Wireless mouse & kbd recognized but not working

[thehamguy1]

My wireless mouse and keyboard work on all 7 of my other Linux and Windows machines, and even on the Pine64 Android distro, but not in Debian. It's puzzling. Entering "lsusb" shows the dongle is recognized (listed as Bus 3 Device 2 in the top USB port, Bus 4 Device 2 in the bottom port). So the USB dongle is recognized but after that, no function. Obviously all my experience back in the CP/M OS days isn't going to help here...

[Luke]

What brand of keyboard and mouse are you using ? I am using wireless logitech and had no issues - thats why I'm asking

[thehamguy1]

It's "Tevion" brand. Works on everything else including the Pine64+ (1 gig) itself when it's running the Android build. Just tested it again on one of the other computers and it's fine. I would think the USB port wouldn't care if a wired or wireless kbd/mouse were attached--it should get the same signals as with a wired unit. One last thing to test: use fresh batteries in case less than a full 3 volts is the problem.

Sorry to run on--I tend to do that when typing out loud. Thanks for whatever advice you might have.

[Luke]

It's "Tevion" brand. Works on everything else including the Pine64+ (1 gig) itself when it's running the Android build. Just tested it again on one of the other computers and it's fine. I would think the USB port wouldn't care if a wired or wireless kbd/mouse were attached--it should get the same signals as with a wired unit. One last thing to test: use fresh batteries in case less than a full 3 volts is the problem.

Sorry to run on--I tend to do that when typing out loud. Thanks for whatever advice you might have.

Terribly sorry but someone with more knowledge is needed to offer a suggestion - perhaps lenny.raposo or rahlquist will be able to offer assistance. 

Sorry I couldn't help

[rahlquist]

It's "Tevion" brand. Works on everything else including the Pine64+ (1 gig) itself when it's running the Android build. Just tested it again on one of the other computers and it's fine. I would think the USB port wouldn't care if a wired or wireless kbd/mouse were attached--it should get the same signals as with a wired unit. One last thing to test: use fresh batteries in case less than a full 3 volts is the problem.

Sorry to run on--I tend to do that when typing out loud. Thanks for whatever advice you might have.

Try the other port for the adapter. Also is it wireless or bluetooth?

[thehamguy1]

It's wireless--2.4 gHz if I recall correctly. And it's been tried in both ports with equal (lack of) success.

[rahlquist]

I use a wireless kb and it works so perhaps its a power issue, thats all that would make sense. Pure wireless ones that dont need a driver should work fine in nearly all cases.

[thehamguy1]

I use a wireless kb and it works so perhaps its a power issue, thats all that would make sense. Pure wireless ones that dont need a driver should work fine in nearly all cases.

That's my belief too. New batteries in the kbd didn't fix it. I borrowed a different wireless mouse (no kbd with it) to check, and it works fine--it's only this one that balks, and only on this OS.
But it's more of a puzzle than a problem. I can run the Pine headless from any of my other machines. It'd just be nice to have a kbd/mouse combo that a) only takes up one USB port, and b) is easier to type on than either iOS devices or laptops.
Thanks for stopping by and lending a hand. If there's a solution it'll pup up on this forum someday, I can hope.

---

I suppose another answer is that my copy of the OS is corrupted. That could explain why occasionally, without any user interaction, copies of the file manager will open continuously until the OS freezes. Sometimes it happens overnight, when no one's even been in the same room.
I recall there were three times while my SD card was being burned that my laptop went to sleep and burning stopped. It always picked up again when I woke the laptop, and at the end the message was that it was a successful burn. Perhaps that was a lie. Perhaps I should set the laptop to stay awake continuously and re-burn the card...

[jl_678]

I use a wireless kb and it works so perhaps its a power issue, thats all that would make sense. Pure wireless ones that dont need a driver should work fine in nearly all cases.

That's my belief too. New batteries in the kbd didn't fix it. I borrowed a different wireless mouse (no kbd with it) to check, and it works fine--it's only this one that balks, and only on this OS.
But it's more of a puzzle than a problem. I can run the Pine headless from any of my other machines. It'd just be nice to have a kbd/mouse combo that a) only takes up one USB port, and b) is easier to type on than either iOS devices or laptops.
Thanks for stopping by and lending a hand. If there's a solution it'll pup up on this forum someday, I can hope.

---

I suppose another answer is that my copy of the OS is corrupted. That could explain why occasionally, without any user interaction, copies of the file manager will open continuously until the OS freezes. Sometimes it happens overnight, when no one's even been in the same room.
I recall there were three times while my SD card was being burned that my laptop went to sleep and burning stopped. It always picked up again when I woke the laptop, and at the end the message was that it was a successful burn. Perhaps that was a lie. Perhaps I should set the laptop to stay awake continuously and re-burn the card...

I never trust an image write that stops and then restarts; it feels like there are too many opportunities for corruption.  Funny enough, my system went to sleep doing this yesterday, and I decided to start over.  

I have no idea if that is what is causing your problem, but like you, I wonder.  My new install does not seem to misbehave the way yours does, but it is really too early to tell definitively because I only got it running this AM.

[thehamguy1]

After re-burning the SD card, this time making sure there were no hitches in the process, I still have the same problems. The file manager spontaneously opening dozens, maybe hundreds of copies of itself I fixed by deleting Caja, Mate's built-in file manager. There's still the basic Debian file manager, so I didn't need Caja anyway. My wifi dongle will go back to one of my Raspberrys or the CHIP, and the same with the wireless keyboard/mouse combo.
I wonder how it was possible to design a SBC with so many quirks and deficiencies. Even the $9 CHIP (itself no great wonder as a Single Board Computer) started up and ran right from the start.