What Is Bluetooth WiFi?
Bluetooth is a specific type of wireless transmission that uses short-range radio signals to send information between digital devices. Since its development in the 1990s, Bluetooth has become commonplace in the computer and telecommunications industries, most visibly in hands-free cell phone devices. Security concerns about Bluetooth networks persist as the technology is implemented in more devices.
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History
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Bluetooth WiFi was first developed and standardized in the 1990s by a pair of Swedish electrical engineers, Sven Mattisson and Jaap Haartsen for Ericsson Mobile Platforms. The original purpose of Bluetooth was to provide a wireless alternative to RS232 data cables, which were then used to connect computers to printers and monitors. In 1998, the Bluetooth SIG (Special Interest Group) was formed to oversee the use of Bluetooth by various companies and in different applications around the world.
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Computers
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True to its original intent, Bluetooth is used today to connect computers to an assortment of devices. Many wireless mice and keyboards use Bluetooth to communicate with the nearby computer. Likewise, many cell phones and PDAs can use Bluetooth to connect wirelessly to a computer for data upload. Small Bluetooth dongles, which connect to a computer via a USB port, can be used to give Bluetooth capability to a computer that lacks a built-in Bluetooth transceiver.
Cell Phones
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One of the most common uses for Bluetooth WiFi today is in cell phones. More advanced versions of the original Bluetooth protocol were adopted by cell phone makers in the late-1990s, and today most major cell phone brands offer Bluetooth accessories. Hands-free headsets use Bluetooth to connect to a user's cell phone, which can be stored in a nearby pocket or purse. This application also takes advantage of the fact that Bluetooth uses relatively little power to send its short-range signals, meaning that Bluetooth devices need to be recharged infrequently.
Security Issues
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One of the persisting problems with Bluetooth WiFi is the general difficulty in securing its wireless connections. Before Bluetooth devices can be operated, they must be paired with a corresponding device by entering a shared code. Still, it is not difficult to access a nearby Bluetooth network without authorization. Bluejacking, in which unwanted data is sent to a Bluetooth device by an outside user, and Bluesnarfing, where data is stolen from a Bluetooth device, are the most common forms of security breach.
Other Applications
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Beyind its use on cell phones and computers, Bluetooth has a number of additional uses. The various classes of Bluetooth WiFi (known as Class 1, 2 and 3, with effective ranges of 100, 10 and 1 meter, respectively) enable Bluetooth to be used for tasks as diverse as accessing the Internet and using a wireless video game controller. Both of these uses make use of Bluetooth's radio-based transmission, which does not require an unobstructed line of sight between the two devices.
References
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- Photo Credit "Bluetooth Dongle and Memory Stick" is Copyrighted by Flickr user: In Veritas Lux (Leonard Low) under the Creative Commons Attribution license.
