Specification Sheet

www.mackie.com
PHONE: [phone] • TOLL-FREE: 800.898.3211
Bluetooth Optimization Guide
Knowledge Base
http://www.mackie.com
Bluetooth Radio Interference
What is it and why do I need to know about it for my set up?
• Bluetooth devices transmit their signals in a narrow radio frequency range around 2.4 GHz. Various other electronic
devices in a home, such as most Wi-Fi wireless home networks, cordless phones, garage door openers, baby monitors, and
microwave ovens, may also use this same frequency range. Any such device can interfere with a Bluetooth connection,
slowing down the performance and potentially breaking network connections.
• Likewise, the wireless networks of neighbors generally all use the same form of radio signaling. Especially in residences
that share walls with each other, interference between different home networks is not uncommon.
• The 2.4-GHz band used by Bluetooth gives a device the ability to choose between 79 different 1-MHz channels within that
band. When Bluetooth detects interference on one channel, it can move over to another channel to avoid the interference.
This may cause some signal degradation or temporarily block the signal. Depending on what kind of connection the
Bluetooth device relies on, the disruption could cut out your sound.
• If a given Bluetooth device falls out of range of its paired device, obviously that connection will fail or “drop.” Devices
situated near the edge of the network range will likely experience intermittent dropped connections. But even when
Bluetooth devices stay within range consistently, performance can still be adversely affected by distance, obstructions, or
interference.