In today’s world, wireless connectivity has become a necessity. We all use it in some form or another. Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are two common wireless technologies that we use almost every day. But, have you ever wondered what the difference is between them? In this post, we will explain the differences between Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.
Bluetooth was created to eliminate the hassle of dealing with wires and cables. It is a low-power, wireless technology that uses a short-range radio to connect nearby devices to each other. Bluetooth devices will have a computer chip inside them that will broadcast a signal so that other Bluetooth devices can connect to them. This is known as pairing, and when the devices are paired, they can exchange information between them.
The most common use for Bluetooth is for wireless audio streaming, such as pairing your cellphone to wireless earbuds or an external speaker. It can also be used for pairing headphones to a TV or pairing a wireless keyboard and mouse to a tablet or computer. But one of the most common uses is pairing your cell phone to your car’s audio system, which enables hands-free use when you’re on the phone while driving. The range of Bluetooth is approximately 30 feet or 10 meters.
On the other hand, Wi-Fi is a wireless technology that uses radio waves to allow devices such as desktop computers, laptops, tablets, and cell phones to connect wirelessly to the internet. The most common way that Wi-Fi devices access the internet is by connecting to a Wi-Fi router. Wi-Fi routers will have a connection to an internet service provider that will broadcast a Wi-Fi signal so that nearby devices can connect to the signal and grant them internet access. And in addition to internet access, these devices can be configured to exchange information between them by creating a network. Depending on the surrounding environment, Wi-Fi has a range anywhere from 100 – 300 feet.
The main difference between Bluetooth and Wi-Fi is that Bluetooth is for connecting devices to each other to exchange data, while Wi-Fi is used to connect devices to the internet. And another difference is the range and speed. Bluetooth has a slower transfer rate and a shorter range, and the reason for this is power. Bluetooth uses less power than Wi-Fi. So even though it sacrifices in range and speed, it also has an advantage with longer battery life with less frequent charging which allows Bluetooth devices to be manufactured in a smaller size that doesn’t require large batteries. But Wi-Fi, on the other hand, is faster than Bluetooth and has an approximate 10x longer range.
Both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi operate at 2.4 GHz. But the thing is, a lot of other devices also operate at 2.4 GHz, such as microwaves and cordless phones, and this could interfere with wireless signals. But Bluetooth is less vulnerable to interference because it uses a technology called Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum, which uses a method of transmitting signals in a pattern that only the transmitting and receiving devices know. The signal hops between 79 different channels and changes channels 1,600 times per second. Which makes Bluetooth highly resistant to interference when compared to Wi-Fi. And Bluetooth devices are also simpler to connect to because there’s no password required.
In conclusion, both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi have their unique features that make them useful in different scenarios. Bluetooth is ideal for connecting nearby devices to each other to exchange data, while Wi-Fi is great for connecting devices to the internet. Bluetooth has a shorter range and slower transfer rate but uses less power, while Wi-Fi has a longer range and faster transfer rate but uses more power. Bluetooth is also less vulnerable to interference and does not require a password to connect.
By the way, did you know that a Bluetooth network can connect up to 7 devices simultaneously?