SOME QUESTIONS ANSWERED! 1- Whats the Brand? Like I said in the video the brand doesn’t matter as it’s the manufacturer Colorii that produces these for all the different brands that put their own name on it. 2- How is the Airflow? Airflow doesn’t seem affected the opening is plenty for the fans of the Mac Mini. 3- Does the problem remain with different cables? Yes the problem remains even after changing 3 different cables. 4- Does the problem remain when the hub isn’t plugged in? No when the hub isn’t plugged in the Mac mini doesn’t have these issues when being placed on top. 5- Can you use ethernet? Probably as that wouldn’t affect the wifi but you might still have bluetooth issues as some people have mentioned. 6- Does the Stand without the hub work? Yes the model without the hub should work fine without issues as it seems it’s the hub when turned on that’s causing an issue. 7- Can you not connect it to the front of the Mac mini to save thunderbolt ports on the back? Yes you can but then you’d need a longer cable and it would look ugly. 8- Could the unit just be faulty? It is possible but that doesn’t explain why others are having the same issue. THIS WILL BE UPDATED AS MORE QUESTIONS COME IN.
@@MrHtech This tells me three is some emi/ rfi interference going on with the hub because it only happens when turned on, maybe the board inside has a radio or something even though not used.
I also purchased the same docking station, but no wifi issues, my Mac mini M4 gets 400MGps, is there something in the logistics of shipping the machine? Anyway, I really like the look.
It's nice that someone addressed this problem. For me, the Wi-Fi transfer after connecting the device to Mac Mini M4 dropped very dramatically. Without connecting the device, transfer 1022/306 after connecting 37/29. I sent the device back, the seller sent a new one, we'll see.
I actually just ordered this a few days ago, but I ordered the stand only version as I don’t need a dock since my monitor has enough extra ports. The main reason I got it is so I can access the power button, and it sounds like for that purpose it works well.
I bought a VESA bracket from a guy in the UK who is 3D printing them. It gives me full access to the power button, plus frees up desk space as well. Because it is plastic, there are no RF issues. I had to add a few washers to prevent it flexing to fit my curved screen, but that was my problem, not with the bracket.
If there is a problem with RF energy feedback through the USB (or any other cable) you can wrap the cable through a ferrite bead and that should stop it.
It could also be the metal construction attenuating the antenna. The WiFi radio is in the bottom of the mini. There was also an issue with USB 3.0 that affected 2.4GHz frequencies in the near field due to poor shielding. I'm not sure if this has been fixed in newer revisions of the USB spec or not (not heard anything about it since to be fair to maybe they have), so something there could be having an affect maybe.
@@TalesOfWar This is exactly it. The metal on the stand is probably electrically grounded via the cable. The metal by itself is not enough to attenuate the signal, but grounded it will be. This will explain why raising the mini a bit above the stand has the effect it does. I hear the next version of this stand with the HDMI socket at the back no longer has this issue. I'd assume the manufacturer has not grounded the stand. There is still a small amount of attenuation but that is probably just the metal itself.
I have the Satechi USB4 NVMe SSD Pro Enclosure with a 2TB SSD drive inside of it, attached to my Mac Mini M4 Pro, and the thing flies from a speed perspective. Looking forward to their Mac Mini M4 Stand & Hub. Their products are 1st class.
I also noticed a decrease in wifi speed on the Mac Mini M4 when using a different type of 4-port 3.0 USB hub! The observation is completely justified! I'm also planning to buy a dock, but....
Bit apprehensive about the design as the MM4 exhaust is at the back so there is no clean path for the hot air to exit because of the metal piece blocking the exhaust so I think the hot air may somewhat circle back in, are you getting the same temps as without the stand or it is bit warmer?
Hmm… I haven’t experienced any weakened WiFi signal. I hooked up a 20w power adapter, then without the power adapter and finally without the dock. All tries had a very strong signals. Very satisfied with this dock.
I had the same problem. I did some testing and found if I use a USB A 2.0 cable and hook it us I get full Wi-Fi with the Mac mini on top. The down fall is the internal SSD drive is very, very slow at about 30 mbs and the USB a ports on the front are intermittent. So the Wi-Fi is good if the hub is not connected, or attached with a USB A 2.0 cable. Either way it’s not what I or anybody else would want or use. Because the Wi-Fi works with the USB A cable, it’s not a faulty unit. It’s something with the electronics of the hub. I was disappointed.
The original mac mini had a plastic top where the wifi passed thru. Unfortunately these mac minis have the it on the bottom so it depends on what surface the mac mini is placed on. Apple has not made it easy.
@@zeniktorres4320 I know it isn't a solution for everyone, but given it's a desktop I'd just make use of the Ethernet port anyway. I imagine most people will have one near by if they've been using desktops for any length of time.
I can say that my GEWOKLIY branded M4 dock from US Amazon does not have this flaw. Normal wi-fi speeds (100+ up 15+ down Starlink) when sitting on dock and when dock is also plugged in from host port to a rear M4 Mini port.
Unshielded USB-C cables can interfere with 2.4GHz connections. I bought a USB-C power/hub adapter that blocked my WiFi because the cables weren't well shielded. Using aluminum foil on the cable, or using a _good_ USB-C extension cable worked. Also note that the antenna is partly blocked by the metal ring. The Mac Mini has an Ethernet port... use it!
Ah, so the RF bleed is still an issue with USB. I knew there was an issue with 3.0 but kind of assumed (and hoped) that better shielding would be part of any future revisions of the spec to fix this. I guess not lol, unless it's just on poorly constructed cables that don't technically meet the proper spec.
On the RayCue website I just ordered base with 40 Gbps for 110 dollars no taxes and free shipping. And thanks for your warning because I was looking at the hub you talked about in this video. I will also be ordering my M4 Mac Mini on January 1st and I already bought a Thunderbolt external ssd enclosure with a 4TB chip and if I add 4TB ssd to the base I will have a Wapping 8TB of hard drive space and Apple did not get any of that money. Happy Holy Days!
@MrHtech Is the Raycue one better ? With no issues ? I can’t find a single review of this one let alone any tests to see the read and write speeds with the 40gbps enclosure.
@@Victoria.Delcourt I'm in exactly the same situation. Saw this video and trying to find an alternative. Zero reviews for the RayCue but this video's description is still linking to it though.
@woutervandenputte1356 I will probably wait for the Satechi one, apparently this spring or the beginning of the summer. It won't be 40gbps though...only 10. Or maybe the Chinese company from the video will fix the problem in their 40gbps version. Honestly, I really need more storage now, but I don't see a viable solution other than a regular enclosure. It is so impractical!
I have a tiny stand alone Uni hub with all the connectors, sd card slots etc and an external ssd from my old Intel Mac mini and the whole lot tucks away in the back of the desk drawer with the keyboard, trackpad and mouse for a super clean desk top. These stand/hubs are for show when you can pay £20 for a functional hub.
Thanks for the warning. How is the air flow? Is there much space between the Mac's vents and the metal hole in the stand? I have seen no pictures underneath of the Mac's vents and the metal ring.
I have same hub stand for my M4 Mac mini. And I’m concerned the air flow may not be enough. Because the metal hole is nicely same size as Mac mini air hole. I think the metal hole is a bit too small..
It could be the cable that came with it, when I plugged the short usb c cable that goes from dock to m4 it lost all connection, I used one of my own cables and now its fine with no drop in internet speed
Would you be able to check if the Bluetooth range/performance would also be impacted? I am considering this dock and I use Ethernet not Wifi so the Wifi issue should not be an issue for me. But I do use bluetooth headset when in the kitchen, so the range should really border me.
Try a different cable from the hub to the mini. USB C cables now have active electronics in the plug ends that negotiate speed/power delivery/charging etc. Maybe the cable is emitting rf which is interfering with the wifi. Also for troubleshooting sake try plugging into the front connectors
The Antenna of the mac mini is on the black hub at the bottom ring, if it sits on the metal surface, especially if it is like a ring and encloses all the three antenna then obviously you are blocking the signal .
Had a similar issue with a satachi stand for my Mac mini m2 pro where WiFi signal was diminished by 40-50% Two Apple tech guys tried to sort the issue but failed, then I read that external drives can cause these issues so I moved my two ext drives further away from the Mac mini, WiFi came back perfectly. Try removing the stands internal drive and see if the WiFi issue persists 🤔
WOW great insight. I was going to buy this but after seeing your video I will stay away from it. Hopefully we will see a version with more USB-C connections. Thanks so much!!
@@MrHtech I think they are pointing out that you are bemoaning having to trade a t4 port and obviously that’s what you have to do to connect a hub, or an external ssd, or both in this case. Kind of a silly quibble. The problem isn’t really that it takes up a port. The problem is that the ssd is slow and the hub’s ports are old fashioned.
As a result of my further experiments, I achieved the highest wifi speed by turning the Mac Mini M4 on its side without a USB HUB, so that the vent was on the right side. In all other situations, the speed was lower.
But it‘s not the Metal itself, it happens when a cable is connecting the M4 Mac mini and the Dock. The Version without the Dock is not killing the Network. It seems the electronic of the Dock is the cause.
Apple was smart enough to stick the antennas right in the center of the fan shroud. But anything with poor EMI shielding stuck close to the bottom may kill wifi and bt. I think keeping the mini on its side is probably the optimal play. Not to mention the dust factor.
I had the same issue. When I unplug the dock and left it on the hub, wifi works fine. It seems like issue with whats inside there. The m.2 speed was extremely low as well so it was a waste of money.
As I was watching your review ironically my order of this very unit arrived! Now I wonder if I should keep it. I do not use wireless as my mini is hard wired to my router. Advice for me? Any other defects? Box is unopened still. 😅
The antennas are in the cover connected to the metal cover inside so right under plastic cover so antennas are not touching the metal stand…interference is created electronically for the wify and Bluetooth to slow down or fail
Most of my USB cables are A. But for the mac mini, I use BT exclusively so I don't have cables from the TV stand to my couch. Also Power, 10Gbit/s Ethernet and HDMI are connected. I don't use Wifi. It is so slow, and I also think it's a bit redundant since it's not a notebook. My old mac mini (Power G4) also didn't have Wifi. Storage is external on the NAS, it has 30TB. Fast enough for playing movies.
The wifi antenna is at the bottom of your mac mini, mate - and its signal is being blocked by the metal of the stand surrounding it. I’m guessing the stand only version will have the same problem! Try putting a couple of clothes pegs or something under it to test raising it up a bit when it’s sat on top :) Update: Saw your other comment about it only happening when plugged in. Try a) Grounding the hub bit or b) Ensuring none of the metal of the mini is touching any of the metal of the stand (insulating it) or c) using anything non-conductive you can find that will raise the mini up a bit
@@goldmundbyrne7075 the stand only versions don’t have the issue, also if I just put the Mac mini onto the stand without plugging in the dock it works without issues
@@MrHtechI’ve updated the comment with some other suggestions - either way, probs best to find another dock - hopefully the manufacturers will take heed before that updated version you mentioned! And also - check that the host port on the new one will actually support the 40g speeds - and not just the ssd slot! Good luck :)
@@MrHtechany compliance marks on the stand ? Working without plugged in or slower speed while placed beside might mean the stand not just shield the wifi but active interfere due to electrical design ? Just guess …
kita punya problem yang sama, ketika menggunakan sinyal 5G Mac mini m4 saya ga bisa sama sekali terkoneksi wifi, ketika menggunakan 2G bisa terkoneksi, tapi sangat lemah,, tetapi masalah sekarang terpecahkan ketika saya ganti menggunakan kabel original dari hagibis bawaan nya dan saya colokan ke thunderbolt paling kiri di m4 mini, dan sekarang koneksi normal kembali, semoga membantu, tolong dan coba berbagai kabel usb c to usb c yang lainnya kalau masalah kembali terjadi, semoga membantu, maaf saya dari indonesia dan tidak bicara bahasa Inggris, terimakasih untuk sharing problem nya MrHtech, subscribed
I have also had issues with cables not working. I have now replaced ALL of them with Intel certified Thunderbolt 5 cables, and while was in the recabling mood, I replaced all my Cat 5 and 5e cables with Cat 8 ! Maybe an overkill, but will be useful one day when I switch all my hardware to 10Gbps. BIG MISTAKE I MADE.. Not specifying the 10 Gbps port (an extra AU$150) on the base M4. I'm seriously thinking of getting another M4 just so I can transfer files faster. 😞
The Hub has a frequency leak interfering and blocking the wifi and bt radio signals. The hub is not shielded against interfering with wifi and bt on the Mini. Try covering the hub with foil or some material that blocks signals from interference with Mini wifi. Bet you it works and helps determine where the interference is originating. Not a permanent fix, just a try and see what happens. .
@@MrHtech You are probably still getting RF interference. Wrapping it in foil gives something close to a real Faraday cage (which blocks RF (radio frequencies)...
I have the same dock. Not sure if my issue is related to this. My wifi is working fine. Haven‘t notice any slowdowns but i was wondering why the mac mini is not recognizing my airpods or my iphone for camera continuity. I have no issues with other bluetooth devices or airdrop but with the two mentioned functions. I thought it might be a issue with setting up the nvme as home drive. I will check it tomorrow.
Update on my issue. In fact camera continuity didn't work because of the dock. My AirPods still won't connect to the Mac mini. I will return this dock definitely
Since some devices have this flaw, and others don't, you really should name the brand so that we can help narrow down whether there is a connection between the two.
Wow! I still haven't recived my dock (I ordered the same exact one!) Never thouhgt it could cause some interference with the Wifi. Thanks for the video!
Received my M4 mac mini yesterday and built it sitting on my stand with nvme ssd installed. OK I plugges an ethernet cable in for the internet, but I am getting full wifi with it on the stand.
The upper side of the Mac Mini M4 and the sides are made of metal. So the wifi antenna needs to be located at the bottom of the M4 Mini. So if you put it on a metal plate the electronics are completely covered with metal. Of course WiFi won't work in that case. It's a Faraday cage.
@@stefan_becker the bottom metal section the Mac mini sits on isn’t the problem as it works fine when the hub isn’t plugged in, it’s when the hub is plugged in the issue happens
Weird I got the same one, been using for a week now, and have absolutely no issue with Wifi... Though I am still conterplating on sending it back, for the Raycue one with the 40GBS speed..
Actually I just noticed that the Raycue one with the 40GBS speed only has 4 ports as apposed to the 10GBS one has 10 ports... So I'll probably hang on to this one until they update it with the 40 GBS ports... Kinda like the Memory Card slot, comes in very handy.
I have way too many usb A midi devices so I’m looking for more usb A. I was looking at this hub a while ago. Now I think I’m going to pick up a usb c to usb a hub. There are tons of those available. I already have a usb a hub but need to check speed. If speed is ok I’ll just get an adapter.
Interference from USB 3.0, especially if drive is present, such as thumb drive, or a NVME SSD connected via USB3.0 in a poorly RF screened enclosure, is a widespread problem. I used to find USB 3.0 drives would interfere with Logitech 2.4 GHz wireless adapters for mouse / keyboard if connected to a USB port near another USB port on a Mini PC with a USB drive connected. The solution for me was to a use a USB extension cable to connect the Logitech Wireless adapter so it was at 20 cm away from any USB drive, but that's not practical in your case. The Manufacturer needs to improve the RF screening of components in the hub unit, such as having an earthed metallic coating / foil on the inside of the hub plastic casing.
I believe (as many have mentioned) the base is blocking the WiFi antenna. Maybe it would work better for those who use an ethernet cable to access the internet.
I have to Colorii Stand (not dock) and works perfectly with zero wifi issues. Everything wifi and bluetooth work perfectly as expected. Even have 2 external SSD's and CalDigit Dock under the stand with no issues. So, no idea where you guys are coming from but it works perfectly for me.
@@HeyNiagraFalls like I mentioned in the video the one with the stand sea to work however it seems to be the one with the dock that’s causing issues 👌🏼
As far as losing a port on the back of the Mac mini, could you not connect it to a USB-C port on front of the Mini, as long as you’re not using the SSD slot on the hub? If the device would work with that cable, none of the other devices that you would be copying Through the device would need thunderbolt speeds.
@@MrHtech I have both front USB-c slots used up with 2 hubs, one with 8 USB-A ports, and the other running a label printer. And because the M4 is mounted behind the screen, I have no issues with looking at the ugliness of it ;-)
Shame as the design is very good. I could even still make use of the USB ports to hook up some older MIDI gear, in fact it’s kind of ideal for my purposes. If it turns out to be bad sample or they update the specs, I’d take a look, but I’m guessing some kind of electrical interference which doesn’t sound good.
@@robertfloyd4287 I’m waiting for the new one of the this to arrive to see if the issue is fixed. But even so I’m not a fan of the usb a ports and slow nvme transfer speeds. I think raycue is making an updated on that might be good .
I had and have the exact same issue on my setachi dock i bought just a week ago together with my Mac mini M4. Right away after setting it all up( Mac on top of the Setachi) and started wifi etc it was disconnecting and behaving weirdly. It worked when i restarted wifi and router etc. And first i had no clue what it was. tried to search for other reasons over internet. But just couldnt get to the bottom of it. Really frustrating and annoying :( Also considered my Mac mini being faulty. Then after a while i found this thread on redit about a guy having the Setachi adn mac mini and his wifi being hindered by the metal in the setachi cutting his mac wifi, and several others said the same thing that the mac mini had their antennas on the bottom and that positioning of the mac mini in general had to be question. Kind of a design flaw on both accounts. But it was an easy fix, so i just moved my mac mini a little to the side on top of the Setachi, so its sort of hanging over the edge a bit now instead of straight on top. Right away wifi shot up and now instead of like 60 Mbps i have around 700 again lol. I wish more people know about this, very annoying and also makes buying the new setachi incoming this spring a bit sketchy as its supposedly going to do the same thing again since its metal from what i believe. But at least now i know :)
@@MrHtech yes! so annoying. But happy i finally got the reason at least. Was about to start calling my internet provider and apple to see if something else could be done. So kind of happy i did not go through all that in vain ^^
@ Gotcha! I mis-understood it as you didn't think it was worth trading 1 port for 5 ports but I get your point about the speed. For me, if only Apple had added 1 USB-A to the M4 Mac Mini then it would have been perfect.
That hub is definitely making some interference with Mac Mini connectivity. As Apple actually put all wireless antenna right in the base of the Mac mini This is at least from what info that I know based from the teardown videos
I’m curious to know why you’re not using Ethernet with your Mac mini setup, it is, after all, a desktop computer. Simply put, you won’t have wifi issues if you don’t use wifi b
@@PeterEmery I have a Tenda (version1 ) mesh with 5 nodes spread around the house (2 storey). I'm now looking to upgrade to something faster than 100Mbps. But finding anything with actual speeds is nigh on impossible (at a reasonable price).
I bought one of these and am waiting to receive it. My wifi on my network only being used for the cell phones, TV, tablets, etc. My computers are on an wired ethernet backbone so I'm not going to have to deal with wi-fi on my mac mini. I'm going to test it when I receive it. If it has an issue on my wi-fi, I'll contact the company and see what they say.
What speed are you running on your backbone? I (stupidly) bought the base model M4 without thinking I didn't need the 10Gbps network upgrade. But I was wrong. It is taking me hours, and even days to move TB files from one place to another 😞
@@greghudson9717 2.5 GIG. I'm going to upgrade it to 10 gig. My internet is only 1 gig. 10 gig is local lan between my NAS boxes and my computers (mac and pc) I did get my mini with a 10 gig.
@@greghudson9717I also elected not to get the 10GB Ethernet Upgrade, but I don’t think I will be transferring humongous TB files or large groups of GB files. If you can’t return your Mac Mini M4 to Apple (ie. Past the 14 day period), do you have the funds to buy a replacement Mac Mini with the 10 GB Ethernet, migrate your system and files over, then rest the old Mac Mini to factory default and sell it as “almost new” (to recoup most of your funds)?
@@dovmerrill804 G'Day. I agree that getting a new M4 with 10Gbps and retiring this old M4 would have been ideal, but I've already spent that cash on a 12 Bay Asustor NAS, with 12 x 2TB NVMe SSD's. I'll have to wait for a few more eBay sales ;-)
SOME QUESTIONS ANSWERED!
1- Whats the Brand?
Like I said in the video the brand doesn’t matter as it’s the manufacturer Colorii that produces these for all the different brands that put their own name on it.
2- How is the Airflow?
Airflow doesn’t seem affected the opening is plenty for the fans of the Mac Mini.
3- Does the problem remain with different cables?
Yes the problem remains even after changing 3 different cables.
4- Does the problem remain when the hub isn’t plugged in?
No when the hub isn’t plugged in the Mac mini doesn’t have these issues when being placed on top.
5- Can you use ethernet?
Probably as that wouldn’t affect the wifi but you might still have bluetooth issues as some people have mentioned.
6- Does the Stand without the hub work?
Yes the model without the hub should work fine without issues as it seems it’s the hub when turned on that’s causing an issue.
7- Can you not connect it to the front of the Mac mini to save thunderbolt ports on the back?
Yes you can but then you’d need a longer cable and it would look ugly.
8- Could the unit just be faulty?
It is possible but that doesn’t explain why others are having the same issue.
THIS WILL BE UPDATED AS MORE QUESTIONS COME IN.
@@MrHtech This tells me three is some emi/ rfi interference going on with the hub because it only happens when turned on, maybe the board inside has a radio or something even though not used.
Refreshing to see a TH-camr not trying to sell us something but save us from wasting money. Thank you. Subscribed .
@@EezaWongun I got you 👌🏼 thanks for watching
I have a similar problem if I put the Mac mini m4 pro on top of an external disk drive because the WiFi antenna is on n the bottom of the device.
I also purchased the same docking station, but no wifi issues, my Mac mini M4 gets 400MGps, is there something in the logistics of shipping the machine? Anyway, I really like the look.
No idea it came perfectly packaged no damage
It's nice that someone addressed this problem. For me, the Wi-Fi transfer after connecting the device to Mac Mini M4 dropped very dramatically. Without connecting the device, transfer 1022/306 after connecting 37/29. I sent the device back, the seller sent a new one, we'll see.
Thanks for the information! I have it in my Amazon cart, but I’ll wait until I find a reliable, tested dock.
I actually just ordered this a few days ago, but I ordered the stand only version as I don’t need a dock since my monitor has enough extra ports. The main reason I got it is so I can access the power button, and it sounds like for that purpose it works well.
@@ericnurko yeh you should be fine
I bought a VESA bracket from a guy in the UK who is 3D printing them. It gives me full access to the power button, plus frees up desk space as well. Because it is plastic, there are no RF issues. I had to add a few washers to prevent it flexing to fit my curved screen, but that was my problem, not with the bracket.
If there is a problem with RF energy feedback through the USB (or any other cable) you can wrap the cable through a ferrite bead and that should stop it.
It could also be the metal construction attenuating the antenna. The WiFi radio is in the bottom of the mini. There was also an issue with USB 3.0 that affected 2.4GHz frequencies in the near field due to poor shielding. I'm not sure if this has been fixed in newer revisions of the USB spec or not (not heard anything about it since to be fair to maybe they have), so something there could be having an affect maybe.
@@TalesOfWar This is exactly it. The metal on the stand is probably electrically grounded via the cable. The metal by itself is not enough to attenuate the signal, but grounded it will be. This will explain why raising the mini a bit above the stand has the effect it does. I hear the next version of this stand with the HDMI socket at the back no longer has this issue. I'd assume the manufacturer has not grounded the stand. There is still a small amount of attenuation but that is probably just the metal itself.
Thanks for the honest review. You will be surprised how many people still use USB-A. The Satechi Mac Mini M4 Stand & Hub looks good.
I have the Satechi USB4 NVMe SSD Pro Enclosure with a 2TB SSD drive inside of it, attached to my Mac Mini M4 Pro, and the thing flies from a speed perspective. Looking forward to their Mac Mini M4 Stand & Hub. Their products are 1st class.
There must of been a bad batch of units. I got mine a couple weeks ago, and it works just fine. No wifi or Bluetooth issues at all
I have another coming so will test it out and see
I also noticed a decrease in wifi speed on the Mac Mini M4 when using a different type of 4-port 3.0 USB hub!
The observation is completely justified!
I'm also planning to buy a dock, but....
Bit apprehensive about the design as the MM4 exhaust is at the back so there is no clean path for the hot air to exit because of the metal piece blocking the exhaust so I think the hot air may somewhat circle back in, are you getting the same temps as without the stand or it is bit warmer?
Between that and the incredibly stupid power button position… *sigh*
Tested the RayCue to see if it’s ok and doesn’t have a similar problem?
Hmm… I haven’t experienced any weakened WiFi signal. I hooked up a 20w power adapter, then without the power adapter and finally without the dock. All tries had a very strong signals. Very satisfied with this dock.
I have it too, and there are no issues that bother me, I just bought it yesterday.
I had the same problem. I did some testing and found if I use a USB A 2.0 cable and hook it us I get full Wi-Fi with the Mac mini on top. The down fall is the internal SSD drive is very, very slow at about 30 mbs and the USB a ports on the front are intermittent. So the Wi-Fi is good if the hub is not connected, or attached with a USB A 2.0 cable. Either way it’s not what I or anybody else would want or use. Because the Wi-Fi works with the USB A cable, it’s not a faulty unit. It’s something with the electronics of the hub. I was disappointed.
I wonder where the wifi antennas are on the Mac Mini?
If they are on the bottom it may be that the dock is shielding the signal.
this is correct
The original mac mini had a plastic top where the wifi passed thru. Unfortunately these mac minis have the it on the bottom so it depends on what surface the mac mini is placed on. Apple has not made it easy.
@@zeniktorres4320 I know it isn't a solution for everyone, but given it's a desktop I'd just make use of the Ethernet port anyway. I imagine most people will have one near by if they've been using desktops for any length of time.
I can say that my GEWOKLIY branded M4 dock from US Amazon does not have this flaw. Normal wi-fi speeds (100+ up 15+ down Starlink) when sitting on dock and when dock is also plugged in from host port to a rear M4 Mini port.
How can i purchase the dock？ Do you have the link？
Unshielded USB-C cables can interfere with 2.4GHz connections. I bought a USB-C power/hub adapter that blocked my WiFi because the cables weren't well shielded. Using aluminum foil on the cable, or using a _good_ USB-C extension cable worked. Also note that the antenna is partly blocked by the metal ring. The Mac Mini has an Ethernet port... use it!
Ah, so the RF bleed is still an issue with USB. I knew there was an issue with 3.0 but kind of assumed (and hoped) that better shielding would be part of any future revisions of the spec to fix this. I guess not lol, unless it's just on poorly constructed cables that don't technically meet the proper spec.
On the RayCue website I just ordered base with 40 Gbps for 110 dollars no taxes and free shipping. And thanks for your warning because I was looking at the hub you talked about in this video. I will also be ordering my M4 Mac Mini on January 1st and I already bought a Thunderbolt external ssd enclosure with a 4TB chip and if I add 4TB ssd to the base I will have a Wapping 8TB of hard drive space and Apple did not get any of that money. Happy Holy Days!
That’s awesome 👌🏼 I’m glad I could help
@MrHtech Is the Raycue one better ? With no issues ? I can’t find a single review of this one let alone any tests to see the read and write speeds with the 40gbps enclosure.
@@Victoria.Delcourt I'm in exactly the same situation. Saw this video and trying to find an alternative. Zero reviews for the RayCue but this video's description is still linking to it though.
@woutervandenputte1356 I will probably wait for the Satechi one, apparently this spring or the beginning of the summer. It won't be 40gbps though...only 10. Or maybe the Chinese company from the video will fix the problem in their 40gbps version. Honestly, I really need more storage now, but I don't see a viable solution other than a regular enclosure. It is so impractical!
I have a tiny stand alone Uni hub with all the connectors, sd card slots etc and an external ssd from my old Intel Mac mini and the whole lot tucks away in the back of the desk drawer with the keyboard, trackpad and mouse for a super clean desk top. These stand/hubs are for show when you can pay £20 for a functional hub.
Thanks for the warning. How is the air flow? Is there much space between the Mac's vents and the metal hole in the stand? I have seen no pictures underneath of the Mac's vents and the metal ring.
I have same hub stand for my M4 Mac mini. And I’m concerned the air flow may not be enough. Because the metal hole is nicely same size as Mac mini air hole. I think the metal hole is a bit too small..
@@takashiujiky5564 Thanks for the info. That was my concern.
What monitors is that easel thing?
Thanks for sharing this . Happy Christmas to you and yours 😊
It could be the cable that came with it, when I plugged the short usb c cable that goes from dock to m4 it lost all connection, I used one of my own cables and now its fine with no drop in internet speed
@@MikeG-rh1lk tried 3 different cables :/
Would you be able to check if the Bluetooth range/performance would also be impacted? I am considering this dock and I use Ethernet not Wifi so the Wifi issue should not be an issue for me. But I do use bluetooth headset when in the kitchen, so the range should really border me.
Never had a problem. I have the same set up and internet works just fine.
HOW did this issue get past any internal QA?
Try a different cable from the hub to the mini. USB C cables now have active electronics in the plug ends that negotiate speed/power delivery/charging etc. Maybe the cable is emitting rf which is interfering with the wifi. Also for troubleshooting sake try plugging into the front connectors
Tried 3 different ones
The Antenna of the mac mini is on the black hub at the bottom ring, if it sits on the metal surface, especially if it is like a ring and encloses all the three antenna then obviously you are blocking the signal .
I'm having the same situation. Bro, Merry Christmas! 🎄☃⛄❄
Sorry to hear that
I put it on top instead putting it below and the wifi works perfectly.
Had a similar issue with a satachi stand for my Mac mini m2 pro where WiFi signal was diminished by 40-50% Two Apple tech guys tried to sort the issue but failed, then I read that external drives can cause these issues so I moved my two ext drives further away from the Mac mini, WiFi came back perfectly. Try removing the stands internal drive and see if the WiFi issue persists 🤔
@@IainByrne but this diminishes the WiFi even when the Mac mini isn’t on top of the hub and is connected on the side
@ these were external drives not internal to the stand, I moved them about 3 feet away from the Mac mini and WiFi was fine and has been ever since
WOW great insight. I was going to buy this but after seeing your video I will stay away from it. Hopefully we will see a version with more USB-C connections. Thanks so much!!
Thanks for watching 👌🏼
Tried it without the NVME drive in there?
Just exactly how would you expect the hub to work if you don’t connect it to the MM?
@@Halo9K I did connect it ?
@@MrHtech I think they are pointing out that you are bemoaning having to trade a t4 port and obviously that’s what you have to do to connect a hub, or an external ssd, or both in this case. Kind of a silly quibble. The problem isn’t really that it takes up a port. The problem is that the ssd is slow and the hub’s ports are old fashioned.
@@chrischambless it’s not about trading a t4 port it’s the quality of the ports you get in exchange that isn’t to my preference
I'd not worry too much about the NVMe drive speed - it's ideal for Time Machine!
As a result of my further experiments, I achieved the highest wifi speed by turning the Mac Mini M4 on its side without a USB HUB, so that the vent was on the right side.
In all other situations, the speed was lower.
If memory serves, people were having this problem with the mac mini m2 as well. Not a new thing. Something to do with the base blocking the antenna.
Yes on my M1 it slowed the WiFi and completely shut down the Bluetooth
But it‘s not the Metal itself, it happens when a cable is connecting the M4 Mac mini and the Dock.
The Version without the Dock is not killing the Network.
It seems the electronic of the Dock is the cause.
I now placed it upside down, so it's more ergonomic.
Guess it would also solve the wifi issue (without dock) for those few people who use wifi?
Apple was smart enough to stick the antennas right in the center of the fan shroud. But anything with poor EMI shielding stuck close to the bottom may kill wifi and bt. I think keeping the mini on its side is probably the optimal play. Not to mention the dust factor.
I 3D printed a very nice VESA mount, and my mini will be a barnacle on the back of the monitor now.
I had the same issue. When I unplug the dock and left it on the hub, wifi works fine. It seems like issue with whats inside there. The m.2 speed was extremely low as well so it was a waste of money.
There is always the Ethernet connection?
As I was watching your review ironically my order of this very unit arrived! Now I wonder if I should keep it. I do not use wireless as my mini is hard wired to my router. Advice for me? Any other defects? Box is unopened still. 😅
Give it a test see if your one works, If it’s faulty you can return it
The antennas are in the cover connected to the metal cover inside so right under plastic cover so antennas are not touching the metal stand…interference is created electronically for the wify and Bluetooth to slow down or fail
I bought the same stand. I started noticing WiFi dropping out today when I was using a browser.
Thank you very much for the information and warning. I had planned to buy one in the future … 😮🙏🏻
Most of my USB cables are A.
But for the mac mini, I use BT exclusively so I don't have cables from the TV stand to my couch. Also Power, 10Gbit/s Ethernet and HDMI are connected.
I don't use Wifi. It is so slow, and I also think it's a bit redundant since it's not a notebook. My old mac mini (Power G4) also didn't have Wifi.
Storage is external on the NAS, it has 30TB. Fast enough for playing movies.
The wifi antenna is at the bottom of your mac mini, mate - and its signal is being blocked by the metal of the stand surrounding it. I’m guessing the stand only version will have the same problem! Try putting a couple of clothes pegs or something under it to test raising it up a bit when it’s sat on top :) Update: Saw your other comment about it only happening when plugged in. Try a) Grounding the hub bit or b) Ensuring none of the metal of the mini is touching any of the metal of the stand (insulating it) or c) using anything non-conductive you can find that will raise the mini up a bit
@@goldmundbyrne7075 the stand only versions don’t have the issue, also if I just put the Mac mini onto the stand without plugging in the dock it works without issues
@@MrHtechI’ve updated the comment with some other suggestions - either way, probs best to find another dock - hopefully the manufacturers will take heed before that updated version you mentioned! And also - check that the host port on the new one will actually support the 40g speeds - and not just the ssd slot! Good luck :)
It’s not the metal of the stand. Mine works fine until I plug in the hub to the computer via a USB C cable
No, it‘s not the Metal, it happens when a cable is connecting the M4 Mac mini and the Dock.
@@MrHtechany compliance marks on the stand ? Working without plugged in or slower speed while placed beside might mean the stand not just shield the wifi but active interfere due to electrical design ? Just guess …
Thank you so much. You just saved me a hell of a headache and a big waste of money. Keep up the great work.
@@healthandvitalitytoday2231 thanks for watching 😊
kita punya problem yang sama, ketika menggunakan sinyal 5G Mac mini m4 saya ga bisa sama sekali terkoneksi wifi, ketika menggunakan 2G bisa terkoneksi, tapi sangat lemah,, tetapi masalah sekarang terpecahkan ketika saya ganti menggunakan kabel original dari hagibis bawaan nya dan saya colokan ke thunderbolt paling kiri di m4 mini, dan sekarang koneksi normal kembali, semoga membantu, tolong dan coba berbagai kabel usb c to usb c yang lainnya kalau masalah kembali terjadi, semoga membantu, maaf saya dari indonesia dan tidak bicara bahasa Inggris, terimakasih untuk sharing problem nya MrHtech, subscribed
I have also had issues with cables not working. I have now replaced ALL of them with Intel certified Thunderbolt 5 cables, and while was in the recabling mood, I replaced all my Cat 5 and 5e cables with Cat 8 ! Maybe an overkill, but will be useful one day when I switch all my hardware to 10Gbps. BIG MISTAKE I MADE.. Not specifying the 10 Gbps port (an extra AU$150) on the base M4. I'm seriously thinking of getting another M4 just so I can transfer files faster. 😞
The Hub has a frequency leak interfering and blocking the wifi and bt radio signals. The hub is not shielded against interfering with wifi and bt on the Mini.
Try covering the hub with foil or some material that blocks signals from interference with Mini wifi.
Bet you it works and helps determine where the interference is originating. Not a permanent fix, just a try and see what happens. .
But in the video I even have the Mac mini to the side connected to it and it’s causing WiFi slow down
@@MrHtech You are probably still getting RF interference. Wrapping it in foil gives something close to a real Faraday cage (which blocks RF (radio frequencies)...
I have the same dock. Not sure if my issue is related to this. My wifi is working fine. Haven‘t notice any slowdowns but i was wondering why the mac mini is not recognizing my airpods or my iphone for camera continuity. I have no issues with other bluetooth devices or airdrop but with the two mentioned functions. I thought it might be a issue with setting up the nvme as home drive. I will check it tomorrow.
Update on my issue. In fact camera continuity didn't work because of the dock. My AirPods still won't connect to the Mac mini. I will return this dock definitely
Glad you found the issue
Probably a USB-A interference issue. Maybe try the Satechi line of docks, those I found to be much more reliable.
Thanks for the heads up, I was just looking at that product on Amazon ...
All these docks/hubs are missing Thunderbolt 4/5.
It’s a shame
Since some devices have this flaw, and others don't, you really should name the brand so that we can help narrow down whether there is a connection between the two.
@@adiands850 they are sending a new one out so will see when that one comes if it’s an ongoing issue
Wow! I still haven't recived my dock (I ordered the same exact one!) Never thouhgt it could cause some interference with the Wifi. Thanks for the video!
Thanks for watching, hopefully you don’t have the same issue 😅
The Raycue looks great, BUT, the unit with card slots is 10Gb/sec for the drive, and the 40Gb/sec drive is drive only, no card slots.
What screen do you have in your background please?
@@fabdoesstuffandwhatnot my monitors? They are 2 portable displays by Uperfect unify umax22
@@MrHtechThat's what I meant! Thank you for responding
Received my M4 mac mini yesterday and built it sitting on my stand with nvme ssd installed. OK I plugges an ethernet cable in for the internet, but I am getting full wifi with it on the stand.
The upper side of the Mac Mini M4 and the sides are made of metal. So the wifi antenna needs to be located at the bottom of the M4 Mini. So if you put it on a metal plate the electronics are completely covered with metal. Of course WiFi won't work in that case. It's a Faraday cage.
@@stefan_becker the bottom metal section the Mac mini sits on isn’t the problem as it works fine when the hub isn’t plugged in, it’s when the hub is plugged in the issue happens
@@MrHtech Then it's probably mainly some interference. But I'm also sure the antenna is not working correctly on a metal plate.
I think the point of usb-a is that you can connect keyboards and mouse with usb-A at least 2 are fine.
Use the RJ45. Desktop pc and wifi?
Weird I got the same one, been using for a week now, and have absolutely no issue with Wifi... Though I am still conterplating on sending it back, for the Raycue one with the 40GBS speed..
Actually I just noticed that the Raycue one with the 40GBS speed only has 4 ports as apposed to the 10GBS one has 10 ports... So I'll probably hang on to this one until they update it with the 40 GBS ports... Kinda like the Memory Card slot, comes in very handy.
@@lightcraveentertainment4578 good point, if it works for you I’m glad
Great video, Thank you for the warning.
Thank you for video, Mac Mini has ethernet port, I would use it without problems...
This was absolutely helpful
I have way too many usb A midi devices so I’m looking for more usb A. I was looking at this hub a while ago. Now I think I’m going to pick up a usb c to usb a hub. There are tons of those available. I already have a usb a hub but need to check speed. If speed is ok I’ll just get an adapter.
Interfering with WiFi is an enrormous problem! It's a complete deal breaker. Thanks for informing us of this fault.
Thanks for watching
Even if you don't use wifi (like me), it's still a problem if you want to use something like airdrop because it requires that.
@@gekkeprutser8097 that’s very true
I was about to buy this too!
Interference from USB 3.0, especially if drive is present, such as thumb drive, or a NVME SSD connected via USB3.0 in a poorly RF screened enclosure, is a widespread problem. I used to find USB 3.0 drives would interfere with Logitech 2.4 GHz wireless adapters for mouse / keyboard if connected to a USB port near another USB port on a Mini PC with a USB drive connected. The solution for me was to a use a USB extension cable to connect the Logitech Wireless adapter so it was at 20 cm away from any USB drive, but that's not practical in your case. The Manufacturer needs to improve the RF screening of components in the hub unit, such as having an earthed metallic coating / foil on the inside of the hub plastic casing.
If you understand where the wifi antennas are on the mac mini...... they are being coved by the rim that the Mini is setting in.
Thanks for the heads-up 👍🏻
I believe (as many have mentioned) the base is blocking the WiFi antenna. Maybe it would work better for those who use an ethernet cable to access the internet.
Satechi original mac mini hub people reported the same thing, I never experienced it but many people seemed to.
Mac Minis have had issues with USB3 and WiFi before
I've had them with my 2014 MM back in the day
I have to Colorii Stand (not dock) and works perfectly with zero wifi issues. Everything wifi and bluetooth work perfectly as expected. Even have 2 external SSD's and CalDigit Dock under the stand with no issues. So, no idea where you guys are coming from but it works perfectly for me.
@@HeyNiagraFalls like I mentioned in the video the one with the stand sea to work however it seems to be the one with the dock that’s causing issues 👌🏼
I'm worried about the same issue, I'm yet to receive the item but this problem is already making noise online 🥲
@@MrHtech We agree. Then it must be frequency interference involving BT and WiFi when the Dock is turned on. Thank you
so I got more legacy usb-A and I got ethernet cable connectivity I shall have no issue.
As far as losing a port on the back of the Mac mini, could you not connect it to a USB-C port on front of the Mini, as long as you’re not using the SSD slot on the hub? If the device would work with that cable, none of the other devices that you would be copying Through the device would need thunderbolt speeds.
True you could but you would A, need a longer cable to go from the front of the Mac to the back of the hub and B, It would look ugly 😂
@@MrHtech I have both front USB-c slots used up with 2 hubs, one with 8 USB-A ports, and the other running a label printer. And because the M4 is mounted behind the screen, I have no issues with looking at the ugliness of it ;-)
The aluminum may shield the WiFi antenna on the bottom of the Mac Mini. But of course a tech tuber wouldn't think of that.
Shame as the design is very good. I could even still make use of the USB ports to hook up some older MIDI gear, in fact it’s kind of ideal for my purposes. If it turns out to be bad sample or they update the specs, I’d take a look, but I’m guessing some kind of electrical interference which doesn’t sound good.
@@chrisward000 I’ll see with the new one that comes
I am experiencing the same issues.
Brilliant info thanks
How are your desktop speakers powered? Why would Apple put the headphone jack on the front of a desktop machine?
Mine are Bluetooth
Some of us use wired headphones in which case the headphone jack on the front is great.
Where else would you put a headphone jack?
@ ummm…on the back like every gen of Mini before this.
@@smithrog34 that seems like a remarkable inconvenient place to plug in headphones. Line-out goes in the back.
Is there is a hub you find acceptable?
@@robertfloyd4287 I’m waiting for the new one of the this to arrive to see if the issue is fixed. But even so I’m not a fan of the usb a ports and slow nvme transfer speeds.
I think raycue is making an updated on that might be good .
I had and have the exact same issue on my setachi dock i bought just a week ago together with my Mac mini M4. Right away after setting it all up( Mac on top of the Setachi) and started wifi etc it was disconnecting and behaving weirdly. It worked when i restarted wifi and router etc. And first i had no clue what it was. tried to search for other reasons over internet. But just couldnt get to the bottom of it. Really frustrating and annoying :(
Also considered my Mac mini being faulty.
Then after a while i found this thread on redit about a guy having the Setachi adn mac mini and his wifi being hindered by the metal in the setachi cutting his mac wifi, and several others said the same thing that the mac mini had their antennas on the bottom and that positioning of the mac mini in general had to be question.
Kind of a design flaw on both accounts. But it was an easy fix, so i just moved my mac mini a little to the side on top of the Setachi, so its sort of hanging over the edge a bit now instead of straight on top. Right away wifi shot up and now instead of like 60 Mbps i have around 700 again lol.
I wish more people know about this, very annoying and also makes buying the new setachi incoming this spring a bit sketchy as its supposedly going to do the same thing again since its metal from what i believe.
But at least now i know :)
Damn that sucks
@@MrHtech yes! so annoying. But happy i finally got the reason at least. Was about to start calling my internet provider and apple to see if something else could be done. So kind of happy i did not go through all that in vain ^^
A big thank you for the review 😢
@@MrHenkfromHolland you’re welcome, thanks for watching
Is the WiFi of a different type between the mini and the hub.
Put the dock upside down and top of the MM M4. The WiFi on the MM is on the bottom. 🤷♂️
Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for watching!
How is trading 1 USB-C port for 3 USB-A and two memory card slot not a meaningful trade-off for what you're getting back???
It’s not so much the ports your getting in exchange it’s the quality and speed of them ports
@ Gotcha! I mis-understood it as you didn't think it was worth trading 1 port for 5 ports but I get your point about the speed. For me, if only Apple had added 1 USB-A to the M4 Mac Mini then it would have been perfect.
That hub is definitely making some interference with Mac Mini connectivity. As Apple actually put all wireless antenna right in the base of the Mac mini
This is at least from what info that I know based from the teardown videos
It’s a feature for people who want to go off grid 😂
@@AlexGTech let me guess “I’m using it wrong“ 😂
I’m curious to know why you’re not using Ethernet with your Mac mini setup, it is, after all, a desktop computer.
Simply put, you won’t have wifi issues if you don’t use wifi b
Router is upstairs and I get great speeds on WiFi , no need
@ You cold use a small Mesh network to bridge the gap. The remote (downstairs) node will have a pair of Ethernet ports doing nothing.
@@PeterEmery I have a Tenda (version1 ) mesh with 5 nodes spread around the house (2 storey). I'm now looking to upgrade to something faster than 100Mbps. But finding anything with actual speeds is nigh on impossible (at a reasonable price).
Thank you for this review
Glad it was helpful!
I bought one of these and am waiting to receive it. My wifi on my network only being used for the cell phones, TV, tablets, etc. My computers are on an wired ethernet backbone so I'm not going to have to deal with wi-fi on my mac mini. I'm going to test it when I receive it. If it has an issue on my wi-fi, I'll contact the company and see what they say.
Let me know if it works
What speed are you running on your backbone? I (stupidly) bought the base model M4 without thinking I didn't need the 10Gbps network upgrade. But I was wrong. It is taking me hours, and even days to move TB files from one place to another 😞
@@greghudson9717 2.5 GIG. I'm going to upgrade it to 10 gig. My internet is only 1 gig. 10 gig is local lan between my NAS boxes and my computers (mac and pc) I did get my mini with a 10 gig.
@@greghudson9717I also elected not to get the 10GB Ethernet Upgrade, but I don’t think I will be transferring humongous TB files or large groups of GB files. If you can’t return your Mac Mini M4 to Apple (ie. Past the 14 day period), do you have the funds to buy a replacement Mac Mini with the 10 GB Ethernet, migrate your system and files over, then rest the old Mac Mini to factory default and sell it as “almost new” (to recoup most of your funds)?
@@dovmerrill804 G'Day. I agree that getting a new M4 with 10Gbps and retiring this old M4 would have been ideal, but I've already spent that cash on a 12 Bay Asustor NAS, with 12 x 2TB NVMe SSD's. I'll have to wait for a few more eBay sales ;-)
It’s the antennas that the stand is covering man…don’t but even the normal stand one
The normal one seems to be fine
Led in the hub is the issue