Loosing connection - Code V3 on Mac

Comments

22 comments

  • Avatar
    Mike Krumpus

    I am also having intermittent problems with my V3 keyboard on my Mac as described above. At least twice per day, it stops working and then a few seconds later starts to work again. When it starts working again, the caps lock LED indicator no longer works. I have to physically disconnect the keyboard and reconnect it in order to get the keyboard back into a stable state. I am very disappointed in this situation. A keyboard should be a stable, reliable device without worry of it failing every day and needing constant attention. 

    Can we get some support for Mac users to help with this instability issue?

     

    0
    Comment actions Permalink
  • Avatar
    Donavon

    I'm having the same issue. I thought maybe it was my USB hub not providing enough power consistently for the keyboard to operate nominally, but I'm confident that is not the issue now.

    I'm on a M1 Pro Macbook Pro and Mac OS 13.4

    0
    Comment actions Permalink
  • Avatar
    Xun Zhang

    Same issue here. CODE V3 keyboard on a Mac mini (M2 Pro / macOS 13.5) keeps disconnecting and reconnecting every a few minutes (sometimes even worse - just a few seconds).

    I can't tell if this is a Mac issue or a keyboard issue (I do have another WASD V2 keyboard and will have a try).

     

    0
    Comment actions Permalink
  • Avatar
    Xun Zhang

    Update: The WASD V2 keyboard does not have this issue. Been using for the weekend and it worked perfectly.

    For the next step I'll downgrade the V3 keyboard to see if this bug is caused by a firmware upgrade.

    0
    Comment actions Permalink
  • Avatar
    Dana M

    I've been having this issue for the past year with my Code V3 (I bought it ~20 months ago).  I've used it exclusively with a Windows 10 laptop (Lenovo).  It started being a very occasional thing, and it seemed like doing a SW4 master reset and/or reflashing the firmware (v2.80) would take care of the issue, for a few months anyway, but it keeps happening especially of late.  The backlight goes out for a fraction of a second, the keyboard is unresponsive for about a second, and then it's back to normal.

    I've tried the following things to mitigate the issue:

    • Move the keyboard from one USB hub to another
    • Move the keyboard from a USB hub directly to one of my laptop USB ports
    • Reflash the keyboard firmware
    • Perform a SW4 hard reset
    • Turn the LED backlight off completely

    None of those things seem to have any effect on whether the problem repeats itself.  (It's happened at least once while I've been typing this.)  I put in a support request a year ago, and they suggested reflashing or downgrading the firmware, but that hasn't helped.  I put in another request about 7 days ago, and haven't heard anything back, so I just put in *another* request.  Hopefully someone from WASD sees this thread and realizes this isn't a one-off issue.

    To the OP... I strongly doubt this is a Mac-related issue.  This is an issue with the embedded microcontroller in the keyboard rebooting itself, and it does that with my Windows laptop, too.

    2
    Comment actions Permalink
  • Avatar
    Jens Kiel

    I'm experiencing similar behavior with a Code 3 keyboard on an Apple iMac. The backlight turns off for a split second in irregular intervals, and the keyboard becomes unresponsive. Two or three keystrokes later, the keyboard becomes responsive again. I've changed USB-A-to-USB-C cables without noticeable improvement, and USB-C-to-USB-C cables of different quality and data rates won't work at all.

    I operate a Code 2 keyboard with the new USB-C controller board at the home office and experience no issues whatsoever - the prime reason for buying a Code 3 keyboard for the office.

    0
    Comment actions Permalink
  • Avatar
    Dana M

    So, update... I got in touch with WASD Support... technician David said "Can you try setting SW3 and SW5 "on" and unplug/replug the keyboard? Let me know if this fixes your issue."  SW3 on disables Scroll Lock so that the LED shows the active layer, and SW5/6 = on,off is Fn key and layers enabled.  I've been running with those settings for the past few days and... it's not rebooting anymore?  So maybe y'all should try the same thing (run with SW3 and SW5 on, make sure to power-cycle the keyboard after changing switches) and see if that fixes things for you as well?

    Dana M.

    3
    Comment actions Permalink
  • Avatar
    Jens Kiel

    Nice find, indeed, Dana. I flipped the switches and haven't had a keyboard reboot since. Thank you for following up with WASD Support, and kudos to David for the workaround!

    ~Jens

    0
    Comment actions Permalink
  • Avatar
    Mike Krumpus

    I would also like to report that I have not had the issue since setting DIP switches SW3 and SW5 to "on" as described by Dana. It has been over 1 week. Thanks to everyone in helping to report this issue and for chasing down a resolution with WASD. As a hardware designer and embedded software developer, it seems inexplicable that a device as simple as a keyboard would have this kind of instability (!).

    2
    Comment actions Permalink
  • Avatar
    Jonathan Schisler

    I've also had problems with 2 different  v3 keyboards (WASD and Code) on macs after a seamless experience with a v2. Going to give this one a try! Thanks for sharing.

    0
    Comment actions Permalink
  • Avatar
    boon72

    Echoing others here. I have even gone so far as to send my Code V3 back last year. David, while being very nice, flashed it and sent it back to me, and let me know there was nothing wrong with it. I've had intermittent issues since then, and I actually came to this site to see if anyone else has had the issue, since the most recent spat of semi-working keyboard has been going on for days. I'm glad to see there is a workaround, going to try that right now after I'm done typing this.

    As Mike mentioned above, I think this is a completely unreasonable problem for ANY keyboard to have, let alone one that cost this much. I hope there is a solution in the works, I would like to be able to recommend WASD keyboards to my friends and coworkers, but with an issue like this, I cannot in good faith do so.

    Thanks all for publishing the DIP switch workaround, fingers crossed!
    ...
    SUCCESS! Hope it sticks...

    EDIT: it did not work for more than a few days in a row. Is it a microcontroller problem? It seems like a fundamental flaw in what should be a pretty straightforward piece of hardware.

    I am planning on salvaging the excellent Zealios switches from this board and kissing it goodbye.

    1
    Comment actions Permalink
  • Avatar
    Donavon

    I had tried the DIP switch workaround when I first saw it on here and it worked...for a while. Unfortunately a couple of weeks ago the issue started happening again, though not as bad. In addition to it blipping out occasionally, at times it the blip would cause some things to not work when it "reconnected" like the caps lock key.

    I've since reverted to a much cheaper mechanical keyboard that I had in the drawer. I want to like my WASD keyboard but at this point it's not much more than a relic hidden in a drawer...a reminder to never buy a WASD keyboard again.

    0
    Comment actions Permalink
  • Avatar
    Drew Mazurek

    I'm having this issue too. A lot of money to spend on a flaky keyboard. No resolution other than the dip switch workaround?

    0
    Comment actions Permalink
  • Avatar
    Geoff Miller

    This thread only has two upvotes, and one of them is mine. Each of you should upvote it for visibility.

    I'm having this issue. But mine is happening multiple times an hour. Often various times in minutes. I'm a software engineer, and this is hyper-problematic to my work. It seems like resetting the keyboard reduces the frequency of the problem. The longer it goes, the more frequent it happens. I'm resetting several times a day.

    @dana M., Thanks for the workaround. I just flipped the switches and will post an update if it works.

    **UPDATE** 42 days later, and I don't think I've had my keyboard reboot even once.
    **UPDATE 2** Six months later, last night, I saw it happen a few times but never noticed it miss any inputs from my keystrokes. I might not have been typing at the time it happened, but I was worried the problem had returned, and I haven't had it happen all day today.

    3
    Comment actions Permalink
  • Avatar
    Dana M

    @Geoff... your issue sounds exactly like mine was.  FWIW, since I used the DIP switch fix, I haven't had the issue once.

    1
    Comment actions Permalink
  • Avatar
    Yannik Beaulieu

    I have the same issue with a V3 keyboard on the latest firmware (2.80) using it on a Windows 10 machine (version 22H2). Worked flawlessly on previous firmware (I think it was 0.16).

    I'm giving the workaround a go to see if it fixes the problem.

    0
    Comment actions Permalink
  • Avatar
    Doronr

    Flipping the switches worked for me, no more disconnect issues.  Might be time for a new firmware?

    1
    Comment actions Permalink
  • Avatar
    Dana M

    Well, I guess 5 months was my run... after having made the DIP switch fix, it worked for a good while, but last night and this morning, it started glitching out again.  I'm an engineer, I cannot afford to have my keyboard randomly glitching out on me.  I also cannot afford to wait forever for a fix that may never come.  It's also disconcerting that WASD Support has not chimed in once on this thread.  ENGAGE WITH YOUR CUSTOMERS, WASD, especially when they're having problems.

    Anyway, I can't have an unreliable keyboard anymore.  I'm getting a Keychron.  Maybe it won't have Cherry MX Clear switches on it, but at least it won't randomly reboot in the middle of coding.  My Code V3 goes on the shelf.  Sorry.

    Dana M.

    1
    Comment actions Permalink
  • Avatar
    Patrick Hogenboom

    Mine has the same disconnect issue. The dip switches seemed to work for a while, but it's back.
    I'm typing this on another keyboard, disconnecting is unforgivable for a premium keyboard.
    As a coder, it breaks my flow and fires up my temper.
    Shame, because I really loved my code kb before it broke.

    1
    Comment actions Permalink
  • Avatar
    Geoff Miller

    **UPDATE 2** Six months later, last night, I saw it happen a few times but never noticed it miss any inputs from my keystrokes. I might not have been typing at the time it happened, but I was worried the problem had returned, and I haven't had it happen all day today.

    1
    Comment actions Permalink
  • Avatar
    Patrick Hogenboom

    Downgraded the firmware to 0.16, didn't have any disconnects today.
    However, it was completely dead when booting afer my machine had been shut down for a while, had to unplug/replug for it to work again.

    1
    Comment actions Permalink
  • Avatar
    Dana M

    And WASD Support *still* has not engaged with this thread.  Four months in with my Keychron V6 w/ volume knob and mint switches, and I haven't looked back, my Code V3 is still on the shelf.  Seriously, WASD, if you can identify the root cause of your reboots and issue either a firmware or hardware fix, I'll put your $200 keyboard back into service at home.  But for work, my tools have to perform 100% of the time, and for lots of people in this thread, that isn't happening.

    1
    Comment actions Permalink

Please sign in to leave a comment.