Bluetooth Operation Review: How it Really Works

Wireless technology can be very confusing, especially for the uninitiated. After all, it’s fairly new on the market, and no one – besides the manufacturers of course – know exactly how it works. Just how do files compress and magically shoot out over the airwaves and find them a location in another area? Well, this article will attempt to explain it to you. It’s not as complicated as it sounds.

Before attempting to explain how something works, you need to know what exactly it is. So just what is Bluetooth technology? Well, it is a very high-speed, yet low-power, microwave wireless link technology. It’s designed mostly for the convenience of connecting various devices without a large hassle. Those devices can be anything from lap tops, to cell phones, to mp3 players to PDA’s and other portable equipment. The aim with Bluetooth technology was to make something simple, with no wires involved, and they succeeded. Unlike infa-red, Bluetooth doesn’t require to be in the line of sight of whatever piece of technology it’s trying to connect to. While infrared had problems connecting when there were a large number of walls in the way, Bluetooth technology doesn’t have this problem. Walls or no walls, it will still connect just as easily. Bluetooth technology was not created from the ground up. Instead, modifying existing technology, most notably wireless LAN techniques, created it. However, unlike previous wireless, Bluetooth technology comes at a very cheap price, as well as a low cost. As a matter of fact, the cost for a chip that uses Bluetooth technology is only expected to be around five dollars in a year or two. You could purchase two for the price of going to a single movie. However, you may not have to purchase them at all, as Bluetooth is expected to be included in new technology, rather than being an option.

When one piece of Bluetooth technology gets within range of another (usually set somewhere between 10 centimeters and 100 meters), the two pieces of technology exchange addresses and capability details. It’s the same as meeting a friend on the street that you haven’t seen in a long time – you exchange addresses, and get together to discuss what you have been doing all those years. After seeing what each other is capable of, the two devices will establish a link. The speed of this link can go as high as one megabit per second (although it is expected to go faster in the next generation of technology). The technology also has a security system in place, keeping it safe to use, and keeping would-be hackers out – a very common worry among wireless users. This technology is capable of handling both simple data – like songs, or files – as well as voices.

If you want to break it down into very technical terms, then it goes something like this: In each piece of Bluetooth technology there are tiny short-range transceivers embedded. They then send out a signal, which is on an unlicensed radio band of 2.45GHz. The reason they choose this frequency is because that way international travelers will not be hindered when they use Bluetooth technology. You can use it practically anywhere you want, and you won’t have to worry about a change in frequency just because you’re in a different location. The technology supports high data speeds, and three separate voice channels. Bluetooth modules can be built into whatever electronic device using them, or they can be attached. However, it is expected that in the future most electronic devices will come with Bluetooth technology. If it’s not embedded in the technology, you can always purchase it, and attach it. For example, if you were attaching it to a PC, you would use the USB port.

That’s a basic rundown of how Bluetooth technology works. Obviously, if you were to get really in-depth it would be a lot more complicated, but unless you’re planning on creating your own Bluetooth chip, you won’t need to worry about it. Just think of it as seeing an old friend. You meet on the street, you wave at each other (connecting), you begin to talk (exchanging details), and then if you have anything to give each other, you give it to them (transferring files). Wireless technology isn’t that scary once you know what you’re dealing with.

Bluetooth Connecting Devices: When & Where You Can Connect

You can connect anywhere you want using electronic devices with Bluetooth technology, and you can do it anytime you want. It doesn’t matter whether you just need to set up a home office, work office, or even if you’re traveling somewhere exotic – Bluetooth technology will be there and it will be capable of connecting.

Why is this true, and how does it work? It’s true because Bluetooth technology is globally available. This means that you can literally use Bluetooth technology anywhere you please. It also means that in recent times, more and more manufacturers have begun to implement Bluetooth technology into everything they do. Because of that, Bluetooth technology is becoming more and more common around the globe. It doesn’t matter what the particular device is – whether it’s a laptop, and mp3 player, or a cell phone – generally speaking you will be able to find a piece of Bluetooth technology helping it operate.

Thanks to the low cost of Bluetooth technology, it is being implemented in a wide range of devices. What does this mean? Well, it means that it will be a lot easier to find electronic devices that can connect with each other. It doesn’t matter whether you’re just looking for a cell phone, or if you’re looking for a printer, computer and fax machine to set up your home office – Bluetooth technology will be there. This allows for easier connections. It also means that your friends may have some Bluetooth technology, so if you desperately need to borrow their printer, you’ll be able to connect to it anytime you want. This truly allows you to connect when and where you want to.

Bluetooth wireless technology is one of the most widely supported on the market. There are more than 4000 companies who are currently working to implement Bluetooth technology into their electronic devices. But what does this mean to you? It means that in the near future it won’t even matter where you buy the technology, because the odds of that electronic device having Bluetooth capabilities will be ridiculously high. This will allow you to make the purchase that’s right for you, and if the store will let you, you’ll be able to connect right in the store to make sure it works! How’s that for easy shopping?

One of the main concerns about being able to connect anywhere you want is security. Will your wireless technology be secure? Will people be able to hack into it and steal files, or even delete different files? Fortunately Bluetooth has thought ahead. The technology uses an adaptive frequency hopping (AFH), which allows the signal to “hop” and limit the interference it may have received from other signals. Also, there is a 128bit encryption and PIN code authentication. Whenever an electronic device using Bluetooth identifies itself, it uses this PIN number (similar to a PIN number for the ATM), and connects. Once the device is connected, the connection remains secure. Just because you have the ability to connect wherever you want doesn’t mean you have to worry about some unwanted person connecting to your device and hacking into it.

Does all of this really mean that you can connect anywhere you want to? Can you really just turn on a device, and hook up with another, without any worries? With Bluetooth technology, you can. Of course time isn’t a factor. The technology doesn’t care whether it’s mid-afternoon or midnight, although your roommate might – and people can be particularly nasty when they don’t have enough sleep. The technology doesn’t care where you are either, as long as you’re within range of another device.

Does this mean that you could just connect to some stranger’s device? In theory – yes, but there are several security measures that can be taken if you don’t want that to happen. You’ll be able to sleep easily knowing that you can’t be harmed, thanks to Bluetooth’s security system. Unlike a lot of other wireless technologies, with Bluetooth it doesn’t matter whether you can see the person you’re trying to connect to or not. This is because Bluetooth doesn’t work on infrared technology, which can be hampered by obstacles such as walls. Because of this, you truly can connect whenever, and wherever you want to.

Five Common Problems Associated with Bluetooth

The more technology advances, the more new problems crop up. It’s inevitable – you can’t make progress without making mistakes. Just ask any scientist. However, these problems can usually be solved very quickly, and the five most common problems associated with Bluetooth are no exception. Now, there are some problems with every wireless network – connectivity issues, security issues – but Bluetooth has managed to find a way around those for the most part. However, there are some specific problems that may rise up, so you need to be prepared.

The first problem you’re likely to encounter is profiles that don’t match. If you want two devices to work together – say a laptop and a fax machine – they need to have the same profile. This is actually a lot simpler than it sounds, and for the most part, profiles will match if the two devices are related to each other. Here are some examples: If you wanted to connect a mobile phone to a headset, you would need to have the same profile in both devices, in this case the Hands-Free Profile. If there’s something on your mobile phone that you need to print off, both the phone and the printer will need the Basic Printing Profile. It’s pretty simple when you get right down to it, and very rarely do you find equipment that is related that doesn’t have a matching profile.

The next common problem is what’s known as pairing. Pairing is only a problem because of the security Bluetooth puts into their technology. How does it work? Well, for devices to connect to each other so they can work together, they need to be paired. What pairing (or bonding) means is that the two devices are exchanging their passwords. Once paired, all of the data that is sent between the two devices in encrypted (meaning that any device that is not paired with the other two is unable to translate the data). However, there are some times when pairing is not necessary, such as exchanging business cards. Fortunately, there is a setting on most devices to lower the security for those lower grade transfers.

Staying with pairing, there are three common problems. The first one will give you the message that devices cannot be found. Usually, when a device can’t be found it’s because the device you are trying to connect to is either off, or is not in “discoverable mode”. To solve this problem, you simply need to turn the device you’re trying to connect to on, or switch it into discoverable mode. If you’re scared that someone will hack into your device, you can always turn it back to non-discoverable mode after you’re finished. However, Bluetooth technology is pretty solid in the security department, so you shouldn’t have to worry too much.

Another common message that you might see is the “pairing unsuccessful” message. This means that when the two devices attempted to pair, it failed. The most common reason for this is that someone is using the wrong password or PIN. If you are absolutely sure that you’re using the proper PIN and password, then you should try to first power down the devices and then power them up. That usually solves the problem.

The last common problem you will have is when the devices pair successfully, but still don’t work together. The main reason you will see this happen is that the devices don’t share the same profile. Unfortunately, both of the devices that are trying to connect have the right profile, or they will be unable to connect to each other. The easiest way to figure out if they do both have the profile is to look in the manual that came with the device, as it depends on the manufacturer. Sometimes it’s just a matter of finding the right commands to connect, and the only way to figure that out is to look in the manufacturer’s manual, as this will vary from device to device.

As Bluetooth technology continues to advance, more bugs are sure to pop up. However, the most common ones are under control, and are very easy to deal with. If you need to trouble shoot your device, just figure out what’s going wrong – whether it deals with the profiles, the pairing, or the security, and work from there. If all else fails, you can always find support online.