Google isn’t giving me a solid answer (seems looking up answers online has become harder after LLMs took over). So I’m asking you nerds because you’re smart and I trust some of you (don’t let it go to your head, stinky)

OK so for context my Laptop is OLD. It’s an Acer Nitro 5 AN515-52-72MN manufactured in December 2018 so that’s almost 8 years old. It’s trooper. A couple of years ago I cracked it open and upgraded the SSD to 2tb and the memory to 32gb and installed Linux Mint. It’s been thriving, so I really really want to keep it alive as much as possible.

Anyway, embarrassing rambling aside. I’ve never had a problem with it until yesterday, when I connected some new Bluetooth earbuds. Ever since then my Bluetooth mouse, controller, earbuds whatever have randomly started disconnecting and immediately reconnecting. It’s got me worried that the internal Bluetooth dongle is at the end of its days, which is fine, whatever I can buy a dongle.

It’s just a software issue from an update right? RIGHT? A future update will fix it? RIGHT?

EDIT: Fixed! THANK YOU

  • LeeeroooyJeeenkiiins [none/use name, any]@hexbear.netEnglish
    2·
    5 days ago

    Okay first off I have no formal education in The Computer but you might know me as an arrogant shithead (also with imposter syndrome) who thinks they know stuff. Anyway, with that as my background

    1. my opinion is that it’s a driver issue of some kind, since it happened immediately after you hooked up a new device. Maybe hooking up the earbuds updated your bluetooth driver to a version that Isn’t Working for Some Reason (i know, my knowledge is very technical)

    Try going to your device manager for the bluetooth antenna and see if there was a recent driver update and if so maybe try rolling it back to before that

    1. what responses did the llm give you? If it’s the same as mine, i apologize, but it told me if you need to replace the bluetooth antenna, it’s bundled in with your wifi antenna. It says it’s part # 50.Q28N2.006

    https://www.cdsparts.com/products/acer-nitro-5-an515-41-an515-42-main-wireless-antenna-50q28n2006?srsltid=AfmBOopzmZMcmbpHHIdWDz95MTFbfVUb0tUOQ27WSSo1l3lM9uilWs5L (out of stock but just to give another listing)

    https://www.ebay.com/itm/166766923129

    It offered me these (bare bones) instructions, which might be a pain in the ass given it saying you’d need to remove the screen bezel

    It also mentioned at the end that the bluetooth module is physically on the wifi card, and that replacing the wifi card is easier than replacing the antenna, and im just gonna screen shot what it said about the wifi module and its form factor

    Anyway, the lying machine also reiterated my suggestion about it being a driver issue, and also suggested that if it’s difficult or expensive to replace you could also consider a USB bluetooth receiver instead, if you’ve got space for it (not bad advice imo)

    Again, if those responses are what google gave you, sorry to reiterate them. I just thought i’d post what i saw in case it gave me more helpful info

    In the order in which Id try these things, I’d look at your drivers, then wifi card, then personally I’d give up and get a usb bluetooth dongle because im lazy and i get frustrated working on stuff like computer screens :(