New Dell wireless keyboards do not work.

Having treated myself to a new Dell 5400 all in one Desktop with wireless keyboard and mouse, I have failed to get the keyboard to work at all. The mouse is fine.

On delivery the positive battery contact was not making contact with the keyboard sprung connector. I teased the connector out and it now seems OK. The keyboard was replaced by Dell with exactly the same result, dead.

My question for computer buffs is :-Should the led's for capital lock and numerals lock light when activated by the keyboard keys? I assume that the power for these led's comes direct from the keyboard itself and there is no signal from the PC to activate these led's. I confirm the led's do not light as I thought they should.

An alternative wireless keyboard and mouse work fine with this PC

Yes power for the LED's comes from the keyboard batteries. Silly question but have you checked that there is not an on/off switch. One of my keyboards has a little slider switch that is easily overlooked and left me wondering why things aren't working.

Some of the Dell keyboards have a little slider switch on the back right hand side.

John

Edit: Add Image

Edited By Journeyman on 17/11/2021 10:20:33

They will only work if the computer is connected and communicating.

As an aside they are also useful (but not foolproof) for working out if your computer has crashed or is just having a good long think. If they still work then the interrupts are still taking place, so the computer is still running some processes. If they don't, its karked itself.

There is no on/off switch. Re the other response I was not aware there was any communication FROM the PC to keyboard

The lamps are turned on and off by the keyboard driver; in the PC, so yes there is two way traffic.

To try for yourself; if you are on a windows machine go into settings, ease of access and turn on the on screen keyboard. From there you can turn the caps lock on and off and the lamp will go on and off.

My wireless keyboard (Logitech) does not actually have LED indicators which I assume is because they would drain the battery. Not a problem on wired keyboards that get their power from the PC but even the most efficient LED's need some power.

I thought the Dell 5400 was a laptop not an 'all in one' desktop machine, does not affect the second keyboard requirement though.

Ian P

If it is a Bluetooth keyboard, check that it has paired properly. You may be able to achieve this just using the mouse and working your way through the Windows settings menu (I assume Windows). Failing that you may have to use the keyboard that does work.

John

Funny reading this as my Kanex keyboard on my Mac has just given up on communicating. Been a bit of a problem since updating OS, so not surprised. Waiting for new Logitech to arrive. Apple mouse still communicating ok, both are over seven years old so ready for renewal.

What is the model number of the Dell Keyboard?

Silly me!

I should have put my glasses on but failed to spot the rather small o/off button. All working now.

Thanks everybody who responded. The main unit has a on/off button that is completely out of sight and IS a job to know it is there.

My Logitech wireless keyboard often lights the "Caps Lock" LED, due to my fat fingers, but has no lights to show that it is powered up.

I have to look at the small slider switch to check that, likewise for the mouse.

The keyboard is very sensitive to distance from the "dongle" in the back of the tower beneath the table.

Consequently, the "dongle" now sits at the end of an extension cable, just by the keyboard

Howard.

I too suffered from the "fat finger" problem with the Caps-Lock key. So I disabled it altogether using Sharpkeys. Haven't missed it.

Sharpkeys will also let you re-map it (or other keys) if you don't want to lose it altogether.

An office I used to work in gave us all wireless keyboards. I stopped using mine when I found someone typing C code in one cell of a spreadsheet I was working on. I think they've come on a bit since then.