Bluetooth vs. WiFi By - Kelvin Loney
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If you aren't a systems administrator, tech enthusiast or someone who
stays hip to the latest, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi is two of the leading
technologies of wireless communication. When connecting computer
networks, powering electronic devices or securing applications the
easiest and most convenient way is to use wireless technology.
Bluetooth is primarily used as an alternate to cable wiring by
offering wireless power connections while Wi-Fi is mostly used to link
Local Area Networks (LAN) to the Internet at phenomenal speeds. Both
technologies can essentially do the same thing, but for accomplishing
certain tasks it is better to use one over the other.

To determine the advantages and disadvantages of each, how about we
break it into four categories: Popular applications, Speed, Range and
Security maintenance. Popular Applications: Bluetooth first became
popular with automobiles and cell phones. You know the radio controls
on your car's steering wheel?...Bluetooth. What about those tech-
savvy, futuristic earpieces that people wear? I bet on first look you
either thought it was the future of cell phones (pretty cool) or it
was another useless phone accessory (probably worthless and ugly at
that). Either way, a Bluetooth wireless earpiece is good; a
conventional earpiece with wires and clothing clips are bad. What
about Wi-Fi? If you work in an office, you know how all of the
computers are somehow connected to the same network? Well guess what?
It's probably due to Wi-Fi. For the rest of us, the most obvious use
of Wi-Fi is the video game console Nintendo Wii. Basically it works
like this. Since Wi-Fi establishes one of the best Internet
connections around, the game console can remain online even when the
system is turned off. Even the game controls are similar to your
remote control for your TV. It is battery operated and can be operated
from fairly long distances.

Speed: When deciding which wireless technology to use, the first
question is usually which one is going to accomplish the task the
fastest. Bluetooth operates at a moderate rate of about 800kbps
compared to the overwhelming speed of Wi-Fi's 11mbps. This means that
you wouldn't want to transfer the pictures from your digital camera to
your PC with Bluetooth. At the same time, Wi-Fi may operate faster
than Bluetooth, but with fast operation comes a larger consumption of
power. With that said, you would be best served to power your low
power signal devices such as handhelds, mobile phones, and audio
components with Bluetooth. Besides how much power do you actually need
to power your cell? Using Wi-Fi for something like that would be
similar to smashing an ant with a sledgehammer. Range: Wireless
technology is much more than transfering speeds and battery life. It
also depends on how far its signal can reach. Wi-Fi can stretch over
300 ft. which allows for wireless Internet surfing (case in point,
Nintendo Wii) while Bluetooth's short-range coverage of 30 ft. is
ideal for point-to-point or multipoint communication between
compatible devices. (Perfect for talking through your Bluetooth
earpiece while your phone is in your pocket or in the other room).

Security maintenance: When it comes to maintenance, Bluetooth is said
to have the better protection. Bluetooth usually has built-in
encryption and verification. On the other hand, as complicated as Wi-
Fi is, it is fairly easy to crack. A seasoned unauthorized user could
effortlessly gain access to data stored on a Wi-Fi network without the
administrator's knowledge or consent. It is also possible to send mock
signals between networks to give the impression of normal
functionality. (Think Ocean's Eleven when Brad Pitt and company ran a
videotape of a secure safe while they robbed the actual one blind!)

The bottom line is this: Even though Wi-Fi has been out a number of
years before Bluetooth, consumer businesses are eagerly awaiting the
promises that Bluetooth seems prepared to fulfill instead of the
steadfast Wi-Fi, whose technology is familiar but inconveniently
limited. So in summary, one technology is not necessarily better than
the other, they just serve different purposes. Depending on your need
will determine which wireless technology is best.