Very frustrating that my Bose SoundTouch picks up Bluetooth signal within 5m form USD adapter but not when over about 6m and through thin wall…
What can I do to boost the signal or do I have to buy another product…?
Hi Alan,
Thank you for contacting us about your Bluetooth adapter. I’m sorry it isn’t reaching as far as you were hoping.
The adapters are rated at 10 meters in open space, and we see about that distance or a little farther in testing. However, if you are only seeing six meters in open space, there may be another issue. The most likely cause is radio interference in the vicinity, but it could also be that the adapter is marginal in some way.
However, even with an adapter that meets the spec the wall, even a thin one, can easily take 2 meters from the range and you my have no reception or problems with the sound breaking up. Bluetooth was originally intended for connecting nearby objects like keyboards and telephone headsets, and it often isn’t the best solution for going through walls.
There aren’t that many longer range devices out there, and they can be pretty expensive. What might work better is to see if you can eliminate possible sources of radio interference and then use a USB extension cable if needed to move the adapter away from the computer and closer to the speaker.
Some possible source of radio interference are the following:
USB 3.0 ports
You can generally tell a USB 3.0 port by the blue tab inside. USB 2.0 ports usually have a black or white tab. After they began manufacturing USB 3.0 ports, they discovered that many of them leak radio interference that pretty much blankets the range used by Bluetooth, and if your port is leaky, it will substantially reduce range. If you are using a USB 3.0 port, try moving to a USB 2.0 port if one is available.
You can also try using a USB 2.0 extension cable (like this one: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00NH136GE) to move the adapter away from the port. This also has the advantage of allowing you to place the adapter in a higher location, which often helps with range.
Wifi
Wifi can be a problem if there are multiple access points in the vicinity using different channels. Wifi is much stronger than Bluetooth. When operating, Bluetooth takes note of the frequencies used by nearby wifi access points and avoids using those frequencies, so this becomes a problem when multiple strong wifi signals leave no available frequencies for Bluetooth.
Other stuff
Other possible sources of interference are cordless telephone sets and wireless security cameras and things like baby monitors that are wireless. Most wireless consumer products use the same frequencies as Bluetooth and Wifi.
Of course if the adapter itself is defective, we will send a replacement right away. Please contact us at support@plugable.com.
Thank you,
David
Plugable Support