  • #5
    Sad Professor
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 22,693 CMod ✭✭✭✭Sad Professor


    Yeah, the interference is limited to the machine in question. This is because WiFi and Bluetooth are on the same card.

    The performance issues you are experiencing are quite severe, though, so you could return it to Apple for replacement (assuming it's within warranty). However, it's unlikely to totally solve the problem.

    Have you tried using just one Bluetooth device at a time? Say just the Magic Mouse with the keyboard turned off? Does that improve things?

    Also, do you have any other Bluetooth devices that the Mac could be picking up and adding to the interference?

    Another possible workaround is to disable internal Bluetooth and use a Bluetooth USB dongle instead.

    And did you try changing the WiFi channel? That should definitely result in some improvement.


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