RE: usb wireless keyboard and mouse (was debian 8)

[Bonno Bloksma <b.bloksma@tio.nl>]

Hi,

>>> Let me assure you that as a fan of wireless keyboards and mice, 
>>> there are large percentages of the time when something goes aglay, 
>>> when that
>>
>> What does the fact that they're wireless have to do with it?  Even 
>> more bound to be without response under duress?
>
> The bios, the last defense when things go south, may not regcognise a bluetooth > usb attached keyboard.
>
AFAIK the BIOS simply sees a USB keyboard and mouse whether or not the actual device will be reached via a wire or a radio signal.

With wireless keyboard and mice be aware that Bluetooth uses the heavily polluted 2.4GHz band which is also used by a lot of other devices. Even some alarm motion detection devices have a testing signal that spills over in the 2.4GHz band. A lot of WiFi signals still use the 2.4GHz band and every user that has his/her mobile phone as a hotspot for his/her other devices also contributes to the problem.

I have had teachers complain the wireless keyboard/mouse did not work. I tested it during recess and could not find any problems.
I was still testing when the students arrived for the next class and as more and more students arrived the keyboard and especially the mouse reaction got worse and worse. :-(
We solved that problem for the most part by having a Wi-Fi network that now uses both frequencies 2.4GHz and 5GHz and kicks a device to the 5GHz band when it is able, thus freeing up the 2.4GHz band.

Bonno Bloksma