wireless and Bluetooth

Wireless

Wireless telecommunications refers to the transfer of information between two or more points that are not physically connected. Distances can be short, such as a few metres for television remote control, or as far as thousands or even millions of kilometres for deep-space radio communications. It encompasses various types of fixed, mobile, and portable applications, including two-way radios, cellular telephones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and wireless networking. Other examples of wireless technology include GPS units, garage door openers, wireless computer mice, keyboards and headsets, headphones, radio receivers, satellite television, broadcast television and cordless telephones.

Advantages of Wireless 

a. Wireless routers are equipped with modem, network switch (a device that has multiple connection ports for connecting computers and other network devices), wireless access points.

b. Wireless Router can be connected to / from anywhere in your immediate environment or house. That means you can log on and surf the Internet from anywhere around your surrounding.

c.Some of the wireless routers are equipped with a built in firewall to ward of intruders. The configuration options of the firewall are an important consideration when buying a router. Virtually everyone buys and sell online oneway or the other, buying a wireless router with good firewall configuration options can be helpful for security and privacy.

Disadvantages.

a.The wireless connection will be slightly slower than the wired connection. Simply put, wireless or WI-FI transmits through the air and can be blocked interfered with by other waves from the surrounding.

b.Security is one of the main concern when it comes to networking generally, wired network provides for more regid security to wireless. This means that all of your private data stored in your laptop or PDA could be exposed to anyone in the same vicinity. It's possible that an unscrupulous person could obtain passwords and important personal information easily from wireless networks if not properly configured.

c.There is over congestion of WI-FI, especially in the cities where you have a large population of stores and big organisations that transmits over the same channel, causing much interference.

Other devices can be a problem too. Blue tooth devices, cordless telephones and microwaves ovens do cause interference sometimes.

Bluetooth

Bluetooth is a proprietary open wireless technology standard for exchanging data over short distances (using short-wavelength radio transmissions in the Ism band from 2400–2480 MHz) from fixed and mobile devices, creating personal area networks (PANs) with high levels of security. Created by telecoms vendor Ericsson in 1994, it was originally conceived as a wireless alternative to RS-232 data cables. It can connect several devices, overcoming problems of synchronization.

Bluetooth is managed by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group, which has more than 16,000 member companies in the areas of telecommunication, computing, networking, and consumer electronics. The SIG oversees the development of the specification, manages the qualification program, and protects the trademarks. To be marketed as a Bluetooth device, it must be qualified to standards defined by the SIG. A network of patents is required to implement the technology and are licensed only for those qualifying devices; thus the protocol, whilst open, may be regarded as proprietary

Advantages: its wirless theres a whole host of devices that use bluetooth, such as mobile phones, pda's, headsets, also printers, and stereo headphones you plug into your hifi. I use a bluetooth dongle to transfer music from my laptop to my n73. Disadvantages: bluejacking phones with bluetooth can be hacked into this is called bluejacking, its has a limited range usually between 10-100 meters depending on handset, also it can can be a pain to configure and pair up. Bluetooth cant be added on later your phone either has to be built in or you will have to buy a handset with bluetooth on it. Bluetooth is a big drain on batteries.