Mutant Wireless Keyboard

[Suzanne]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

As of late my husband's keyboard has been taking over my machine and all his
keystrokes interrupt and override whatever I am typing on my screen. We have
a homenetwork with an etherlink, but the problem isn't the network,
because the keystrokes still appear on my screen when physically disconnected
from both the ethernet and the internet. We both have wireless MS keyboards
and mice, and this is what we think is doing it. I am in one office (the
front bedroom) and he is in the other (in the back bedroom). His transmitting
keyboard has not been moved, neither has my receiving device. The really
weird thing is that when we switch keyboards, I then start transmitting my
keystrokes on HIS machine. This isn't a new keyboard, but this has only been
happening (frustratingly!!!) for the last few weeks. Any ideas (short of one
of us getting a nonwireless keyboard)? Many thanks.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

Problem seems to be that both your systems are using the same radio
frequency, and your husband's keyboard has a stronger signal than yours, so
activating both receivers.
Do the keyboards/receivers have the facility to change channels? If so,
change ONE of the sets to another channel

If that's not possible -
location - "front" and "back" bedrooms - but what's the direct distance
(ignoring the walls) between the receivers ? Could be just about the wall
thickness - try moving the PC's (or receivers) to maximum separation.

Last resort - assuming your keyboards are battery operated - try
rechargeables in husbands keyboard - reason, they discharge 1.2 volts/cell
(versus 1.5 volts in alkali) - provided the keyboard will work with reduced
voltage, this could reduce the power of his keyboard signal ...

If none of this works - new keyboard/receiver for hubby !

Do tell if any of the above works for you ... Sincerely, Len.

"Suzanne" <Suzanne@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:F786AF99-8CAD-4942-AEE8-40CB361F5464@microsoft.com...
> As of late my husband's keyboard has been taking over my machine and all
> his
> keystrokes interrupt and override whatever I am typing on my screen. We
> have
> a homenetwork with an etherlink, but the problem isn't the network,
> because the keystrokes still appear on my screen when physically
> disconnected
> from both the ethernet and the internet. We both have wireless MS
> keyboards
> and mice, and this is what we think is doing it. I am in one office (the
> front bedroom) and he is in the other (in the back bedroom). His
> transmitting
> keyboard has not been moved, neither has my receiving device. The really
> weird thing is that when we switch keyboards, I then start transmitting my
> keystrokes on HIS machine. This isn't a new keyboard, but this has only
> been
> happening (frustratingly!!!) for the last few weeks. Any ideas (short of
> one
> of us getting a nonwireless keyboard)? Many thanks.
>
>

 

[Suzanne]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

Thank you for this detailed response. I can accept that my husband's keyboard
is emitting a stronger signal, but we have had the receivers, keyboards and
PCs in these same positions for months now, so why it should suddenly change
like this mystifies us. We can't really move the PCs and have experimented
with moving the receivers, shutting doors, etc but to no effect. We are using
Microsoft "Natural Multimedia" keyboards, and we are already both using
rechargeable batteries in them.

The advice to change channels seems reasonable, but how do we do this? Is
this a hardware or software function? Is it done on the keyboard itself or on
the receiver?

Many thanks.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

Suzanne,

Have you scanned both machines recently for Spyware and/or a virus?

Wayne
"Suzanne" <Suzanne@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:E4D3E47E-9CF7-4232-965E-F24B827854DE@microsoft.com...
> Thank you for this detailed response. I can accept that my husband's
> keyboard
> is emitting a stronger signal, but we have had the receivers, keyboards
> and
> PCs in these same positions for months now, so why it should suddenly
> change
> like this mystifies us. We can't really move the PCs and have experimented
> with moving the receivers, shutting doors, etc but to no effect. We are
> using
> Microsoft "Natural Multimedia" keyboards, and we are already both using
> rechargeable batteries in them.
>
> The advice to change channels seems reasonable, but how do we do this? Is
> this a hardware or software function? Is it done on the keyboard itself or
> on
> the receiver?
>
> Many thanks.
>
>

 

[Suzanne]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

> Have you scanned both machines recently for Spyware and/or a virus?

This was our first thought of what was going wrong and we did a thorough
check out of it (and we keep our virus protection updated automatically with
Norton), but it happens even when the network is not connected and when we
have the internet connection turned off -- plus, it happens in reverse (that
is, I can type on his screen) if we switch the keyboards around. So our
conclusion is that it is his keyboard transmitting to my receiver and
overriding my own keyboard signals.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

Read the manual how to change channels...


--
Tumppi
Reply to group
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"Suzanne" <Suzanne@discussions.microsoft.com> kirjoitti viestissä
news:F786AF99-8CAD-4942-AEE8-40CB361F5464@microsoft.com...
> As of late my husband's keyboard has been taking over my machine and all
his
> keystrokes interrupt and override whatever I am typing on my screen. We
have
> a homenetwork with an etherlink, but the problem isn't the network,
> because the keystrokes still appear on my screen when physically
disconnected
> from both the ethernet and the internet. We both have wireless MS
keyboards
> and mice, and this is what we think is doing it. I am in one office (the
> front bedroom) and he is in the other (in the back bedroom). His
transmitting
> keyboard has not been moved, neither has my receiving device. The really
> weird thing is that when we switch keyboards, I then start transmitting my
> keystrokes on HIS machine. This isn't a new keyboard, but this has only
been
> happening (frustratingly!!!) for the last few weeks. Any ideas (short of
one
> of us getting a nonwireless keyboard)? Many thanks.
>
>

 

[Suzanne]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

What manual and why should the keyboard suddenly decide to change channels
when it's been working perfectly well up to these last few weeks?

"Thomas Wendell" wrote:

> Read the manual how to change channels...

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

The wireless device always re-negotiates the channels used between the
devices. It just so happens that BOTH are now using the same channel.

This usually occurs when BOTH wireless setups are of the same manuafacturer
and/or the same model. Try changing one wireless set up for a different
make/model.


"Suzanne" <Suzanne@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:05E151AF-E535-4224-A236-739351B86A17@microsoft.com...
> What manual and why should the keyboard suddenly decide to change channels
> when it's been working perfectly well up to these last few weeks?
>
> "Thomas Wendell" wrote:
>
>> Read the manual how to change channels...

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

I'm not familiar with the MS offering (mine's Logitech) but I'm sure you
will find on the receiver somewhere (top or underneath) a little button
which may or may not be labelled - just press it (might be with a pen-point,
could be that small) - this should change the channel (and temporarily
disable the keyboard/mouse - flashing led's).
Same procedure on the keyboard and mouse, to re-establish connection to the
new channel. Job done. NB do it in sequence, as described.

Logitech - on the receiver, the button is quite large, on top, labelled
"connect". Keyboard, it's in a recess near the battery compartment, also
marked "connect" (about 1/8th of an inch). On the mouse, it's a tiny
indentation near the battery compartment, unlabelled, and just 1/16th of an
inch diameter - hence need for pen-point.

Info on set-up/change should have been provided with original purchase,
either on paper or on the installation disk/CD. There's usually more to a
set-up disk/CD than just auto-running installation of drivers - "exploring"
them is often beneficial.

In the days before PC (Political Correctness, that is) the IT helpdesk
response was often "RTFM" - which politely translates to "read the manual" -
alas, manuals these days are few and far between, and users with new kit
rarely take the usually-offered option of reading files/manuals on disk/CD
before or after installing.

Part of your last response is helpful - the fact that you use rechargeables
(i.e mouse/keyboard will run at 2.4 volts rather than 3 volts) - useful info
for when my stock of expensive Duracells runs out! Thanks for that!

Sincerely, Len

"Suzanne" <Suzanne@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:E4D3E47E-9CF7-4232-965E-F24B827854DE@microsoft.com...
> Thank you for this detailed response. I can accept that my husband's
> keyboard
> is emitting a stronger signal, but we have had the receivers, keyboards
> and
> PCs in these same positions for months now, so why it should suddenly
> change
> like this mystifies us. We can't really move the PCs and have experimented
> with moving the receivers, shutting doors, etc but to no effect. We are
> using
> Microsoft "Natural Multimedia" keyboards, and we are already both using
> rechargeable batteries in them.
>
> The advice to change channels seems reasonable, but how do we do this? Is
> this a hardware or software function? Is it done on the keyboard itself or
> on
> the receiver?
>
> Many thanks.
>
>

 

[Suzanne]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

Thank you, thank you, thank you, everyone who took the time to ponder this
problem. It was the keyboard needing to be reset to a different channel and
it was as easy as pushing two buttons (one very clearly on the back of the
keyboard and one at the end of the receiver).