The Intermittent Mouse

I purchased a wireless mouse, mini, it died.

I purchased a wireless laser mouse, it died

Growling I purchased a wireless optical mouse, that would not capture, and had me swiping madly all the time! I killed it.

Now I am back to a huge plug in mouse almost as old as Bill Gates. It has a faulty connection, from use, and works sometimes, if I jiggle it and hold my mouth right!!!

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

If you want a good mouse, pick one with a tail.

a reply to: Iamschist

It may be time to renounce your faith in the mouse and convert to the efficient, stationary and intuitive trackball.

The new trackpads are actually pretty good too and if you have any interest in art, digitizing tablets are great.

a reply to: greencmp

Pics would be good, I am not familiar? Do you mean something like this?

a reply to: rickymouse

If you mean wired as in plug in, it awkward with the cord and the one I am using that inspired 'intermittent' is that kind.

a reply to: Iamschist

Such bad luck with 3 wireless devices suggests this: do you have a cordless phone that operates on a frequency of 2.4 GHz? It should say "2.4 GHz" somewhere on the phone, or in the user manual. If so, is it possible that the wireless mice (mouses?) went south when the phone was in use?
Many wireless devices operate on the same frequency, & when the phone is in use, it interferes with everything else that has a wireless connection using that frequency.

Back in the day, I dealt with many a customer of an ISP who shall remain unnamed, whose DSL wireless router would mysteriously quit working on & off. In many cases, the phone was at fault.

Good luck finding a solution. I love mystery stories, but not when they concern my PC hardware!

a reply to: Iamschist

This is the one I use but, they don't actually make them anymore. You can find them used on ebay.


This is their replacement which looks good but, I can't attest to it's resiliency or practical longevity since I haven't actually used it.


Kensington also has cheaper trackballs but, I recommend sticking with the professional models.

a reply to: BuzzCory

Thoughtful reply, and who would ever suspect such a thing, YOU WOULD!! Very nice. However, alas, I have a landline, so not the problem. Great idea though

a reply to: greencmp

Looks huge! I use a laptop, and a chair, so anything bulky is a problem. Thanks for the trouble of posting a pic, nice.

a reply to: Iamschist

Do you have any of those fluorescent replacements for incandescent bulbs (compact fluorescent or CFL) anywhere near your computer? The transformer on some of them has been known to interfere with electronic stuff nearby.
While it's possible that you bought 3 defective wireless products in a row, it seems more likely that you have some kind of interference going on.

If you do, try using one of the offending mice with the light off, then turn the light on. If the mouse snoozes, you found your culprit.

a reply to: Iamschist

No worries, I do use a wireless trackball on the la-Z-boy occasionally but, the trackpad works better as it is lighter and no huge ball falls on the ground when I get up.

Just out of curiosity, how do you use a mouse while sitting if there isn't any flat surface for it?

a reply to: greencmp

The arm is quite broad and optics and lasers seem to cope ok as long as they work,

a reply to: BuzzCory

Thanks BuzzCory, hopefully you will identify the problem before I sell her on a trackball.

a reply to: Iamschist

I was thinking that but, wasn't sure.

Trackball is a way of life though (now I am just being silly), mouse people rarely come over to the spherical side.

Cheers!

a reply to: BuzzCory

Again with the always thinking. Look at you! The light is the new bulbs, saving energy don't you know, but it is always on, and the mice, meese, lol work and then they die. By my hand in one case. lol

a reply to: greencmp

hahaha Well if I keep having failures, I shall 'gulp' try it. ;-)

a reply to: Iamschist

Assuming the mouse's receiver is plugged into a USB port, have you tried using a different port? My last gasp: is it possible that in using your setup, there's something that's blocking the signal between the mouse & its receiver?

Or maybe it really is time for you to find a new computer hardware store.

a reply to: BuzzCory

Lol I think it is just bad manufacturing. They work fine, then they don't, very short lives the mouses in my life. lol I have ordered a new one, another optic, this time from that huge online store that started with books. We'll see.

a reply to: greencmp

My Kensington Trac Ball took some getting used to and I favored it over a standard mouse. But my thumb doesn't work as smoothly as it once did so now I rarely use the old computer with the ball. One thing about it that required maintenance attention, especially if I was into Doritos or sticky foods. The ball gets gummed up on the sensor points inside and the ball must be removed to clean the points on which the ball moves.

I have been using Logitech for years have always had good luck with them. I have a wireless optical Logitech I have used for 2 years and no problems. It replaced another one that lasted 10 years.