Bluetooth is a short-range wireless technology designed to connect devices to each other without the use of a cables or a wireless access point. It is one way to create a network of computers.
Uses of this technology include but are not limited to:
§ Keyboards
§ Mice
§ Phones
§ PDAs
§ Cord free headsets
§ Global Positioning Systems
The list above keeps growing and the devices keep getting better and cheaper.
Here is some general information that may interest you.
§ This technology was turned into a standard known as 802.15 in 1998 by a consortium of companies.
§ Bluetooth operates at 2.4GHz. This is the same frequency as some cell phones and WI-FI networks. This has caused some interference problems. This is the reason wireless phone started to be manufactured that were over 5GHz.
§ Bluetooth operates at 721Kbps which is slower than WI-FI. It is not designed to carry large amounts of data. WI-FI is used for that purpose.
§ Because Bluetooth operates at low power it is ideal for cell phones, PDAs and other devices.
§ Bluetooth come in three classes. Class I is one hundred Megawatts and its range is 300 feet, Class II is ten Megawatts, and has a range of 30 feet and Class III which is only one Megawatt and has a range of less than 30 feet.
How do you add Bluetooth to your computer?
Many computers (especially laptops) now come with this technology. If not, you only need to purchase a USB Bluetooth adapter. If your computer has Windows XP with Service Pack 2 operating system or above it should install automatically. If it doesn’t install by itself a driver disk may be included or you may be sent to a web site to download a drive. It will attempt to connect to any Bluetooth device within range. Prices vary and change rapidly.
