naugehyde - A problem with usb3 and Bluetooth L...
A problem with usb3 and Bluetooth LE sensors came up recently with one of the plugin's testers.
Basically, running a USB device off one of the rpi4b's USB 3 slots will cause significant interference with nearby Bluetooth devices as well as any GPS and other BTLE peripherals that are within 2 meters of the rpi4b.
I've attached a link to a discussion on another forum that discusses the problem and provides a potential remedy.
If anyone can confirm that the rpi5 is immune to the issue that'd be much appreciated!
https://forum.openmarine.net/showthread.php?tid=3062
7 Replies
USB3.0 is well known interference source to BT/WiFi also it has significant amount of power at GNSS bands and cause intermodulation frequencies which fall to GNSS band too.
I am running a RPi4 right now with a USB3 based SSD and a USB3 hub connected to the other port. I have a GPS puck connected to the hub and physically 3ft away. The Bluetooth internal to the Pi is what I was using over the weekend when we were exchanging data. I have not experienced any issues
The problem bears repeating in this thread as BTLE devices are affected by the interference.
(A problem was reported on github today where a number of Govee devices disappeared from the plugin -- reported as OUT OF RANGE-- because the user had plugged in a USB3 device and the devices were nearby. )
USB 3.0 Radio Frequency
Interference Impact on 2.4 GHz
Wireless Device - White Paper by Intel
https://www.usb.org/sites/default/files/327216.pdf
Not very new issue...
I'm aware but not everyone else is-- especially plugin users who have been using their phones to get BT sensor data and are only now learning that the Bluetooth connection from their computer can be unreliable with USB3 devices attached to it.
This is a good example BYOD causing various problems if you are not aware what you are doing.
Not a lot a dev can do but in this case the (albeit tech savvy) user figured it out for themselves after googling around for a bit.