Abstract
The technology that is available in the contemporary world has completely not only revolutionized the ease with which things are done, but has completely increased the number of users of IT across the world. Communication technology has continued to evolve at a great pace making it quite easy to conduct business, multitask and achieve multiple targets without so much fuss. Some of such technologies are the Wi Fi and Blue tooth that many people are unable to understand leave alone differentiate. This paper is going to describe these two essential technological advancements that have completely revolutionized communication.
Wi Fi
Introduction
This is a traditional Ethernet network used to link up devices in order to share and transfer information like files, data, resources and voice. WiFi and Bluetooth use the same radio frequencies, only that its frequencies demand relatively high power, thus stronger and faster connectivity. WiFi covers a wider range than Bluetooth making it more secure and reliable. The term is a trade name for all products that base their technology on IEEE 802.11 standards, the public uses the term to simply refer to wireless LAN (Sharma). It is used in a number of electronic products like laptops, PCs, Printers, peripherals and smartphones (Kardach).
WiFi employs the technology of a single carrier application of radio technology (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum) as well as a multicarrier radio technology (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing). The technology first came into focus in 1985, being an initiative of the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) of the United States.
Using the simplest definition Wi Fi is an easy process of acquiring internet access. The term Wi Fi can variably be said to have been borrowed from the legendary term HiFi which has been used for ages to describe the output a quality musical hardware generates. The term Wi Fi basically denotes the Wireless Fidelity which as earlier stated is categorized under the wireless technology specifications of IEEE 802.11.
Wi Fi Hot Spot
WiFi enables a location to be declared a hotspot of wireless internet connections; ranging from a single room to a large squire mile. So what is a hot spot? This is a term that is frequently used to describe any location or area that has the availability of wireless technology that can be utilized by consumers who poses the right gadgets or equipments. In the contemporary technologically advanced society such technology can be available for free especially in restaurants and other service providing entities that look for ways of upping their competitiveness. At the same time other wireless providers can charge this service. The most frequent users of the advantages accorded by this technology are laptop users to gain internet connection while in such places as airports coffee shops and such other service areas (Sharma).
How Wi Fi works
This technology can be used to create what can be referred to as community network or meshed network. The internet devices are able to share data, files, images and pictures wirelessly, saving the end users the trouble of having to go for cables and wires. There is no need to have a router when this technology is used allowing areas which have traditionally not had internet like gardens, kitchens to be incorporated into the internet circle. The technology has been embraced by individuals from the business, hospitality, service provision and industrial arena to promote fast roaming, reliability and comfort. Applications of WiFi are varied, some of which include but not limited to; detection devices, networking gateways, DHCP and firewalls.
Just like other applications, WiFi advantages are numerous, some of which include; the reduction of deployment and expansion of network cost due to its wireless nature, access by WLAN to locked regions which were previously left out because they could not be reached by wires. Another standing advantage of WiFi is that unlike the mobile phone technology, their devises are all compatible and can work anywhere in the world, thus are universal in nature.
Advantages of Wi Fi
There are considerable advantages that users gain from using Wi Fi some of these include:
One of the most important advantages arises as a result of the ease of its usage whereby the technology utilizes unlicensed radio spectrum. This means that respective deployers to not need any regulatory approval.
Another advantage that accrues from the use of Wi Fi is the reduction cost resultant from its set up. Thus it is possible to set up Local area networks (LANs) with cables. Certain areas that are generally out doors or areas with aesthetic appearances or historical buildings that have to be preserved are well served using this technology.
Because of the market availability of Wi Fi facilities with various brands of access points the prices are considerably low because of the increase of competition among the vendors of these facilities.
Mobile Users also reap the benefits of roaming inherent in the Wi Fi technology, here the mobile laptop users are able to access internet from one access point to a different one without restrictions. For employees using laptops in a building this is a very important plus because they are able to move from say the office to the conference room without loosing the network. The hunting of a free computer in the office is therefore greatly minimized.
Also many hotspots are gaining ground in many public amenities like hotels, airports, coffee shops and restaurants. In actual sense many cities in the developed world are facilitating the installation of municipal wireless networks that enable users access internet within the limits of the cities. For employees who are frequently traveling this is a major advantage because they are able to access the company and communicate efficiently wherever they are. The employees in such situations do not experience dead time because they cannot access the physical office. Here the employees are given the option of balancing their personal or private lives with work.
The service is widespread and has found its way in over 220,000 public locations which have been declared Wi Fi hotspot zones worldwide. That is besides homes, institutions and corporations running in their tens of thousands. The latest WiFi version is the Wi-Fi Protected Access abbreviated as WPA2 which takes prides of its security measurers due to its protected password. The gadget also factored in energy saving techniques with its power saving measures to boost battery life.
As mentioned earlier the universality of Wi Fi across the globe makes it easier from users to literally trot the globe without incurring any extra cost of trying to comply to certain unique characteristics that define any country. This is unlike cellular carriers that have different standards depending on the country one is.
Disadvantages of Wi Fi
Just like any other technological advancement Wi Fi has its own demerits as well.
One of the major disadvantages of Wi Fi technology has is security; this is because its security can easily be compromised. At the same time the signal emanating from the wireless network only extends to a few hundred feet from the main base station. The range that exists here is greatly reduced obstructions and other barriers. For example the most likely barriers in an office set up are the various walls in the office that limit the range to less that a hundred feet whilst the signal may be completely blocked by external walls. Therefore in a big office setup various base stations are needed to ensure that the entire office is well served.
Another disadvantage that arises from the use of the Wi Fi is the ease with which other electronic equipments like microwaves and cell phones are able to interfere with the Wi Fi radio waves thus disrupting the signals curtailing the connectivity.
Bluetooth
Introduction
Bluetooth wireless technology is a short range wireless connectivity technique that uses electric devices that are either fixed or mobile. The Bluetooth technology creates what can be referred to as a PAN (Personal Area Network) replacing the RS232 data cables which saves users the trouble of synchronization by cables. Essentially the technology has achieved an edge of uniting the communication among internet devices into a single universal standard. The name Bluetooth is derived from an ancient Scandinavian historical king, Harald Bluetooth who managed to unite unruly kingdoms into one large unit with common interests (Kardach).
The founding organizations which came up with the technology include IBM, Toshiba, Ericsson, Nokia, Intel and Nokia. With the complexity of synchronizing internet devices using cables, Bluetooth came into play to solve the problem by integrating entertainment systems, computers and telephones into a community of electric devices.
The gadgets are therefore able to communicate with each other using the Bluetooth technology which has streamlined the process by surpassing other systems of linking these devices like cables, wires or infrared among others. The specifications that led to the development and advancement of the Bluetooth technology were first brought about by Jaap Haartsen in the year 1994 as an employee in Ericsson Mobile. His specifications were brought before the Bluetooth Special Interest Group which got them formalized in 1998.
There has never been any relentless in advancing in the Bluetooth technology and things are only getting better and better with time. Currently, the latest advanced technology allows for thet increased throughput data transfer at a rate of 24 Mbps and the power control built-in of Bluetooth devices ensure power saving to a great extent, not to mention the automatic security setup. From the inception time, Bluetooth has experienced a lot of advanced changes to match the dynamic world demands. So far there have been a total of seven Bluetooth versions; each succeeding version coming with an extra high-tech application. The versions include; Bluetooth 1.0, Bluetooth 1.1, 1.2, 2.0, 2.1 and the latest Bluetooth 3.0 (Monson).
How Blue tooth works
Bluetooth applies the radio technology referred to as Frequency-Hopping Spread Spectrum via a total of 79 Frequencies that it creates by chopping up the data being sent. The arrangement can be either made point-to-point or point-to-multipoint. These different points of connections are intertwined into a single baseband that combines circuits and packets into a switching mode. Every packet has got its slot to avoid running the risk of having an unsynchronized channel (Monson).
Application of Bluetooth technology is varied, top in the list include the use of the 3.0 HS version to transfer data on videos, photos, music and such related files from one device to another without necessarily having to use cables and wires. In line with this is the ability for the consumers to synchronize music libraries between phones, Global Positioning System (GPS), digital cameras and PCs. Bluetooth devices are designed to use low power with radius range from 1 meter to 100 meters, particularly in low bandwidth situations.
There are a number of devices depicting the use of Bluetooth technology in the modern gadgets include the Wii, Modems, Lego Mindstorms NXT, Watches, Play Station 3 and Handsets. Many are going for these gadgets because of their easy address, network and permission configurations which can also be automated, an option which is not available in many internet gadgets. One of the major advantages of using blue tooth is that one does not need to be especially technologically advanced to have the ability to use it. Thus it’s a simple gadget that can be used by any one
Regarding health concerns, Bluetooth uses microwave radio frequency spectrum that ranges from 2.4 to 2.4835.it requires power depending on the class or category of the gadget; from as low as 1mW to 100 mW. Bluetooth is therefore poses no potential health risk to its users, just comparable to mobile phones, specifically the class1Bluetooth gadget.
Facts on the Bluetooth Technology
The following facts on Bluetooth are available to its users, they include the ability to separate or chop the frequency band in what is referred to as hops kin order to spread the spectrum to every available channel hence giving a secure output layer. Approximately eight devices can be networked in a piconet at the same time. Bluetooth has also the ability to transmit across solid barriers like walls, bags and briefcases, thus eliminating the need to have the gadgets placed in each others vicinity, besides, the signals are multidirectional and the gadgets do not have to be placed in any particular direction. There is no limit to the devices used in the technology as the system uses both the synchronized and the unsynchronized applications.
The best sounding advantage of Bluetooth is that it provides a means of wireless connectivity without having the cluttered cables of peripherals. The protocols on which Bluetooth bases its data transfer techniques are the RFCOMM, L2CAP Baseband and OBEX, all the devises fitting the specification are identified by a six byte address. Bluetooth documentation are split into basically two major categories; Bluetooth profiles (how the technology operates) and Bluetooth specification (how the technology is used to achieve the required functions).
When devises that have Bluetooth devices fixed on them are brought within a region where they can pick the signals from each other, an electric communication is triggered between the gadgets to determine if there is any data in either of them to be shared or transmitted. The system is automatically initiated and requires no command from the user. Once the devices have developed a synchronized processing, they create a PAN or piconet that covers the area depending on the class specification of the gadget, the machines then get to randomly hop their frequencies in unison a manner that they link with one another to avoid picking signals from other PANs which they share a location with.
Bluetooth Vs WiFi Technologies
It is important to note that many people are unable to differentiate these two technologies, many presume that both technologies are similar in all ways and are unable to define the various differences that exist in both. The only distinct similarity that exists between both technologies is the fact that both falls under wireless technology thus applications of both technologies are versions of wireless applications. However probably this is the only similarity that exists.
First on one hand while the blue tooth technology is under the IEE protocol specifications of 802.15.1 the specifications for Wi Fi fall under the 802.11 (Monson 1999). To the consumer what this basically means is that appliances that use either of these technologies are interoperable. Thus both technologies are different in various distinct ways and are not in any way competing against each other.
. The WiFi technology is geared to substitute the use of cables in WLAN in local area network; the primary intention here is for resident equipment and its immediate applications. On the other hand, Bluetooth technology targets non resident equipment outlining WPAN (wireless personal area network); substituting cabling in personal internet devices. Unlike the WiFi which requires separate adapters for the devises that make the internet community, Bluetooth technology uses only a single adapter for multiple devices (Monson 1999).
Conclusion
The paper has also established that Bluetooth is a technology that uses the radio specification frequencies for a short range interconnection between the internet devices. The technology bases its application on a 9mm microchip to enable effective short range radio link to replace the use of complex cables and wires. This is quite dissimilar to the wi fi technology which targets non resident users.
However it is noteworthy that both of these technologies have gone a long way in enhancing communication and upgrading the communication process enabling the users to carry out many tasks at the same time without necessarily having to stop any. This increases efficiency and makes life easier and especially reduces the need of physical networking and making it cheaper to conduct business and communicate or access information.
References
About the Blue tooth SIG. Web.
Heidi Monson : Bluetooth Technology and Implications: 1999. Web.
Jim Kardach: Wireless Net DesignLine: How Bluetooth got its name. 2009. Web.
Prashant Sharma: Basic Facts About Wi-Fi and its Advancement. Web.
The Definitive WiFi Hot Spot Directory. Web.
WiFi Advantages. Web.