Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Mac Pro bluetooth: antenna or dongle?

R

rk25123

macrumors regular
Original poster
Aug 17, 2010
167
27
Hello, I've finally grown tired of the ridiculous bluetooth performance of my Mac Pro (2009). I've got a Magic Mouse which I would like to start using for its intended purpose rather than having it sit on the desk as a decorative object. I had both the Mac Pro and the Magic Mouse tested in an Apple Store and as far as they're concerned they're both working properly (b******t!). I read there's not much I can do since it's a design defect, so I can either assemble a custom antenna or buy a usb dongle: (http://nobblynoel.wordpress.com/2010/04/25/mac-pro-2009-bluetooth-fix/)
I was thinking to get a USB dongle so that I'd have bluetooth 4.0, but I don't know which one because I read they're not all compatible and some might have problems working properly. I would also like to keep the expenses at a minimum since, if you ask me, it should be Apple fixing it for free. Which method do you guys suggest? Which dongle?

Thank you for your help!
 
Last edited:
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
DPUser said:
I bought this USB dongle

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005Z5HT2M/ref=oh_details_o05_s00_i00

and it works great with my wireless Mighty Mouse (although I don't sleep my Mac, which is in heavy recording studio use.) I disconnected the internal bluetooth and plugged the dongle into my wired Apple keyboard.

Disconnecting internal Bluetooth on 2009 MP:

http://oliverwolfson.com/apple-mac-pro-bluetooth-issue-solved/
Click to expand...

Does it need drivers? Is it fully working without issues? If so I could get this: http://www.amazon.it/gp/product/B007Q45EF4/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A1YPEHRUFKDO42
It's the same but with bluetooth 4.0 instead of 3.0. Do I need to disconnect the internal bluetooth? I read that OS X is supposed to automatically use the USB dongle.
 
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
Actually I just read that the Kinivo BTD-400 Bluetooth 4.0 is not supported by OS X although it says so on amazon.it. Does someone know a supported bluetooth 4.0 dongle? Or do you suggest the antenna tweak?
 
That's strange, I've never had an issue with my magic mouse on my 2009 at home, but using a Magic Mouse on the 2008 3,1 at work is almost impossible.
 
darkcoupon said:
That's strange, I've never had an issue with my magic mouse on my 2009 at home, but using a Magic Mouse on the 2008 3,1 at work is almost impossible.
Click to expand...

Where do you keep it? Mine is one meter away on the floor near the desk and the Magic Mouse is unusable.

DPUser said:
If Bluetooth 4.0 is important to you, you are not going to get it with an antenna tweak. :confused:
Click to expand...

I never said bluetooth 4.0 is important for me, but if I get a dongle I might as well get a 4.0... Just wanted some insights from people who had my issue and solved it. The real problem is finding a dongle which is known to work properly (I read some won't let you wake the Mac from sleep, etc.), if there isn't I'll opt for the antenna tweak... Anyone? (I'm running OS X 10.8.2 and Windows 8)
 
Erlang said:
I'll let you know on success or otherwise of one I have just ordered, it should be here by Friday.
Click to expand...

Okay my BT 4.0 dongle arrived today and OSX 10.8.2 recognised it straight away, I did disable the on-board BT module. But I found the Mac Pro sleep behavior with the external dongle, far too frustrating to use.

Waking from sleep required pressing power button, not a problem in itself, but getting the keyboard, mouse or trackpad, re-recognised on wake up took several minutes, OSX refused to consistently remember the devices even when set as favorites.

This forces me to resume the original BT module and instead replace the antenna, by buying a pigtail and fitting an external antenna.
 
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
Erlang said:
Okay my BT 4.0 dongle arrived today and OSX 10.8.2 recognised it straight away, I did disable the on-board BT module. But I found the Mac Pro sleep behavior with the external dongle, far too frustrating to use.

Waking from sleep required pressing power button, not a problem in itself, but getting the keyboard, mouse or trackpad, re-recognised on wake up took several minutes, OSX refused to consistently remember the devices even when set as favorites.

This forces me to resume the original BT module and instead replace the antenna, by buying a pigtail and fitting an external antenna.
Click to expand...

Sorry to hear that. I've been searching for days on Google but I couldn't find any dongle officially supported by OS X, but I found this article: http://www.atpeaz.com/index.php/2012/using-unsupported-bluetooth-4-0-usb-dongle-with-os-x/
So the IOGEAR GBU521 seems to work out of the box with Mountain Lion, but I couldn't find any comments on the sleep issue. I think I'll just tweak the antenna... It's insane that we have to go trough so much trouble to get to work something that should have worked all along. Apple should be paying for our antennas!
 
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
I've done some more research and it seems that the IOGEAR does support wake from sleep! I might give it a try. Can anyone confirm that?
 
I bought a 100cm wire with the correct connector and a antenna which now sits under my Mac Pro.

Signal strength is very very good now.
 
The BT antenna pigtail arrived, and I've fitted it along the lines of the fix in NobblyNoel's Blog and that has fixed all my BT issues and I don't even see any interference from USB 3 devices either which is a double bonus.

At 18cm the pigtail was a bit short, 20 or 25 would have been a lot better, but the antenna I fitted to the pigtail has about 100cm of cable so I can site the antenna easily enough.
 
rk25123 said:
Where do you keep it? Mine is one meter away on the floor near the desk and the Magic Mouse is unusable.
Click to expand...

My pro is about in the same position. It sits under my desk to my left and the mouse is about a meter away to my right side. Hardly had an issue.
 
Erlang said:
The BT antenna pigtail arrived, and I've fitted it along the lines of the fix in NobblyNoel's Blog and that has fixed all my BT issues and I don't even see any interference from USB 3 devices either which is a double bonus.

At 18cm the pigtail was a bit short, 20 or 25 would have been a lot better, but the antenna I fitted to the pigtail has about 100cm of cable so I can site the antenna easily enough.
Click to expand...
I just ordered my pigtail & a 3m RP-SMA extension cable so am hoping that this will finally fix my Magic Mouse problems as it is all but unusable when I have a USB3 device connected. All the USB3 cards that I have tried ORICO with native drivers, Sonnet Allegro, NoName interfere with the Magic Mouse.
 
Hey guys. I'm using a Mac Pro early 2008. I bought the DT120 from DLink but it doesn't seem to work. I read it's a good idea to disconnect the internal bluetooth but from the guide that was posted in this thread, my Mac is different. I don't see the little cable to disconnect the internal BT. I see these other wires going underneath the fan.

The dongle doesn't seem to work just when plugging it in so maybe if I can find out how to disconnect the BT cable it'll work.
 
After digging around, it seems that these are really long wires. It reaches around all the way to where the processors are and the cables are kept tidy by this little cylindrical thing. Past that, I'm not sure where the cables are going. If I could only locate where it's plugged into I'd be good.

I looked for the motherboard layout/schematics but didn't find anything.
 
Do you know which card is Bluetooth? It's underneath the #2 hard drive carrier. Immediately under the carrier is the Airport/Wifi card, and the Bluetooth is the smaller card below that. The antenna wire should have a "BT" label on the wire close to the card.

There's no need to remove the long antenna wire, just disconnect the antenna from the bluetooth card. The antenna connector is the tiny right-angle plug in the forward end of the bluetooth card. You can wedge that connector out of its socket by gently urging it out with a plastic tool, or some other straight edge, like a screwdriver. Remove the two screws that hold the card in place, and lift the bluetooth card out. You may find it easier to disconnect the antenna if you lift the card straight out of its position first - there's a small connector on the underneath side of the board, which is how the card is connected to the logic board. Then, I just pinch around the antenna connector with fingernails. It usually comes off then
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back