Can You Use Bluetooth Over Wi-Fi

Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are two wireless technologies whose usage has spread far and wide. I bet your mobile phone is both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi enabled. How different are these two technologies and can you use Bluetooth over Wi-Fi? In this article we shall try to answer these questions. Read on to learn more about these two technologies.

What is Bluetooth?

Bluetooth is an open specification for short range wireless voice and data communication controlled by the Bluetooth Special Internet Group (SIG).  The Bluetooth SIG is responsible for the development and advancement of Bluetooth.  It was formed by Nokia, Erickson, IBM, Toshiba, and Intel.  Bluetooth SIG involves three applications based scenario:

• Cable replacement
• Ad-hoc network
• Integrated Access Points (Aps) for data/voice

Bluetooth Architecture

Bluetooth topology is referred to as a scattered ad-hoc topology.  This ad hoc network is called a piconet. A piconet is a collection devices connected in an ad-hoc fashion.  There are four states.

1. Master: The master device connects and controls the other connected devices. It can manage seven concurrent and up to 200 active slaves in the piconet.
2. Slave: Terminals which can take part in more than one piconet.
3. Stand by:  These are devices waiting to join the piconet later meanwhile retaining its MAC address in it.
4. Parked/hold: Waiting to adhere to the piconet later and releases its MAC address.

How Does Bluetooth Work?

A Bluetooth network consists of a Personal Area Network (piconet) which contains a minimum of 2 to a maximum of 8 Bluetooth peer devices. A single master device and up to 7 slaves. The master device initiates communication with other devices. It controls the communication link and traffic between itself and the slave devices connected to it.

A slave device is a Bluetooth device that responds to the master device. Transmissions by slave devices are governed by the master device – a slave device can only begin its transmissions in a time slot explicitly reserved for use by the slave device.

Bluetooth uses the frequency hopping spread spectrum to transmit information between devices. Frequency hopping spread spectrum (FHSS) transmission is the repeated switching of frequencies during transmission to reduce interference and avoid interception. 

What are the advantages of Bluetooth?

1. Ease of use:  You don’t have to be tech savvy to use Bluetooth.  You only need to turn Bluetooth on, pair the two devices, and share data.

2. Energy Efficiency: Bluetooth is relatively energy efficient. This is particularly true for the Bluetooth Low Energy.  This makes it ideal for small devices in which minimal battery life requirements and small form factor is important.

3. Wireless Transfer of Data: Since Bluetooth is wireless, there are no wires that will restrict your movement. It makes it ideal for use in gaming pads.

What are the disadvantages of Bluetooth?

1. Limited Operational Range

Bluetooth’s main disadvantage is its limited range. The Bluetooth range is dependent on the specific class of radio it uses.  Bluetooth devices can only establish a connection if the devices are within the range limit. Most of the Bluetooth devices we use have a range of 30 meters.

2. Can be Energy Inefficient

Although Bluetooth consumes minimal energy, it can drain the battery life of a device if it remains turned on.

3. Slower Transmission

Another disadvantage of Bluetooth is its slow data transmission. To be specific, Bluetooth 3.0 and Bluetooth 4.0 have a transmission rate of 24Mbps. On the other hand, Wi-Fi Direct has a transfer speed of 250Mbps. This makes Bluetooth not ideal for transferring large files and documents.

What is Wi-Fi?

Wi-Fi is a wireless networking technology that allows devices such as computers, mobile devices and other equipment such as printers and video cameras to interface with the internet. A common misconception is that Wi-Fi stands for wireless fidelity. However, Wi-Fi is a trademarked phrase that refers to IEEE 802 11x standards.  IEEE specifications are wireless standards that define an interface which uses are as the medium for transmitting and receiving signals between a wireless client and an access point. Wi-Fi was formed in 1999 and is owned by the Wi-Fi Alliance.

The 802.11 standard aims to develop a MAC and PHY layer for wireless connectivity for portable, permanent and mobile stations inside a local area. Here are the features of the 802.11 standard.

• It supports continuity of service within extended areas via distribution system
• It provides asynchronous and time bounded delivery facility

Requirement of IEE 802.11

• A single MAC that supports multiple PHYs
• Techniques to allow multiple overlapping networks in the same area.
• Ability to manage hidden terminal
• Provisions to manage the interface from other ISM based radios and microwave iven
• Options to support time bounded services
• Provisions to handle privacy and access security

Reference Architecture

There are two topologies defined in IEEE 802.11

1. Infrastructure mod: Here, the wireless network consists of a minimum one access point (AP) linked to the wired network infrastructure and a collection of wireless end station.
2. Ad-hoc mode: In this mode, wireless stations interact directly with each other in the absence of an access point. It is also called peer to peer mode.

What are the advantages of Wi-Fi?

• Convenience:  Its wireless nature allows users to access network resources from any location within the primary networking environment.
• Mobility: Wi-Fi has made it possible to access the internet even when outside the normal work environment.
• Productivity: In the work setting, employees can be more productive because they can accomplish their tasks from any location.
• Deployment: Setting up a Wi-Fi network is pretty simple. On the other hand, wired networks have additional cost and complexity of actual physical cables.
• Expandability: Wi-Fi networks serve an increased number of clients with the existing equipment. In wired networks, you need additional wiring.
• Cost:  Wired connections have increased cost and labor associated with running physical cables.

What are the disadvantages of Wi-Fi?

• Security: Since Wi-Fi is a wireless network, it can be susceptible to eavesdropping. Hackers are always coming up with ways of getting past its security.
• Range:  Wi-Fi has a maximum rang of 100 meters.  While this range is sufficient for a typical home, it will be insufficient in a larger structure. To extend the range, you need repeaters or additional access points. These can be costly.
• Reliability: Since Wi-Fi is a wireless network, it is subject to wide variety of interference and complex propagation effects beyond your control.
• Speed:  Wi-Fi has a slow speed compared to the slowest common wired networks. 

Sharing Wi-Fi Data via Bluetooth

Phone-as-mode (PAM) or tethering is the process of sharing a mobile device’s internet connection with another device such as a cellphone or computer. Bluetooth tethering is one way Android devices can share their wireless connection.  Say some one wants to use your mobile data but you do not want to disclose your password. What would you do? The answer is Bluetooth tethering. The phone that has data is referred to as Phone 1 while the other phone is referred to as phone 2.

Steps for Bluetooth Tethering

1. Turn on Bluetooth on both devices. Make sure that both devices are discoverable. To keep both devices discoverable go to Settings > Bluetooth> Turn on.
2. Pair the two devices. When the two phones discover each other, a Bluetooth pairing code will ask for confirmation on both devices. Tap on pair.
3. Turn on Bluetooth tethering from the phone with mobile data. Go to Setting > More > Tethering & Mobile Hotspot >Turn on Bluetooth tethering.
4. Open Bluetooth Setting on both phones and keep them discoverable.
5. Since the phones are connected via Bluetooth tethering, phone 2 can now access the internet.

Bluetooth Tethering on Laptop

It’s also possible to connect your laptop to the internet via Bluetooth tethering. Here are the steps to follow.

1. Turn on Bluetooth on both the cellphone and laptop. When the discover each other, tap on the laptop’s name in the phone and vice versa. A confirmation will be needed on both devices. Tap on pair.
2. Go to Control Panel > Network and Internet > Network Connections. You will see Bluetooth Network Connection connected to your phone. Disable Wireless Local Area Network.
3. Connect the phone to Wi-Fi. Turn on Bluetooth tethering on phone.
4. On the laptop, go to Control Panel > Devices and Printers > Bluetooth Devices. You will see your mobile device. Right click on it and connect using Access Point.
5. After a few seconds, the laptop will show an internet connection via Bluetooth. The internet speed will be limited because of the limitation of Bluetooth technology. However, this technology is useful if you don’t want to share your Wi-Fi password with anyone.  Besides, the battery consumption is lower when using Bluetooth tethering as compared to using a Wi-Fi hotspot. It main disadvantage is that only one person can connect at a time.

How to Connect Bluetooth Devices to Wi-Fi?

It’s possible for Bluetooth enabled devices to access a Wi-Fi network without any interference between the two signals. Here is how to connect Bluetooth devices to Wi-Fi.

Step 1

Locate a wireless networking source. Many businesses and public service facilities have wireless networking hotspots. Most give access to these areas for free while other businesses charge a small fee. Other sources of Wi-Fi include portable devices such as satellite modems or Wi-Fi receivers inside the device itself.

Step 2

Access the connection manager and follow the device instructions to connect to the Wi-Fi network. Most of the paid hotspots have an access code which you can purchase for a time limit. Free Wi-Fi accesses only require you to locate the network and connect to it. Mobile Wi-Fi a monthly access plan or are charged per usage.

Step 3

Bluetooth and Wi-Fi signals don’t interfere with each other.  You can thus use both functions at the same time without issues. If you are using more than one Bluetooth device at a time, the devices, must be Bluetooth linked for proper usage. Otherwise, they will work independent of each other because Wi-Fi will not connect the devices.

Summary of Differences Between Bluetooth and Wi-Fi

1. The bandwidth requirement is low in Bluetooth and high in case of Wi-Fi.
2. A Bluetooth connection requires a Bluetooth adapter while Wi-Fi requires a wireless adapter and router.
3. A Bluetooth connection covers a shorter range than Wi-Fi.
4. The frequency range along which Bluetooth devices are supported is 2.4 GHZ and 2.483 GHZ while the Wi-Fi frequency range is 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz.
5. Bluetooth technology consumes less power compared to Wi-Fi.
6. Although Bluetooth uses encryption and authentication keys, it is less secure as compared to Wi-Fi. However, Wi-Fi still has some security issues.

Wrap Up

This brings us to the end of our article. I hope you now understand how to use Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Keep it here for related content.