How to Check your Bluetooth Connection
For those having problems with bluetooth there is a way to see your connection quality.
You need to insert the OSX CD and install XCODE (options)
After installation you will see it in finder
Developer>Applications>Utilities>Bluetooth. Bluetooth Explorer.app
With the app running go to the menu, top left, DEVICES, CONNECTION QUALITY MONITOR, and click start.
The RSSI for my modded antenna was 0 to -10 and the Raw RSSI was -60 to -70 the dips in the middle are when I moved my mouse 5 metres away to see what happened with a weaker signal..
What are you getting ?
Bluetooth Explorer is a giant freaking fail on MacOSX 10.8.4 for me. Back to Linux…
Thanks so much. I never had any problem in the office, but when I took the Mac home, I was suffering constant disconnects of Trackpad and Keyboard. Must have been due to the amount of WLAN networks coming in from the high-rise building next to my house. In any case, I was going insane. I’d not found the mental strength to build an external antenna without your tip!
Those u.fl connectors are nasty, by the way… Now I have mostly 0 RSSI on all devices.
Hi,
I have an early 2009 2,93 GHz Quad-Core Mac Pro running Lion. I’ve always experienced bad bluetooth reception but have never bothered to check it out because I would just use the Magic Mouse and Wireless Keyboard close to the computer (0.5 meters away). But now I can’t take it anymore, I now have to use Wi-Fi instead of network cable for internet and I’m getting bad reception as well.
On the Bluetooth case I did the Connection Quality test and got some strange results. The Raw RSSI doesn’t seem to respond, because it’s always at 0 no matter what I do. The keyboard also seems to get affected by the mouse going away from the Mac even though it stays in the same place. Here’s a screenshot – http://bildr.no/image/972733.jpeg
What could this indicate? I will shut down my Mac later tonight and have a look at the wire connections inside like you’ve posted in your blog.
Hi there,
Try the same test with your case open and see what BT signal reading you get then. Yours is a 2009 like mine so the chances are that you suffer the same problem. Just order the bits and do the antenna mod and save yourself wasted time..
Let us know how you get on..
nobbly
Yup, the version I have crashes on launch now.
And there doesn’t seem to be a new version online that I could find.
Did you find any solution to your problem? I have the same.
Installed it on my MPB ’10, I am really unhappy with my BT performance and I get RSSI -20 and RAW RSSI -80 only 2m away from my MBP with my magic mouse.
I suppose this is no good. I have problems operating my mouse from that distance. I like connecting my MBP to my TV and can’t really use my MM. Any suggestions?
HI there Richard,
As you can see from my graph your results of -20 and -80 is where mine starts to drop off to a bad signal. For a good signal you should have a lot higher figures. I am unfamiliar with the MBP internals so can’t help you there.
What I suggest is to try a bluetooth USB receiver and or remove the metal battery cover from you Magic Mouse and see if that makes any difference.
All the best
nobbly
Can you please tell me where the “menu at top left” is Is it in a Bluetooth explorer app window or some other app or system menu? I do have the Bluetooth Explorer in my dock but I see to app window.
Thanks,
Sorry but I haven’t got it installed at the mo so i ca’t help. Maybe somebody else can..
I did the fix for $6.63 worth of parts from eBay. I can report that this is a true fix and resolved my issues. Mid-2009 MacPro. Thank you ever so much.
Well, v.2.0 doesn’t work on OS X 10.6.6 – unless there are other issues causing it to crash on launch on my machine.
Bluetooth Explorer Version 2.2 (2.2f18) works ok here
Mac Pro Quad 2.66 (Early 2009)
Mac OS 10.6.6
Bluetooth Explorer – the one that came with my 8 x 2.8 GHz Mac Pro – doesn’t work with OS X 10.6.6. Checking whether there’s an update on the Apple site…
I checked the RSSI(s)
(Measured from right rear corner of mac pro on left side of desktop to mouse mat @ 1.2 metres away.
The RSSI 0 next to mac pro to -12 @ mouse mat
Raw RSSI -45 next to mac pro to -70 @ mouse mat.
Conclusion: 2009 Quad 2.66 Mac Pro Bluetooth Antenna sucks!
Thats why I came up with the antenna mod.
Try with the cover off to see it that improves things.
I did try removing the Right Side Panel and it does seem to make a difference!
regards
furbies
Dude!!!! You gave me back my sanity. Thanks!
tell me more ?
I installed this, but it won’t run.
Perhaps need a newer version?