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Troubleshoot response failures in wireless keyboard or mouse

Article ID: 838398 - View products that this article applies to.

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INTRODUCTION

When you use one of the products that are listed in the "Applies To" section:

The wireless keyboard may not work or may work intermittently.
The wireless mouse may not work or may work intermittently.
The horizontal scrolling feature, if it is available, may not work as expected.

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Note This article will help you resolve problems that are related to many non-Bluetooth Microsoft Wireless mouse and keyboard devices. Wireless devices are not Bluetooth devices. A wireless device has a symbol displayed on the USB connector/receiver or on the hardware itself. The wireless symbol looks like a tree branch, as shown here:

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To troubleshoot problems with Microsoft wireless keyboards and wireless mouse devices, use the following methods in the order that they appear.

Method 1: Resynchronize your device with the receiver

To resynchronize the mouse or the keyboard with the receiver, follow these steps.

Note When you synchronize the mouse or the keyboard with the receiver, put the device near the receiver and put any other wireless keyboards and mouse at least 6 feet away.

Press the button on the receiver, and then verify that the light on the receiver starts to blink.

Note Some newer Microsoft devices are permanently bound to their receiver and cannot be reset. If your device does not have a button, skip to Method 2.
If a dialog box appears on the screen in several seconds, follow the instructions that appear on the screen. Otherwise, go to the next step.
Press and release the Connect Channel button on the bottom of the mouse or the keyboard.
Check the green light on the receiver. A steady green light means the synchronization was successful. If the problem persists, try steps 1 through 4 again.
For the Wireless Notebook mouse: This issue can occur if the micro-switch on the bottom of the mouse is not released. Use a pin or a pen to try to release the button if it is depressed.

The following example shows the buttons to push to synchronize a wireless hardware device:

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Receiver	Bottom of the mouse: The connect channel button	Different kind of receiver
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Method 2: Try different ports

To determine whether the problem is related to the ports on the computer, use only the two cables that are included with the wireless desktop receiver, or the single cable that is included with a mouse.

USB keyboard and USB mouse

If the USB cable is currently connected to a USB hub, disconnect the device from the hub, and then connect it to a USB port on the computer. If your device is already connected to a USB port on the computer, try to connect the device to a different USB port if one is available.

Note Only one USB connection to the computer is required, even if your device has two USB plugs. If the problem persists, disconnect other USB devices and connect only the USB plug from the receiver to a USB port on the computer.

PS/2 devices

Warning If you have to change a PS/2 connection, shut off the computer, make the changes, and then restart the computer. Do not plug a PS/2 device into the PS/2 port while the computer is running.

If your devices are connected to PS/2 ports on the computer, verify that you have the following configurations:

Verify that the USB plug for your mouse is connected to the green USB-to-PS/2 adapter and that this adapter is plugged in the mouse PS/2 port on the computer. The mouse PS/2 port on the computer may also be green. If you are not sure which PS/2 port is the mouse PS/2 port, see the documentation that was included with the computer.
Verify that the USB plug for the keyboard is connected to the purple USB-to-PS/2 adapter and that this adapter is plugged in the keyboard PS/2 port on the computer. The keyboard PS/2 port on the computer may also be purple. If you are not sure which PS/2 port is the keyboard PS/2 port, see the documentation that was included with the computer.

If you have to change your configuration, shut down the computer, make the changes, and then restart the computer. If your mouse or keyboard has both USB and PS/2 connections, try using the other connection.

PS/2 keyboard and USB mouse

If you are using a wireless mouse with a USB connector and a PS/2 keyboard, verify that the USB mouse is plugged in a USB port on the computer and that the purple keyboard PS/2 plug is connected to the purple PS/2 port on the computer. If you have to change the PS/2 connection, shut off the computer, make the changes, and then restart the computer.

Method 3: Reinsert the batteries or install fresh batteries

Both the wireless keyboard and the wireless mouse rely on AA alkaline batteries for power. Remove the batteries, and then insert them again. If the problem persists, install a fresh set of batteries in the device that you are having problems with.

Method 4: Check for interference

Items such as wireless routers, radios, cell phones, desktop fans, fluorescent lights, and large metal objects like computer cases and metal furniture may interfere with the signal of the keyboard. Try to keep such items away from the keyboard, and check the behavior of the keyboard.

Do not put the mouse or the receiver near any electrical devices, especially transmitters such as cordless or cellular telephones or other wireless mouse devices or receivers. A distance of at least 8 to 12 inches is recommended. Do not put the mouse or the receiver on metallic surfaces or objects, especially long metallic rails or cables. We recommend that you keep the mouse and the keyboard a minimum of 3 feet from metallic objects.

Method 5: Install the latest software

Download and install the latest Microsoft IntelliPoint and/or IntelliType software. For more information, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/download/download.aspx?category=MK

(http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/download/download.aspx?category=MK)

Method 6: Try the product on a different computer

To help you determine whether the problem is because of your computer or the device, try the mouse or the keyboard on a different computer.

If the device works on another computer, the device is working correctly. If the device does not work on another computer and you have tried all the troubleshooting steps in this article, contact the Microsoft Order Desk at (800) 360-7561 to obtain a replacement. If you are outside the United States, contact the Microsoft subsidiary for your area. To locate your subsidiary, visit the following Microsoft World Wide Offices Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/worldwide/

(http://www.microsoft.com/worldwide/)

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