Portable Speaker Issues

I have a portable Bose speaker that I use to play music from my Macbook Pro, but the transmission is sporadic as the day wears on until the signal is so interrupted that it stops altogether, even though the connection does not seem to be severed.

I have tried:

-Resetting the computer
-Resetting the speaker
-Resetting the Bluetooth
-Resetting the router
-Connecting the speaker directly to the computer and otherwise keeping it close
-Turning off all other applications but the single Safari page with the Pandora or Spotify app I am using
-Checking the internet and router speed
-Trying to use the app on my hotspot outdoors

Any ideas about what might be causing it, or a possible solution would be appreciated!

Re: Portable Speaker Issues

Does the sound work fine on the MacBook itself? If so I fear the BOSE unit has a failing component, most likely a duff capacitor. They do deteriorate after time in all devices. A year or 2 ago I replaced all the capacitors in my TV PVR.

If you are happy doing a bit of soldering then it should be an easy job, otherwise probably time for a new unit.

Re: Portable Speaker Issues

Model name/number of the portable speaker would help. That way you will get a more informed response as to what the problem could be.

Reason i say this is because portable can mean Wired (use lead to connect to device) or Wireless (WIFI or Bluetooth, both have it's own sets of problems).

Re: Portable Speaker Issues

Here's the link to the product, thanks for asking, Dodge. Welcome to the forum, btw!

https://www.bose.com/en_us/products/..._color_ii_blue

I had no idea that these capacitors were known to deteriorate, Realist. Interesting! I haven't done any soldering in years, but I bet I could manage it, if this is the culprit.

Re: Portable Speaker Issues

Ok, did a little digging for you on this issue and it appears to be a common issue. It's not capacitors.

What it is, is interference from WiFi signals.

This is what I have read.

These speakers appear to be able to connect to your devices via either Bluetooth or via WiFi connection. You probably have already established connections to yoru home WiFi and to your mobile phone via Bluetooth.

Turns out that most people's WiFi routers operate on the 2.4GHz band and the Bluetooth system works on the same and suffers interference. It shouldn't, but it appears it does.

The solution (or workaround) I am told, is to configure your home router to set up a 5GHz Wifi rather than a 2.4Ghz WiFi.
Supposedly all modern routers have this facility. They will be labelled as "dual band" if they do.

You have to go into your router's settings using your PC and find the menus and options to enable that 5GHz WiFi. You may then end up with both bands enabled, a 2.4GHz and a 5GHz and thus on your PC you might see 2 entries for your wireless network like "MyNetworkName" and "MyNetworkName5G".

If you manage to achieve this, you must then get rid of your BOSE connection to your old WiFi (the old 2.4Ghz one) and then set it up again connecting to teh new 5GHz one.

That will then ensure that your BOSE speaker has Wifi connected at 5GHz and leaves the Bluetooth with a clear 2.4GHz band.

Easy as pie !! lol

Have fun.

Re: Portable Speaker Issues

Honestly, I suspect that it is indeed an interference rather than a hardware issue.

Very nice of you, Realist, to do the research I should have done myself, especially pertaining where to go on my Mac.

With as much time as I spend with spectrometers and spectrographs, if I can't figure this out, it's probably time for me to take up the banjo .

Thank you!

Re: Portable Speaker Issues

Here you go Surfermom - your first lesson.

Re: Portable Speaker Issues

Thank you, Judd.

If I only had a wireless speaker so I could hear it properly.

Re: Portable Speaker Issues

Picks, frets, skins....so much to learn....

Now I have to go shopping for a banjo..

and a plaid shirt.

Way too many complications in my life.

Re: Portable Speaker Issues

So back on topic . . .

What model is your home router Surfermom?