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can USB3 cable interfere with Bluetooth module in a Mac Mini?

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can USB3 cable interfere with Bluetooth module in a Mac Mini?
space-time Offline
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#1
04-30-2015, 12:45 AM
Mac Mini (2012), and several USB3 hard drives. One was sitting ON the Mac Mini (it was there just 2 days, temporary location). Apple Bluetooth mouse was operating fine.

Moved the hard drive NEXT to the Mini, with the USB3 cable on the RIGHT side of the Mini. When I restarted, I noticed the mouse was very "jerky" although click and touch-scroll worked fine. I flipped the power switch on the mouse ON and OFF several times. I even restarted the Mini. It didn't help.

I shut down, reached back and re-routed the cables and now moved the cable to the LEFT of the Mac Mini. I restarted, Mouse works fine.

Coincidence or was this really a case of interference between USB cable and Bluetooth module?
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TheTominator Offline
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#2
04-30-2015, 01:20 AM
Yes. USB 3 can interfere with Bluetooth.
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clay Offline
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#3
04-30-2015, 01:24 AM
yup, I seem to remember reading something about those models of minis related to usb3 and bluetooth. Search xlr8yourmac.com or apple support forums for details.
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space-time Offline
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#4
04-30-2015, 01:33 AM
Found this, right here at OWC

http://blog.macsales.com/15990-shielding...-bluetooth

and they show how to fix it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYzF8QDCSlc
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celliott Offline
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#5
04-30-2015, 02:48 AM
I had a 2012 mini and installed the OWC fix and still had problems. I currently have an upgraded MacPro 2010 that has a USB 3 card installed and the internal bluetooth is almost unusable. I put a USB bluetooth dongle on an extension cable and move it far away from the Pro and things seem much better.

You might be able to get a bluetooth 4 dongle and do the same thing with the mini. Why USB 3 passed testing is beyond me- I have had all sorts of problems. Apple has a bluetooth utility that allows you to select the active bluetooth radio- internal or dongle.

Here's the IBM white paper:
http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/i...paper.html
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Speedy Online
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#6
04-30-2015, 02:54 AM
OWC seems to have a fix for everything! :-)

space-time wrote:
Found this, right here at OWC

http://blog.macsales.com/15990-shielding...-bluetooth

and they show how to fix it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYzF8QDCSlc
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