Bluetooth Interference
April 8, 2016 7:35 AM   Subscribe

A bluetooth dead zone has mysterious appeared in my basement, which happens to be exactly where I have my bike trainer set up to use Zwift, which requires the use of bluetooth sensors. Everything worked perfectly fine 10 days ago, when I last used it, and I have not changed a single thing about my setup. I'm not sure how to find out what is the source of this new interference, or what to do about it if I find it.

I had no problems my last "ride" 10 days ago. Everything paired as normal, and stayed connected for 70 minutes. Then a few nights ago, I couldn't get anything to pair. I tried four different devices (two cadence sensors, one heart monitor, and a Fitbit) using three different iOS devices with no luck, trying through multiple apps. The only thing I could get to work was my Fitbit, which only connected after a very long lag. I restarted all of the iOS devices I tried, and even did a hard reset and reset network connections on my iPhone. I was able to pair the heart monitor and iPhone in other parts of my house and elsewhere. So the issue seems to be limited to the exact spot where I have my indoor cycling set up. Unfortunately, there is really nowhere else I can move my bike trainer to, and I really don't want to switch my gear to ANT+, which would cost me another $80.

So, how do I go about troubleshooting this connection issue? And what would I be able to do once I found it?
posted by slogger to Computers & Internet (2 answers total)
 
Is there anything that uses electricity within a few yards, which might be generating interference? Even upstairs?
posted by wenestvedt at 9:08 AM on April 8, 2016


Are all three devices running ios 9.3? Some people have complained about bluetooth with the last update. It's a gamble, but you could try to downgrade to 9.2.1.

Other more generic temporary ideas: switch the devices to cell data on with wifi off, switch your local wireless network to 5Ghz only, or try to pair the easily moveable things (the HRM and the fitbit) outside and walk back down to your trainer after they're paired (which won't help much for the cadence sensors).
posted by mattamatic at 12:46 PM on April 8, 2016


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