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Bertha Venation

(21,484 posts)
Tue Mar 26, 2013, 11:24 AM Mar 2013

Anyone know about wireless keyboards?

I have a Microsoft natural wireless keyboard & mouse 7000 (ergonomic). The keyboard quits responding. There’s nothing wrong with the mouse. it has begun happening so often that I am now using a pitiful generic wired keyboard which is not ergonomic (ow).

I have new batteries in the keyboard.

I have tried different USB ports.

I’d appreciate any ideas or advice.

19 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Anyone know about wireless keyboards? (Original Post) Bertha Venation Mar 2013 OP
Shit wears out TrogL Mar 2013 #1
I bought it about a month ago. Bertha Venation Mar 2013 #3
Sorry -- I forgot to say thanks. Bertha Venation Mar 2013 #11
Have you tried having the receiver closer to your mouse and keyboard? LiberalFighter Mar 2013 #2
They're about 18 inches apart. Bertha Venation Mar 2013 #4
I've got a wireless optical mouse 2.0 LiberalFighter Mar 2013 #5
Nah... good thought about other devices, but Bertha Venation Mar 2013 #6
Cordless phone? pokerfan Mar 2013 #16
Sorry -- I forgot to say thanks. Bertha Venation Mar 2013 #10
Are you using rechargeable batteries? Ron Obvious Mar 2013 #7
weird problem there Bertha Venation Mar 2013 #9
I have to change the batteries in my mouse about every 3 months. applegrove Mar 2013 #8
That sucks. Bertha Venation Mar 2013 #12
I use rechargables. GoCubsGo Mar 2013 #15
Good idea. I'll do that. applegrove Mar 2013 #17
The rechargeables don't seem to last anywhere near as long as regular batteries. GoCubsGo Mar 2013 #18
I seem to recall that. Thanks. applegrove Mar 2013 #19
You need close to line of site for the receiver. Mine has a little "round mouse" type thing. talkingmime Mar 2013 #13
I have this happen every so often with my wireless keyboard. GoCubsGo Mar 2013 #14

TrogL

(32,818 posts)
1. Shit wears out
Tue Mar 26, 2013, 11:51 AM
Mar 2013

Anything built with chips is prone to wearing out just from exposure to cosmic rays from the sun. They pass right through the planet so there's not much you can do about them. Capacitors also wear out.

Buy a new keyboard.

Bertha Venation

(21,484 posts)
3. I bought it about a month ago.
Tue Mar 26, 2013, 12:15 PM
Mar 2013

In fact, the other one wasn't that old. It was doing the same thing so I figured it was broken -- so I replaced it.

LiberalFighter

(50,504 posts)
5. I've got a wireless optical mouse 2.0
Tue Mar 26, 2013, 12:24 PM
Mar 2013

and the receiver is about 12 inches from the mouse.

Maybe you have other wireless devices that are interfering? Cell phone? I'm not sure if that would be a factor.

Bertha Venation

(21,484 posts)
6. Nah... good thought about other devices, but
Tue Mar 26, 2013, 12:33 PM
Mar 2013

I've already thought it.

I can't move them closer together without rearranging my entire desk, and I'm not ready to choose yet between using the best keyboard and uprooting everything around me.

pokerfan

(27,677 posts)
16. Cordless phone?
Tue Mar 26, 2013, 04:14 PM
Mar 2013

A cell phone is unlikely to cause interference (different freqs) but a cordless phone might.

 

Ron Obvious

(6,261 posts)
7. Are you using rechargeable batteries?
Tue Mar 26, 2013, 01:33 PM
Mar 2013

That may seem like a strange question, but they're often a little bigger than regular batteries and I once had an MS wireless keyboard where the contact points didn't work with these bigger batteries.

I hate it that I can't tell if it has power because there's no lights on the thing (unlike the mouse), but I took the whole thing apart with a screwdriver and manually made the contact points touch the batteries and it worked. With some small adjustments I could make the thing work again.

It's pretty easy to do, though the screws are pretty tiny. If you're going to throw it out anyway you've nothing to lose.

Edited to add: that's only if you can't tell if the keyboard has power, of course. You'll want to try the reset button a few times first. If you get any onscreen activity when you press keys, that's probably not your problem.

GoCubsGo

(32,061 posts)
15. I use rechargables.
Tue Mar 26, 2013, 04:04 PM
Mar 2013

I have two sets. The spent ones get charged right away, so they're ready when the other set loses charge. It's cheaper, and there's less to go into the landfill.

GoCubsGo

(32,061 posts)
18. The rechargeables don't seem to last anywhere near as long as regular batteries.
Tue Mar 26, 2013, 09:01 PM
Mar 2013

But, since you can easily recharge them, it's not a big deal. You have at least a couple week's window to recharge the other set. I suppose the batteries and the type of recharger you have play into that.

 

talkingmime

(2,173 posts)
13. You need close to line of site for the receiver. Mine has a little "round mouse" type thing.
Tue Mar 26, 2013, 03:46 PM
Mar 2013

It has a button on top to syncronize with BlueTooth devices, but after that's done you don't need to bother again (usually). My laptop sits in front of the receiver and the two monitors for the server are behind that.

I started to have problems with it missing keys a year or so ago and a battery replacement took care of that. If it was in clear line of site it would work fine, but on my lap under the laptop (which is on the desk, not on the wireless keyboard), it just wouldn't respond. If I set it on top of the wireless keyboard, the closed laptop to either side, I have no problems. When I need the Mac to be active, I'm working two wireless keyboards and mice along with the laptop keyboard all in the same small space and they work just fine.

So, the FIRST question is how old is the keyboard? If it's still in warranty, put it and the mouse right next to the receiver and see if it is a distance/interference problem. You'd have to find away around that yourself (proximity). If the mouse works fine but not the keyboard, that would be indicative of a failed keyboard and they should honor the warranty at least up to a year.

The SECOND question, is did you have any liquid in your mouth when you read LOL Cats? The solution there is not as simple.

And thirdly, does it cut in or out with any predictability - like when you're typing fast, just start typing, have been typing for a long time, or a specific time of day, and are there any particular keys that are most offten the problem (My "I" key gives me a "Ii" if I type too qiuckly.

If the warranty thing is an option, it can't hurt to go in, find someone who appears pleasant and just play dumb. They may just grab a new one and swap it out for you. Pretty much all you need is the keyboard and receipt.

GoCubsGo

(32,061 posts)
14. I have this happen every so often with my wireless keyboard.
Tue Mar 26, 2013, 04:02 PM
Mar 2013

In my case, I have an OLD desktop. It can't always handle lots of things going on at once, so it allocates its limited RAM to only some of the tasks. Sometimes, my keyboard gets the short end of it.

Do you have the latest drivers? It almost sounds like you got a lemon. If it's only a month old, it should still be under warranty.

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