Bluetooth Range on Samsung Note 5 (Coming From Samsung Galaxy 5)

[TheCruiseMermaid]

I recently got a Samsung Note 5 (previous phone Samsung Galaxy 5) and the Bluetooth Range is HORRIBLE. I cannot be more than literally a FOOT from my Note 5 and the sound is breaking up. (I have an Jabra Extreme 2 Bluetooth Wireless Headset).

Has anyone else experienced this? Just awful. I only went to the Samsung Note 5 because of the bigger screen. .... and now I'm wondering if there is a difference between the Galaxy and the Note phones ... any ideas ? Thanks !!

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[SpookDroid]

That's odd. I don't have issues with mine. Same range at least as Note 4 and LG G4. At the office I roam around and leave the phone in the desk, both earphones and watch stay connected. At home same thing around the house, and I usually leave it at the edge of the pool (mid-way) when swimming and I can still get audio without issues throughout the pool. I do have issues when I put it in a waterproof pouch (won't make it past a few feet) or when I place it near a water pump (like the jacuzzi jets or water dispenser at the office) or, strangely, at certain traffic lights. Some cases are known to reduce the range, too, but shouldn't be that drastic unless you're using a lead cage!

Do you know anyone else with a Note 5 that you could try the same earphones in? Or maybe go to a Best Buy store and ask them to let you try it.

 

[jmy7213]

I can use mine all around the house. At work(truck driver) I can leave my phone on the dash and make it to the rear of my trailer, at 71 feet. It cuts out when I go behind the trailer, but I'm sure thats because of metal interference.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note V

 

[kajoey]

I just bought the Note 5 and have bluetooth range issues. But, here's the weird thing. I only have range issues if I'm on wifi. I visited the Samsung rep at Best Buy today and he reflashed the phone but the issue remains. Anyone have any solutions to this?

 

[Jamie Wooten]

I don't have any issues with connection to my Gear S2 but when I'm outdoors I have issued with my Motorola hint staying connected. My phone will only be a foot or 2 away.

 

[Michael Kimsey]

When I bought my note 5 back in August, Bluetooth range was beyond spec, then about a month ago mine started doing the same thing, I can barely have my phone a foot from my headset or away from the dash in the car. I factory reset, but it didn't help. WiFi status does not seem to affect it.

 

[Honda_Insight]

I had the same problem. Sent it in to Samsung for repair today.

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[L_E_O]

When I bought my note 5 back in August, Bluetooth range was beyond spec, then about a month ago mine started doing the same thing, I can barely have my phone a foot from my headset or away from the dash in the car. I factory reset, but it didn't help. WiFi status does not seem to affect it.

This is my experience exactly. I've blamed everything from a WiFi conflict to Android Wear to a software update. I initiated a warranty return today, but I'm still curious as to what could cause this sudden drop-off?

 

[arunma]

I believe I experienced a similar problem to what others report here. I bought my Note5 from T-Mobile back in October. Never really used Bluetooth much, and when I did I had no problems. A few weeks ago I got a Gear S2, and for a few days the range seemed fine. Then after about a week (and possibly right after a software update), the range went to hell. I could not get even a few feet out of Bluetooth. Strangely, human bodies proved to be the Bluetooth antenna's kryptonite. I tried many experiments: for example putting my watch on my left hand and my phone in my right back pocket caused Bluetooth to disconnect from my watch within seconds. If I held my phone in one hand and my watch in another, and separated them by 3/4 the length of my outstretched arms, I could establish a Bluetooth connection. But if I moved them down to my waist (same separation length) so as to block the signal with my body, I lost the connection. Of course I also tried connecting my phone to other devices and got similar results. Finally I tried putting an iPhone equidistant from my Note5 and a Note4, and used the 'Bluetooth Finder' app to measure the signal strength. At 3 feet I could get -60 dB with the Note4, but -90 dB with the Note5 (so 1000 times less signal strength). I say all this to demonstrate that the problem seems to be weak reception in the Note5.

I called T-Mobile and they handled a warranty replacement from Samsung. My new Note5 works great. Right now I've got my phone with me, and my watch in another room, yet they are connected via Bluetooth! I'm not sure if this is just a case of a bad device whose antenna wore out after significant usage, or if the software update had anything to do with it. For what it's worth, I updated everything on my Note5 right away, and still have no problems. Perhaps the order in which the Android and Gear app updates are performed matters? I know that's mostly baseless speculation, but other than simple malfunctioning hardware I can't really come up with another explanation.

 

[L_E_O]

Add me to the list. I had the exact same, mysterious Bluetooth performance drop off on my original Note 5 about a month ago. AT&T handled the warranty replacement, and it worked perfectly... until yesterday. Last night, I noticed my Hint couldn't seem to auto-connect to the phone, and my Urbane was also disconnected. I didn't fully realize it was the same issue until I tried to use the Hint today for a call. It connected, but all of a sudden, the range was shorter than my ear to my same-side pocket. The watch will only connect for a few seconds when I hold the phone about a foot away from it.

It's the weirdest thing really. Its never been dropped. I may have done a few Play Store app updates right before I noticed it not working, but nothing else like a software update. Not even a reboot or power off before it happened... But poof... it's clearly not working anymore. Back to AT&T and Sammy I go.

Could an app update somehow cause this? Either that, or maybe something internal just burns out? I'm grasping at straws...

 

[alexeysalo]

There is only one thing you can do (except returning the phone) to get back properly working bluetooth. All you can do is to turn off the WiFi when you don't need it. When you turn off the WiFi on Note 5 your bluetooth range will become huge as it should be.

 

[debdroid1a]

Bluetooth for me works the same as the S5 and Note 5. I have a Gear 2 Neo watch and haven't had problems with not staying connected when in range. Phone at my desk at work, walk out a glass door (closed) and down the hall. Finally it will say "disconnected" because it's too far. At my apartment, my watch is near by couch and when my phone is in my bedroom, it stays connected.

 

[armallard]

I have a Plantronics Legend and the range is great with my note.

 

[jerryrard]

Had my SG Note 5 for three months and the BT started having range problems a couple of weeks ago. Trying to find solutions online as well. Did all the removing of paired devices and clearing BT data/cache, but still having the same problems. Hoping for a firmware fix soon.

 

[htc fan89]

I had the same problem so, ended up getting it service at Samsung repair center and now it works perfectly. I'm using urbane and Jay bird x2 and both are connecting and range is more than before. Before I had to keep it right near my Jay bird for sound not to cut off.

 

[Michael Brady1]

I have the same problems, starting about a week ago. Range is less than a foot with WiFi on, and about 6 feet with WiFi off.

 

[brunetdj]

I had this problem and tried all suggested solutions. ATT warranty center refreshed phone and determined it was a hardware problem and replaced phone under warranty. The replacement phone works.

 

[pstomike]

I'm sending mine in for warranty repair tomorrow. What did they do to fix it? I would appreciate to hear about your experience before I send mine in. Thank you in advance.

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[brunetdj]

ATT checked the phone for damage and ordered a replacement phone to be shipped to my house. I had to sign a contract stating I would pay $710 for the device if they determined that I had caused damage between the time the checked the phone and received by defective phone by mail. The new "refurbished" device arrived in 3 business days and my issue was resolved. They received my old device on 26 Jan and sent an email stating it may take up to two weeks for their inspection. I do not expect to find out the root cause of the issue.

 

[pstomike]

Thank you so much for the information. I had to send mine in to Samsung warranty repair.

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