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A wireless mouse is a great tool for someone who wants to be able to use a mouse without the hassle of dealing with a cord. But wireless mice have a potential downside: interference.
Interference with a wireless mouse may be caused by distance, thick walls, or other devices sending signals over that same frequency. This may include Wi-Fi, removable media, external hard drives, and even a microwave oven. When the other device is close to the wireless mouse, it can be problematic, causing the mouse to lag.
Now that we have established the fact that wireless mice may lag in some situations, how can you fix it?
This article will be sharing a couple of tricks you can try to fix interference with a wireless mouse in this article. Also, information about if a Wi-Fi network will interfere with a wireless mouse, or a wireless mouse will interfere with a Wi-Fi network.
Also, If your wireless mouse suddenly stops working, I’ll share a trick you can use to fix that as well. So, let’s get started.
Table of Contents
How Does Wireless Mouse Work?
Let’s first explain how exactly does a wireless mouse work. In most cases, wireless mice communicate with your computer through radio frequency technology. The two major components of RF devices are a transmitter and a receiver.
Within the mouse is a transmitter. It transmits an electromagnetic signal that encodes the information about the mouse’s movements and the buttons you click.
Your computer receives the signal from the receiver, decodes it, and passes it on to your operating system’s driver software.
Receivers may be separate devices you plug into your computer, cards that you insert into expansion slots, or built-in components.
Can Wi-Fi Interfere with Wireless Mouse?
Wi-Fi can interface with a wireless mouse because most wireless mice send data over Bluetooth. The mouse sends data over a 2.4 GHz channel just like Wi-Fi does.
And the truth is that the 2.4 GHz channel is quite busy as many devices use it, from phones to routers, laptops, antennas and so on. As such, when a Wi-Fi transmitter is close to the transmitter of the wireless mouse, there may be some kind of disturbance.
Such times are when you feel like the mouse becomes jerky. Nevertheless, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are built to handle this disturbance. And since wireless mice don’t send much data, most of this interference is often not noticeable.
But with a newer laptop dual-band setup to gain access to the 5 GHz, things get a bit less crowded on the 2.4 GHz channel causing less interference.
Can Wireless Mouse Interfere with Wi-Fi?
Wireless mice can also interfere with the Wi-Fi network. Unfortunately, most wireless devices work somewhere around the 2.4 GHz channel. They are prone to interfere with each other, but the interference shouldn’t be drastic. Probably you are using a 2.4 GHz wireless mouse and a 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi.
And the sad truth is that when a wireless mouse interferes with your Wi-Fi network, it will most likely reduce the speed.
But if you need your Wi-Fi transmitting at full speed with no interference or speed drop, then you should consider setting your Wi-Fi channel to something less crowded.
A slight modification to the frequency in which your Wi-Fi is broadcasting will be enough for much less interference. This is because the wireless mouse will no longer be overlapping the Wi-Fi.
What Is Causing Wireless Mouse Reception Issues?
Interference aside, sometimes a wireless mouse would refuse to connect to your desktop. Reception issues can be caused by several things. Below are some common causes of wireless mouse reception issue:
Something is shielding the receiver
You may experience reception issues simply because something is shielding the receiver from your mouse.
Perhaps the receiver is blocked by a thick, concrete, or masonry wall, or thick timber wall or tables. These materials can block the wireless signal or weaken it by a great deal.
The receiver is too far from the mouse
Another reason a wireless mouse might have reception issues may be because the receiver is placed too far from the mouse.
Shorter range mice, especially those on the 2.4 GHz channel often require a clear line of sight between the wireless point/router and the client or mouse.
When the distance between the mouse and client is too far, the signal becomes weak which in turn causes reception issues.
Distortion of mouse signal
If there is a distortion in your mouse signal it can also cause reception issues. This distortion can be caused by anything from your neighbor’s network to devices like baby monitors, microwave oven, TV, and so on.
As such, it is recommendable to buy newer equipment that supports the 5 GHz, frequency band. Most equipment doesn’t operate on this band frequency making it less crowded, which reduces the odds of reception issues.
Low batteries
You may have overlooked this, but the batteries in your mouse could be the reason you are experiencing reception issues. When the batteries are low, the wireless mouse signal quality will also be low.
Why Did Your Wireless Mouse Suddenly Stop Working?
So, your wireless mouse was working normally, and then suddenly it stopped working. Well, here are three reasons why your mouse may suddenly stop working.
Battery is low
If your mouse suddenly stops working, but your application and keyboard shortcuts are still working fine, then you should check the battery.
The battery may have been disconnected. Or it could simply be that the battery is low and needs to be replaced or recharged.
Receiver is obstructed
Peradventure you unknowingly place something between the receiver and the wireless mouse. Sometimes the object you place between the receiver and the wireless mouse can reduce the signal making it weak. Eventually, this can cause the connection to be lost.
Another device is interfering with the signal
A very common reason a wireless mouse will suddenly stop working is because of another device interfering with the signal.
When another device broadcasting at the same frequency as the wireless mouse is brought close to the mouse, it will interfere with the mouse connection. This can even cause the mouse to be disconnected from your PC altogether.
Can You Use Two Wireless Mice in the Same Room?
You can use two wireless mice in the same room without running into any trouble. This is because I set each mouse with a close but unique frequency signal.
So, even though the two mice are in the same room, the dongle will only be compatible with a mouse of that same frequency as it is.
The only time you are likely to run into trouble is when the two mice are set at identical frequency signals. In such a case, both mice will attempt to connect to the same pointer at the same time.
And even if they successfully connect, you’d run into a lot of issues but it wouldn’t cause any harm to your computer.
How Do You Fix Your Wireless Mouse Interference?
While a wireless mouse can be quite convenient, it can be a seemingly endless source of frustration. If you are experiencing interference. Here are some fixes you can try to resolve the interference issue.
Change the bandwidth of the wireless mouse
You may experience interference with your wireless mouse because other devices close to it are broadcasting at the same bandwidth. To fix this, change the bandwidth of the wireless mouse.
By doing this, you cancel out the overlaps thereby reducing the chances of further interference.
Remove obstacles near the mouse and receiver
Obstacles can obstruct the signal between a mouse and its receiver. This can be anything from a concrete wall to a thick wooden wall.
Whatever the obstacle may be, remove it so that the mouse and receiver have a direct line of sight for a better and stronger signal.
Place the mouse close to the receiver
If the distance between the mouse and the receiver is so much, it can cause the mouse to lag. To fix this interference with the smooth operation of the mouse, ensure the mouse and the receiver are close.
Most mice have a maximum effective operating distance of about 30 feet (9 meters). If you place the receiver at a distance greater than this, consider moving it closer.
Conclusion
In summary, if you are experiencing interference with a wireless mouse, troubleshoot your devices with any one of these fixes in this review.
If none of the fixes in this article improves the issue, then the fault is most hardware-related. In this case, contact a licensed computer engineer for further support on how to fix the issue.