The Bluetooth protocol was primarily designed with the ad hoc or peer-to-peer network topology in mind. The essential difference between Bluetooth and Wi-Fi is down to the wireless communication range, power consumption, and network topology. However, both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth have fairly delineated use cases that justify their coexistence in the consumer electronics space. Bluetooth vs W-Fi: What Separates the Two?Īt a glance, you may wonder what’s the need for two separate wireless standards pertaining to networking mobile devices and peripherals. Interestingly, while the Bluetooth specification mandates a range of 10 metres and up for Class 2 devices, the Class 1 Bluetooth equipment used in industrial applications can be paired with high powered radios to extend well beyond the 100-metre range. However, such Class 3 devices are extremely rare at the moment. The simple ad hoc (peer-to-peer) nature of a Bluetooth connection also reduces the electronic complexity and therefore the cost of implementing it, which makes it perfect for connecting devices to inexpensive peripherals such as headsets and input devices.Īlthough the widely found Class 2 Bluetooth devices operate at a range of 10 metres and up, Class 3 Bluetooth radios are restricted to a maximum range of a single metre for mostly wearable applications. This allows tiny peripherals such as wireless earbuds and mice to operate wirelessly without draining their limited battery reserves. That’s primarily because it operates on the principle of creating a personal area network (PAN), otherwise also known as the piconet.Ī typical consumer-grade Bluetooth device has a minimum range of 10 metres, with the total transmission power rated under 2.5 milliwatts. But unlike Wi-Fi, which has a range of 50 metres indoors and twice as much outdoors, Bluetooth is more concerned with keeping transmission power low to conserve battery life and avoid radio interference with neighbouring devices. How Does Bluetooth Work?īluetooth works in a similar manner to Wi-Fi ( read more about that here) by converting data into radio frequency waves in the 2.4GHz spectrum. That explains why it is almost impossible to find a modern consumer electronics product without Bluetooth connectivity. This now includes more than 35,000 member companies spread across consumer electronics, telecommunication, and networking domains. While IEEE bowed out to concentrate on maintaining the Wi-Fi protocol, the task of developing and shepherding the Bluetooth standard was taken up by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG). That’s the same IEEE that maintains the Wi-Fi standard. The protocol was initially standardised by IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) as the 802.15.1 protocol. In the mid ‘90s, Ericsson, Nokia, and Intel were separately working on proprietary wireless technologies to connect the then-emerging portable devices, such as mobile phones and laptops.įortunately, they had the good sense to pool their resources into developing an inter-compatible short-range wireless communication platform under the Bluetooth banner. However, it almost ended up fragmenting into proprietary offerings that would’ve been eventually forgotten. Much of Bluetooth’s success is attributed to it being a cohesive communications standard instead of a proprietary technology. Apart from its core purpose of eliminating wires between desktop and portable devices, Bluetooth also enables file transfers between devices over short distances-preferably in the same room or in closer proximity. It also offers wireless connectivity with peripherals such as keyboards, mice, headphones, and speakers. Bluetooth allows personal electronics devices such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops to wirelessly communicate with each other.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |