Introduction
If you own a smartphone, laptop, tablet, or other similiar device, it is almost certain that it includes both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi wireless capabilities. But what is the difference between Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, and how do they work?
The difference between Bluetooth and WiFi will be discussed in this post. Both of these radio frequency technologies are used for wirelessly connecting electronic devices, and they are both based on radio frequency technology.
Bluetooth
First, let’s discuss Bluetooth. The purpose of Bluetooth was to eliminate the inconvenience of dealing with wires and cabling. Bluetooth is a low-power wireless technology that utilizes a short-range radio to link devices in close proximity.
Bluetooth devices will have a computer chip that will emit a signal that will allow other Bluetooth devices to pair with them, a process known as pairing. When the devices are connected, they will be able to communicate with one another.
Bluetooth is most commonly used for wireless audio streaming. Pairing your phone with wireless earphones or an external speaker, for example. It may also be used to couple headphones with a television, as well as to link a wireless keyboard and mouse with a tablet computer or PC.
One of the most frequent uses for Bluetooth is to pair your phone with your car’s audio system, allowing you to talk on the phone hands-free while driving. Bluetooth’s range is somewhere around 30 feet (10 meters).
Let us now discuss WIFI. WiFi is a radio-wave-based wireless technology that allows devices such as desktop computers, laptops, tablets, and mobile phones to connect to the internet wirelessly. And the most common way for WIFI devices to connect to the internet is through a WIFI router.
WIFI routers will be connected to an internet service provider, which will broadcast a WIFI signal allowing nearby devices to connect to and get access to the internet. In addition to providing internet connectivity, these devices may be set up to share information by establishing a network.
WIFI has a range of 100-300 feet, depending on the surrounding conditions.
Differences between WIFI and Bluetooth
So, how do Bluetooth and WIFI differ from one another? The primary distinction is that Bluetooth is used to link devices in order to share data. WIFI, on the other hand, is used to connect devices to the internet.
In contrast to Bluetooth, which has a limited number of devices that may connect at the same time, WiFi is available to a greater number of devices and more users.
The range and speed are two more differences. This is due to the use of power. Bluetooth transfers data at a slower pace and has a limited range. When compared to WIFI, Bluetooth consumes less energy, but WIFI Transfers data at a higher pace and has greater range.
So, while it lacks range and speed, it gains a longer battery life and requires less frequent charging, allowing Bluetooth devices to be built in smaller sizes and without huge batteries.
WIFI, on the other hand, is much quicker and has a 10x longer range than Bluetooth. Both Bluetooth and WIFI now operate at 2.4 GHz. However, many other devices, such as microwaves and cordless phones, operate at 2.4 GHz, potentially interfering with wireless transmissions.
Bluetooth, on the other hand, is less susceptible to interference due to its use of a technique called Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum, which transmits signals in a pattern that only the transmitting and receiving devices understand.
The transmission changes channels 1,600 times per second and jumps between 79 separate channels. As a result, Bluetooth is much more resistant to interference than WIFI is.
In addition, Bluetooth devices do not require a password for connecting. Let’s say you wanted your cell phone and Bluetooth earbuds to be paired. You would just turn on your earbuds and then turn on Bluetooth on your cell phone.
It is then simply a matter of clicking on the earphones when they display in your device settings on your phone to establish a connection with them.
In Conclusion
Bluetooth and WIFI both use wireless technology to communicate. This means that hackers can intercept communication between two devices or between a device and a network and get unauthorized access to data. WIFI is a more enticing target for hackers since it transfers more sensitive data.
Because there are additional IEEE 802.11 standards for privacy and authentication, WIFI is more secure than Bluetooth. Before data can be sent through WIFI, the user must acknowledge the connection. A hacker at close range can infect your devices with malicious software through an unprotected Bluetooth connection.
These two wireless technologies eliminate the need for wires and connections for data sharing. Bluetooth links devices directly, but WiFi needs the use of a wireless access point. For even greater communication, most products nowadays are Bluetooth and WiFi equipped.