| When buying any digital electronic device, whether | | | | for complex network configurations. Bluetooth |
| a cellphone, PDA, or notebook computer, it is | | | | also has lower power consumption, making it |
| important to check the specifications to ensure | | | | more economical, though its range is shorter. |
| that it will serve your purposes. Bluetooth is | | | | You Need Bluetooth |
| becoming an increasingly popular offering in | | | | If you wish to have an extremely basic home |
| personal electronics, but do you need it? | | | | network, Bluetooth is for you. There are no wires |
| What Is Bluetooth? | | | | to trip you and there are no complex |
| Bluetooth is a wireless PAN (Personal Area | | | | configurations like network permissions or |
| Network) transmission protocol standard. In | | | | addresses to deal with. Piconets are temporary, |
| layman's terms, Bluetooth is a technology that | | | | so a new device can immediately join or leave a |
| enables a device to communicate and share data | | | | Bluetooth network with nothing more than a |
| with other Bluetooth capable devices - cellphones, | | | | simple device discovery. It is important to note, |
| headsets, PDAs, notebook computers, desktop | | | | however, that piconets are no substitution for a |
| PCs, computer peripherals, printers, cameras, and | | | | traditional home network (whether through |
| others - through radio wave transmission (so | | | | Ethernet or 802.11 Wireless), which are much |
| there is no need for wires) at a range of around | | | | more reliable and offer much more full-bodied |
| 1, 10, or 100 meters, depending on the class of | | | | security options. |
| your Bluetooth device (Class 1 has the longest | | | | If you have a notebook computer, there is a |
| range and Class 3 the shortest). | | | | good chance you will want to have Bluetooth |
| If a device has a Bluetooth chip, it can | | | | connectivity so that you can take advantage of |
| communicate with other devices that have a | | | | the many Bluetooth-equipped peripherals, thereby |
| Bluetooth chip. Users can share pictures, movies, | | | | eliminating the need for bulky wires. You can also |
| datasheets, documents, and all sorts of | | | | easily synchronize data between your handheld |
| information among them as long as their devices | | | | devices and your notebook computer. Moreover, |
| are in range (they do not need to be in direct line | | | | if you are fond of sharing data with other |
| of sight). For instance, a Bluetooth-capable digital | | | | handheld device users, you definitely need to have |
| camera can communicate with a | | | | Bluetooth for easy and convenient data sharing. |
| Bluetooth-capable printer for direct printing. | | | | You Don't Need Bluetooth |
| Likewise, a Bluetooth-capable cellphone can be | | | | It is important to note that Bluetooth can present |
| connected to a Bluetooth-equipped headset so | | | | a security risk if you store sensitive information |
| that a person can take and make hands-free | | | | on your Bluetooth-enabled device. If you are |
| telephone calls. | | | | traveling with sensitive information on your |
| Bluetooth can be used for internet connectivity as | | | | computer, cell-phone, or PDA, it is wise to disable |
| long as a Bluetooth-enabled computer is in range | | | | Bluetooth temporarily to prevent data theft or |
| of a Bluetooth modem. Bluetooth devices can also | | | | exploitation. Please also note that some |
| form a small wireless network (called a piconet) | | | | corporations and government entities disapprove |
| of up to 8 devices. For security, devices can be | | | | of Bluetooth and similar convenience-based |
| paired and transmissions encrypted. So that it | | | | additions, so please check with your employer if |
| causes only minimal interference, Bluetooth | | | | you intend to use your Bluetooth-enabled |
| periodically changes frequency channels. | | | | notebook for business. |
| Bluetooth uses the same radio frequency that | | | | This article may be republished freely as long as |
| 802.11 Wireless Networking does, but it is much | | | | this copyright notice and box of resource links are |
| simpler than 802.11 technology, negating the need | | | | included at the bottom. |