Topic: Cordless PC Mouse (Mice?)

[Garden Manager]

Does anyone have a cordless mouse for their PC? How do you get on with it?

I have just started using one for my laptop, and found it frequently needs 'recomnecting' to the PC and that the battery does not last long between charges.

[sarah]

My experience was the same as yours (with 2 or 3 different cordless mouses). Batteries, reconnecting etc. Too much trouble, too much time wasted.

The high point of mouse evolution is the classic corded, optical (or lazer) mouse with a scroll wheel.

[Hyacinth]

Same experiences when I bought one, Sarah. And, like you, I switched to one like yours about a year ago I think. Does the job really well 8)

[Garden Manager]

As I suspected. Thanks

I have a corded optical mouse with wheel on my desktop PC. It is a bit basic on looks but i like uing it so was not tempted to us the swankier looking ball mouse that came with my latest desktop PC. The only problem I have wiht it is the padsunderneath can get a bit clogged up and it 'sticks' a bit. However these are far easier to clean than a ball so its not  a problem.

I really only got a wireless mouse to make using the laptop for any length of time a bit easier on the fingers. The 'mouse' pad and buttons on the laptop can make the fingers ache a bit after a while.

A wireless mouse seemed more flexible than having to mess about with wires (and the laptop doesnt have a socket for a traditional mouse anyway). At least its quite easy to recharge - the battery is rechargable and fdoesnt even have to be removed, i just connect the mouse to the USB receiver on the laptop with a special wire and ti charges up automaticaly. The mouse then can still be used as a wired mouse while charging, and the charging itself cuts out when the battery reaches full charge. Quite simple really, its just a question of knowing when to put it on charge!

[Jill]

I've got a cordless mouse and have to say no probs at all.  Its a Logitech and came with my new Dell PC a few months back.  Holds charge fine. 

[Wicker]

I prefer my cordless mouse and keyboard - less tangle.  No problems with charging - I put mouse in receiver cradle each time I finish using (well - overnight and if I'm not going to use it for any length of time) and find that it keeps its charge just fine.

[rosebud]

I have the same one as Jill and find it alright, no problems at all.

[funplants]

Cordless mouses are capable of working absolutely fine........provided there are no other sources of interference.

Most of these 'wireless', all use the same open frequency 'band', (2.4GHz), and they do not play together very nicely. Bluetooth is a complete terror, and although it will often work in areas where other devices won't, it's frequency hopping and power adaption will prevent most other wireless devices working in the same area.

A classic mistake that I've seen is that a company decides to update all its PCs to wireless keyboards and mice, and wonders why different mice end up moving the cursor on a different keyboard. Trying to get multiple mice/keyboards working together is often extremely difficult.

Sparking causes lots of radio frequency noice, and is a 'feature of the commutator in most motors. Motors exist in fridges, air conditioning units, fans. All these can prevent wireless devices working efficiently. Fluorescent lights can produce enough interference in to cause problems with wireless as well.

Wireless devices can 'adapt' to interference by selecting one of a number of slightly different frequencies.....OR by increasing the power used to communicate. Increasing the power reduces battery life significantly!

Add this to the fact that for 2.4GHz.....guess what absorbs that frequency? Water...and what are people more than 80%?....Water, so standing between 2 wireless devices can prevent it working, a sweaty hand will reduce performance....plus humid weather.

Wireless uses radio waves......which can be reflected...and you get constructive and destructive interference. Sitting next to a radiator?...or a wall that has a wire mesh to support the plaster...guess what, you are going to have intermittant problems.

Wireless technology is often considered to be a 'black art', and by just touching on the topic above, you can see why! Simplest answer, is if there appears to be problems with wireless, then go back to using wires!

[Garden Manager]

Re wireless interference: There isnt any likelyhood of interference to wireless internet signals is there? The laptop I use the mouse on uses wireless to connect to the internet. Didnt have any problems when I first started using the mouse, but in last 24 hours have been having internet problems. Didnt think they were connected, but if interference can occur is it possible?

[funplants]

Check the frequencies used. In particular, if your wireless mouse is a bluetooth one, then the risk is very real that there may be interference. Also, if your body is between your PC, and the wireless hub, then the water in your body could make a significant difference to the signal strength.

For your wireless internet, you would normally expect to have a utility on your system that allows you to get some visibility of signal strength.

[Larkshall]

I use a 3Com Office Connect wireless router, various other things around cause interference. I got over this by connecting via an ethernet cable (2 metre). Don't be led astray by the fact that it says you have a 100Mb connection, you don't, it's only 2Mb unless you're very lucky and live next door to the exchange.

[keef]

I think you get what you pay for aswell... I've had a few cheap ones, and they seem to get through batterys very quickly - and the rechargable ones seem to lose connection all the time. I then bought a decent Microsoft one - it never looses connection and the batteries last about 2 month's.