# Problem with Synaptics touchpad (laptop) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 12, 2004, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/problem-with-synaptics-touchpad-laptop/254720 "2004-07-12T16:29:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2004, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/problem-with-synaptics-touchpad-laptop/254720/1 "2004-07-12T16:29:58Z")
I want the ‘tap’ feature off because it’s bloody irritating. Keeps clicking allover the place when I move the pointer. Trouble is the full set of options only appear at random when you go into device settings and whenever I can get in there and turn tap off it soon turns it’self back on. I think whatever is causing the lack of full options is also turning tap back on. Any other users of synaptics touchpads had this behaviour and how to fix it? ---
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2004, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/problem-with-synaptics-touchpad-laptop/254720/2 "2004-07-12T21:01:55Z")
I couldn’t configure-around that problem either. So I got pissed off and bought a Logitech mouse. Well, after loading the Logitech mouse driver, I didn’t need the Logitech mouse, the mouse-pad works fine now. Not sure how you get a copy of a Logitech mouse driver without buying a Logitech mouse though. [http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/downloads/categories/US/EN,CRID=1792](http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/downloads/categories/US/EN,CRID=1792) ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2004, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/problem-with-synaptics-touchpad-laptop/254720/3 "2004-07-12T21:40:44Z")
Download the latest Synaptics driver [here](http://www.synaptics.com/support/downloads.cfm). The feature set is pretty complete and should let you control the tap feature more securely. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2004, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/problem-with-synaptics-touchpad-laptop/254720/4 "2004-07-12T23:35:08Z")
Thanks, **astro** I did that and it solved the problem. The new drivers have the ‘tapping’ in the context menu of the system tray icon. I am going to buy a wired optical mouse asap, for the rapid computing I do that touchpad is no good. And I bought the lappy to be a serious games machine so touchpad is a no no. wired you ask? well having a wireless reciever dangling off the side of the laptop would defeat the object and apparently they need to be a safe distance away from the computer. Unless I can get a bluetooth mouse! (or somehow a mouse that is wireless and utilises the ir port of the laptop) do such things exist? (bearing in mind I killed my bank account buying the laptop) ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2004, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/problem-with-synaptics-touchpad-laptop/254720/5 "2004-07-12T23:46:46Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > Thanks, **astro** I did that and it solved the problem. The new drivers have the ‘tapping’ in the context menu of the system tray icon. > > I am going to buy a wired optical mouse asap, for the rapid computing I do that touchpad is no good. And I bought the lappy to be a serious games machine so touchpad is a no no. > wired you ask? well having a wireless reciever dangling off the side of the laptop would defeat the object and apparently they need to be a safe distance away from the computer. > Unless I can get a bluetooth mouse! (or somehow a mouse that is wireless and utilises the ir port of the laptop) do such things exist? (bearing in mind I killed my bank account buying the laptop) Glad it worked, but I’m totally confused by your “safe distance” comment re why a wireless RF mouse would not work for you. Please elaborate. There are wireless notebook mice with very small USB RF rec/trans dongles. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2004, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/problem-with-synaptics-touchpad-laptop/254720/6 "2004-07-13T00:00:21Z")
> [@astro](#): > > Glad it worked, but I’m totally confused by your “safe distance” comment re why a wireless RF mouse would not work for you. Please elaborate. There are wireless notebook mice with very small USB RF rec/trans dongles. On the instructions for my wireless logitech mouse and keyboard (for my other comp) it said to keep the reciever a certain distance away from electrical equipment such as the monitor or tower. I can’t remember if it’s reasons were ‘won’t work otherwise’ or ‘could cause long-term damage to reciever and/or monitor’ Even at the time I suspected it could be overprecautious (sp?) BS but I did so anyway to be safe and it kind of stuck. Also, my experience of using a cordless mouse with a laptop in the past is that it isn’t really any less awkward than using a standard mouse with a wire… _but_ if as you say there exist mice with recievers that are not on the end of a wire but are small ‘dongles’ directly plugged into a usb port then bingo, I’ll get one (if they are not to 'spencive) off to amazon I pop. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2004, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/problem-with-synaptics-touchpad-laptop/254720/7 "2004-07-13T00:01:07Z")
I had problems with my touchpad drivers and it was sue to multiple instances of the device having been (somehow) installed. Also, I have an RF wireless mouse and it is a bag of shite; there is a very noticeable time lag between mouse and cursor movement; the range is only about one metre - and mousepad to back of tower PC under desk is about one metre - resulting in jittery motion when it is moved just that little bit further from the receiver. The thing also keeps going into power saving mode. I have reverted back to a wired model. I don’t think there is any such thing as an IrDA mouse, but there are loads of bluetooth models out there. I won’t ever buy a ball mouse again though. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2004, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/problem-with-synaptics-touchpad-laptop/254720/8 "2004-07-13T00:09:42Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > I had problems with my touchpad drivers and it was sue to multiple instances of the device having been (somehow) installed. Funnily enough that was what I thought was happening on mine. > [@](#): > > I won’t ever buy a ball mouse again though. Having used them at work, I couldn’t agree more. The mice were the one thing that could make me lose my temper physically (by slamming the mouse at full force onto the desk) ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2004, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/problem-with-synaptics-touchpad-laptop/254720/9 "2004-07-13T00:09:54Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > going into power saving mode. I have reverted back to a wired model. > > I don’t think there is any such thing as an IrDA mouse, but there are loads of bluetooth models out there. > > I won’t ever buy a ball mouse again though. Some older wireless mice were infrared, but the line of sight requirement made them less desirable and useful than RF miice and they kind of disappeared. When speaking of “loads” are you sure you don’t mean regular RF mice (which are the most popular). Bluetooth mice are a somewhat rarer and more expensive creatures (RF with sophisticated signaling protocals) although they will become more popular as prices drop. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2004, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/problem-with-synaptics-touchpad-laptop/254720/10 "2004-07-13T00:12:49Z")
> [@](#): > > line of sight requirement could this be why my PDA and laptop can’t see eachother? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2004, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/problem-with-synaptics-touchpad-laptop/254720/11 "2004-07-13T00:34:30Z")
> [@astro](#): > > Some older wireless mice were infrared Yes, but I think they used proprietary IR communications, rather than IrDA. > [@](#): > > When speaking of “loads” are you sure you don’t mean regular RF mice (which are the most popular). Bluetooth mice are a somewhat rarer and more expensive creatures (RF with sophisticated signaling protocals) although they will become more popular as prices drop. To be perfectly honest, what I mean is that my standard cursory search (Google, [eBuyer.co.uk](http://eBuyer.co.uk), [DealTime.co.uk](http://DealTime.co.uk) and Amazon) turned up a number of promising results for ‘Bluetooth mouse’. You’re right though - they aren’t anywhere near as abundant as other types, including proprietary RF. ---
**Author:** ![ChordedZither](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9c0ed/32.png) [@ChordedZither](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChordedZither)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2004, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/problem-with-synaptics-touchpad-laptop/254720/12 "2004-07-13T01:56:06Z")
One additional note on the Synaptics settings: a lot of apparent problems with the tap setting are really solved by turning up the “palm check” sensitivity. This is intended to prevent the touchpad from responding to “spurious” signals from your hands moving over the touchpad as you are typing - but I find that it helps prevent bogus clicks and mouse movements in general. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2004, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/problem-with-synaptics-touchpad-laptop/254720/13 "2004-07-13T04:24:53Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > could this be why my PDA and laptop can’t see eachother? Yes they need to be eye to eye at roughly the same level.