Logitech Wireless Mouse Stutter? Here is the Fix!

RhoXS

Member
Aug 14, 2010
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I recently started using a Logitech MX Anywhere 3 wireless mouse using their tiny USB Unifying receiver. I immediately noticed the cursor would momentarily freeze and the extent to which it froze or stuttered varied with no obvious connection to anything else. Sometimes no problem, sometimes the mouse was unusable, but a problem at some level most of the time. I Googled the problem and found a ton of stuff going back a number of years referencing this exact problem with Logitech wireless devices but nothing I found proved helpful. A call to Logitech tech support got a woman in the Philippines with a heavy accent, scripted only knowledge, and chickens loudly clucking in the background (honestly - she verified she worked from home and the noise was indeed chickens). So, I threw in the towel last week and bought a hard wired Logitech M500 USB mouse. This mouse sucks because the two buttons on the left side are so incredibly sensitive I kept inadvertently jumping between browser pages. Coincident with this I stumbled on an article about RF interference and USB wireless devices and the light bulb suddenly lit.

I had the Logitech Unifying mouse plugged into a USB 2.0 port on the back of my machine in a port integral with the motherboard. I think it is very reasonable to assume any motherboard is an excellent source of a lot of RF radiation at multiple frequencies and a Fourier Transform wet dream of wave forms. The total energy emitted I believe is regulated by law and indeed very small but, relatively speaking, must be high right on the motherboard as is the location of the USB connectors that are part of the motherboard. I took a 36" high quality USB extension cable and relocated the Logitech Unifying receiver about 24" horizontally to the side of the computer. I am assuming this distance is enough to get the thing out of the RF noise "Near Field". The mouse now works perfectly with not even the slightest hint of a problem.

Hope this proves useful to someone.
 
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RhoXS

Member
Aug 14, 2010
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I was curious how far the Unifying USB receiver needed to be separated from the back panel/USB port. This inspired me to do some experimenting.

First, I plugged the USB Unifying receiver back into the USB port it was previously connected to and the stuttering problem returned, just as before. (The extension cable also used this same port)

Second, I plugged the Unifying USB Unifying receiver back into the extension cable but placed the receiver flat against the motherboard back metal panel just adjacent to the USB port it was previously plugged into. The stuttering problem returned but only to a very minor degree.

Third, with the USB Unifying receiver still plugged into the extension cable, I let the receiver hang within a few inches from the back of the motherboard back panel and not a hint of stuttering.

Fourth, I purchased a 90 degree USB adapter plug and plugged this adapter into the USB port and the Unifying receiver into the adapter. Not a hint of a problem. I bought a 90 degree adapter only because I could not find a straight one for just extending the port out an inch or so away from the back panel.

So, it appears when the Unifying receiver is either plugged into the back panel USB port or placed flat against the panel with the port, the stuttering problem returns to some degree. Any separation from the back panel or port, by even an inch or so, appears to completely eliminate the stuttering problem.

The only hypothesis I can think of to explain this is RF noise originating from the mother board. The fact that RF energy decreases by the square of the distance, in my mind, lends credence to this because even a very small air gap significantly reduces the amount of RF energy (noise) seen by the Unifying receiver. I would be very interested in hearing any other explanation.
 
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RhoXS

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Aug 14, 2010
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Glad to hear this helped at least one person. Thanks, it made the effort to post the messages above worthwhile.
 
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UsandThem

Elite Member
May 4, 2000
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I have USB ports on my Logitech keyboard, and that's where I plugged my mouse's receiver into.

It's a much more consistent connection compared to being plugged into the back of the computer.
 

mindless1

Diamond Member
Aug 11, 2001
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It's just as likely that the issue was a large % of signal path, blocked by a big hunk of metal (computer case). The more you increase the degree of exposure the better it can be, especially if not line of sight.

Motherboard RF noise doesn't usually leak out of the USB port, as it is a grounded, shielded component. Case itself, if metal and properly hooked up, is also grounded.
 

RhoXS

Member
Aug 14, 2010
188
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After four days of using the Logitech MX Anywhere 3 wireless mouse with the Unifying receiver extended slightly away from USB 2.0 socket with the 90 degree adapter I described in Post #3 above (Fourth item), I noticed the stuttering problem was still a problem, albeit to only a very minor extent. So, I reinstalled the 24" extension cable and again placed the Unifying receiver about 18" horizontally offset from the back of the case. I feel a need to revise what I said above as the "Fourth" item in my post above is obviously not accurate.

In summary, no matter the reason, it strongly appears a Logitech Unifying receiver plugged directly into a back panel USB port has the potential to cause stuttering. The problem, when it occurs, can be significantly mitigated by extending the Unifying receiver even slightly away from the back panel and fully eliminated by moving it 12"-18" away from directly behind the case. It also appears the stuttering problem is more likely to occur with some motherboards and less likely with other motherboards.

Also, I connect a Logitech "MX Keys" wireless keyboard and the Logitech MX Anywhere 3 wireless mouse using a single Logitech Unifying wireless receiver. I only discussed the mouse stuttering problem because that so obviously effected the usability of the mouse. However, looking back, whatever caused the mouse stuttering problem was also effecting the keyboard. I was noticing letters would be missing after I typed something. I am a very fast two finger typer and just assumed it was my typing errors causing this. It is now clear that moving the Unifying receiver away from the back of the computer also made the missing letter problem disappear.
 

pcgeek11

Lifer
Jun 12, 2005
21,268
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I have also had the problem with the MX Anywhere mouse and fixed it with a USB Extender. It did not matter if it were front USB or rear USB it had the same stuttering issue that became worse if I had anything plugged into the USB Next to it. Putting in the extender cable cleared it up completely.

This is on an HP 800 G2 Mini Desktop with USB 3 outlets.
 

jfelano

Senior member
Oct 25, 2009
410
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I'm having the same issue with my Logi wireless mouse. I'm not a gamer, it's an office/media machine.

It never seemed to bother me before, it was very intermittent....but now lately it's bad, it's driving me nuts.

I'm constantly clicking the wrong thing or missing the box because it lags, freezes and glitches. I changed out the battery just now and it's worse? Crazy.

I have my receiver plugged into the front/top of the case, more than a foot from the back of the motherboard. I also have a separate receiver plugged next to it, less than half an inch, for the Logi keyboard. They didn't come together. The mouse that came with the keyboard sucked so I replaced it, but couldn't get them both to work with 1 receiver, or maybe I didn't try, can't remember how to do that.

Any ideas?
 

Muse

Lifer
Jul 11, 2001
37,402
8,038
136
I have several Logitech M325 cordless mice that have little USB receivers and AFAIK haven't had issues with them. Pretty cheap and simple. Left/Right with scroll wheel in the middle, small, symmetrical ambidextrous design, they come in many colors/patterns. I bought a Logitech cordless keyboard/mouse combo and its mouse has the same appearance, no problems with that either. Of course, there is some concern with security with a wireless system like that, but so far I'm not aware of having been screwed with by anybody in that way.
 

jfelano

Senior member
Oct 25, 2009
410
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Yes it worked. I got a 3ft cable and boom, no more mouse lag or stutter whatsoever.

What I don't get is why is this just now a problem? I've been using a wireless logi mouse for a couple years, never had this issue before...nor did I hear about anyone else having this problem till I recently came here for a solution....and if it was a problem why not with other wireless mice.....and why has logi not done anything about it to fix it if it's such a big problem?
 
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pcgeek11

Lifer
Jun 12, 2005
21,268
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Yes it worked. I got a 3ft cable and boom, no more mouse lag or stutter whatsoever.

What I don't get is why is this just now a problem? I've been using a wireless logi mouse for a couple years, never had this issue before...nor did I hear about anyone else having this problem till I recently came here for a solution....and if it was a problem why not with other wireless mice.....and why has logi not done anything about it to fix it if it's such a big problem?

Glad it worked for you.
 

Dan Williams

Junior Member
Aug 9, 2021
1
1
6
I was having the same issues with an MX mouse and K800 keyboard. I just built a new system, Ryzen 5950 so I was pretty sure it wasn't a CPU issue. After the rebuild I plugged the Unifying receiver directly into the motherboard. First the back and then the front. Both had the stuttering issue. After reading your advice I went back to a port on the back of the monitor and problem gone. The rear shield and the front of the case are both metal and possibly setting up an interference with the received signal or possibly there is some delay compensation in the unifying hardware/software that is meant to de-bounce or echo cancel a signal that is misbehaving. In any case a million thanks!
 
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bkai

Junior Member
Nov 17, 2021
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THANKS A LOT!!

this fix did wonders, and i thought i had switched a problem mouse with a laggy mouse and was really frustrated.

so i registered here just to congratulate you on your thought process which lead to my happiness with a mouse that works fine!!
 

VirtualLarry

No Lifer
Aug 25, 2001
56,226
9,990
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I'm amazed that you folks didn't know about this issue. There's an Intel whitepaper on USB3.0 radiating interference interfering with 2.4Ghz wireless devices, of which almost all "wireless mouse/keyboard" are.
 

Jacamar

Junior Member
Dec 27, 2021
1
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Just wanted to also thank you. I too registered just so I could post as this problem has been driving me crazy for a while.
 

Muadib

Lifer
May 30, 2000
17,914
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Bump for a helpful thread! I've used Logitech mice for decades, and thankfully never had this problem. My last three mice were wireless, and just wanted to let you know that my current G903 came with an extender cable that you can use to either charge the mouse, or plug in a dongle to hold the USB receiver. You should sue, RhoXS!!:D
 

Muse

Lifer
Jul 11, 2001
37,402
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Whatever the issue, trying different USB ports or even an extension cable or hub should be a troubleshooting concept for problems with a wireless mouse using a USB communication device with a computer. Does that sum up the nature of this thread? I'm not about to read all the extensive posts here just now and AFAIK don't currently have an issue with my mice (the ones I use regularly are wireless).