Bluetooth keyboards for iPad

[mpittcasd]

We have a 1:1 deployment of iPads and the English department ordered bluetooth keyboards for use with typing assignments. We're running into an issue where sometimes they will get paired incorrectly, so I was wondering if anyone else has tried using a bunch of bluetooth keyboards with a bunch of iPads.

One idea we had would be to change the name of the keyboards when they are in discovery mode, but haven't found anything that lets me do that with the ones we have now. Anyone know of a model keyboard that might let you? Or perhaps a best practice that could help my teachers get the students connected to the correct keyboard more quickly?

[henkelb]

I have to ask why don't you just go with wired keyboards instead of Bluetooth? I have seen ones available from both Belkin and Logitech.

[Nick_Gooch]

I agree with the wired keyboards. Trying to manage a bunch of shared use Bluetooth keyboards sounds like a major headache. We used Logitech's wired keyboard (both the 30 pin and the lightning connector) for state testing a couple of months ago with about 100 iPads with no issues.

http://www.logitech.com/en-us/product/wired-keyboard-ipad

[mpittcasd]

I wasn't around when these were ordered, I'm only a tech. I'll let them know about wired keyboards, I'm not sure if they were considered or not. Thanks for the input guys.

[Chris_Hafner]

Ditto... having accidentally deployed bluetooth keyboards with several dozen iMacs a few years back (When Apple just started shipping them standard), I've found that it's a really great way to discover that mass bluetooth syncing is one of the worlds most entertaining nightmares... especially when they are all the same model. I was hoping someone gave you a great idea here... though it's possible to do a number of things if you know all the bluetooth hardware addresses. Still, if I were a student in the time of bluetooth keyboards, I would have focused primarily on pranking my fellow students/teachers.

[GabeShack]

When I worked for Apple I used to know of an article that stated more than 3 bluetooth devices in a 6ft area was a no no. The piconets that bluetooth creates can oversaturate the transmitters and receivers in a room if placed too closely together causing them to use more then the low powered 1w spec. I cannot seem to find this article, but because of this we had invested in some hardwired keyboards for iPads as well.

Gabe Shackney
Princeton Public Schools