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I have an M1 Mac Mini that I recently set up as a utility computer in a downstairs room. My wife likes to listen to music while working (not working on the computer, she's an artist) and my idea was to use a JBL Flip bluetooth speaker that she could easily move around. However, the speaker would only work within maybe 15 feet of the computer at best, maybe less. Those speakers work with phones over much greater distances.

There's this question that suggests an extender; is there anything else I can try that doesn't involve additional hardware?

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  • Do you have anything on top of or around the Mac mini? Is it on the floor or on the desk? Try making sure that the mini is “in the clear” and not obstructed by anything.
    – Allan
    Commented Jan 9, 2023 at 17:07
  • It's on a table, and the table is made of wood (teak, if that matters). The Bluetooth issue was (for my purposes) completely solved by having it on its side as described in my answer.
    – Pointy
    Commented Jan 9, 2023 at 17:42

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Frustrated by the limited range, I googled around. Apparently people have a lot of problems with Bluetooth devices on the Mini, though other than the speaker issue I've been OK. However one of the things I read mentioned that the antenna is on the bottom of the box, under the black plastic ring.

I tried setting the thing on its side, which made a mess of the cables, but that made a tremendous difference in the range for the speaker, at least 3x. Also the speaker previously would stutter sometimes even when close to the computer, but with the thing on its side (and the black ring aimed generally towards the rest of the space I want to use it in) it's rock solid.

So I picked up an aluminum stand to make that setup more stable, and I'm very happy. This may not work for everybody, but I figure it might help at least a few people.

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