Panelhead Posted April 1, 2018 Share Posted April 1, 2018 Recently upgraded Mac Mini computers. Changed from a late 2011 to a late 2012. Found out the USB hubs are interfering with the wireless keyboard and mouse. Need to be closer than 5 feet. Ordered a shielding kit from MacSales. Also extension USB3.0 cables with double shielding. The hubs only have 1’ hardwired output cable. This has to be an old issue. Any other work around allowing use of the 3.0 hubs? 2012 Mac Mini, i5 - 2.5 GHz, 16 GB RAM. SSD, PM/PV software, Focusrite Clarett 4Pre 4 channel interface. Daysequerra M4.0X Broadcast monitor., My_Ref Evolution rev a , Klipsch La Scala II, Blue Sky Sub 12 Clarett used as ADC for vinyl rips. Corning Optical Thunderbolt cable used to connect computer to 4Pre. Dac fed by iFi iPower and Noise Trapper isolation transformer. Link to comment
kirkmc Posted April 2, 2018 Share Posted April 2, 2018 I never heard of this. I have a USB 3 hub behind my iMac, and am using a wireless keyboard and mouse. Never had a problem. What needs to be close than 5 feet? johndoe21ro 1 I write about Macs, music, and more at Kirkville. Author of Take Control of macOS Media Apps. Co-host of The Next Track podcast. Link to comment
Panelhead Posted April 5, 2018 Author Share Posted April 5, 2018 This problem seems to be specific to the late 2012 Mac Mini. Never had the issue with a late 2011 Mini. I like having a USB 3.0 buss. Only use USB for hard drives. Converting ISO files to PCM and cloning drives goes much quicker than USB 2.0 buss. Mac Sales makes a shield to cover the antenna circuitry. Comes with install tools. But requires pulling logic board to install. Potential to brick the unit. I have moved the USB 3.0 hubs further away. Helped a little. Thinking this will require installation of shielding. I did not know of this issue either until it appeared. Big pain in the Ass. Or PITA, do not want to get in trouble. 2012 Mac Mini, i5 - 2.5 GHz, 16 GB RAM. SSD, PM/PV software, Focusrite Clarett 4Pre 4 channel interface. Daysequerra M4.0X Broadcast monitor., My_Ref Evolution rev a , Klipsch La Scala II, Blue Sky Sub 12 Clarett used as ADC for vinyl rips. Corning Optical Thunderbolt cable used to connect computer to 4Pre. Dac fed by iFi iPower and Noise Trapper isolation transformer. Link to comment
Panelhead Posted April 7, 2018 Author Share Posted April 7, 2018 Installed the shield. Worked. Still need to work on positioning, mouse is a little jerky. Pulling logic board was harder than it looked on video. One corner was stuck. But pulled off the shielding install. 2012 Mac Mini, i5 - 2.5 GHz, 16 GB RAM. SSD, PM/PV software, Focusrite Clarett 4Pre 4 channel interface. Daysequerra M4.0X Broadcast monitor., My_Ref Evolution rev a , Klipsch La Scala II, Blue Sky Sub 12 Clarett used as ADC for vinyl rips. Corning Optical Thunderbolt cable used to connect computer to 4Pre. Dac fed by iFi iPower and Noise Trapper isolation transformer. Link to comment
Kenji Posted June 17, 2018 Share Posted June 17, 2018 My Mac Mini late 2012 has been going strong since I bought it in 2012. I have multiple active external USB 3 hubs, and use several bluetooth input devices simultaneously: Mighty Mouse A1197, Magic Trackpad 1, Logitech Easy Switch BT keyboard. I also use a Logitech M570 trackball which is proprietary wireless 2.4 GHz via Unifying USB receiver. I have had no issues with communication any of them. Mouse/ball/pad all move cursor smoothly. You don't mention what USB 3 hub you have. My first troubleshooting step would be to try a different one. Or are you talking about the Mac Mini's internal hub? Why do you mention a 5 ft range? Are you using your wireless keyboard and mouse across the room from your Mini? If so I would suspect BT radios being the problem, not USB 3. If you do want to use wireless keyboard and mouse at a distance from Mini, you could also try Logitech Unifying wireless peripherals. I just walked my M570 25 feet away, and the cursor still moves smoothly. What wireless keyboard and mouse are you using? I used to use the old Apple wireless keyboard, the so-called crumb-catcher (with the clear bottom.) That keyboard had lots of communication problems. It was almost impossible to pair at any distance, the Mini late 2012 usually couldn't find it no matter where it was. Link to comment
Kenji Posted June 17, 2018 Share Posted June 17, 2018 BTW my Mac Mini late 2012 is a different sub-model than Panelhead's. Macmini6,2 Intel Core i7 2.3 GHz. Link to comment
mjb Posted June 19, 2018 Share Posted June 19, 2018 I have a 2012 mini, and sitting a spinning external hard drive on it will kill bluetooth peripherals. I was going to suggest using an external USB bluetooth dongle... Link to comment
Kenji Posted June 27, 2018 Share Posted June 27, 2018 On 6/19/2018 at 4:43 AM, mjb said: I have a 2012 mini, and sitting a spinning external hard drive on it will kill bluetooth peripherals. I was going to suggest using an external USB bluetooth dongle... MJB, did you try putting the hard drive under the Mini? (I'm assuming you have a hard drive with the same footprint as the Mini?) Link to comment
mjb Posted June 28, 2018 Share Posted June 28, 2018 @Kenji it‘s a 2.5“, but after some experimentation I found locating it beside the mini works, thanks. Link to comment
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