Bluetooth Dropping

Ok here are some tips if your Bluetooth keeps dropping mid ride.
Setup: iPhone Zwift Companion app, Windows 10 PC, Kinetic Rock N Roll Control

  1. Unplug your Kinetic
  2. Turn off Bluetooth on your PC via Bluetooth settings
  3. On your iPhone remove all saved Bluetooth devices (forget device…)
  4. Turn on your Kinetic
  5. Start the Kinetic app and make sure it is paired, also check sensors for new firmware
  6. Close Kinetic app
  7. Start Zwift companion app on iPhone
  8. Start Zwift on PC, on main pairing screen click on gear on top right and make sure you are no on BETA Bluetooth direct.
  9. Zwift should be paired with your companion app
  10. Make sure you don’t have your phone plugged in to your PC for power (that is my latest debugging try). Windows may be trying to connect via the USB to the iPhone and screwing up the Bluetooth stack.

If you are really having BT drops, those are good steps. I would also add a few more.

  • If at all possible do not use 2.4Ghz WiFi to connect your phone and PC to your network. Use a 5Ghz band instead. Many WiFi routers and PC adapters will need manual configuration to achieve this. BT is also on the crowded 2.4Ghz spectrum.
  • Look for other devices that may be using BT nearby. I found 5 things with some BT activity within 15 feet of my trainer. Move them or turn them off if you have having drops. If you aren’t, well don’t worry then.

Also, the signals from the BT get processed by your phone and they are sent over WiFi to your PC. If your watts, cadence, or HR drops is doesn’t always mean it is a BT problem.

  • Try to turn off cellular on your phone. Some phones will try to switch to 4G (or equivalent) if the WiFi flakes out. It shouldn’t be an issue, but if you are having a problem it won’t hurt to try.

  • Try a speed test before you start a ride. Do it on the PC and the phone. Unusually slow ping or transfer speeds can cause a problem. There are fancier ways to dig into this with task manager and resource monitor during a ride if you suspect a problem. Using those tools you can see the latency between your phone and the PC.