Bluetooth is a short-range wireless technology standard primarily used for exchanging data between fixed and mobile devices over short distances, creating personal area networks (PANs). This technology facilitates wireless connections for various devices, including personal computers, smartphones, gaming consoles, audio devices, and embedded devices. The typical physical range of Bluetooth is less than 10 meters (33 feet), but it can extend up to 100 meters (330 feet) in some versions like Bluetooth 5.0, which can reach 40–400 meters (100–1,000 feet) under optimal conditions.
The term “Bluetooth” has an interesting origin. It was named after the 10th-century Danish King Harald “Bluetooth” Gormsson, who was known for uniting Denmark and Norway. The name was proposed in 1997 by Jim Kardach of Intel as a temporary code name, inspired by King Harald’s role in uniting Scandinavia, similar to the technology’s goal of uniting the PC and cellular industries with a short-range wireless link. Despite initially being intended as a placeholder, the name Bluetooth caught on rapidly in the industry and became synonymous with short-range wireless technology.
Comparatively, Bluetooth differs from Wi-Fi in various aspects. While both are methods of transferring data wirelessly, Bluetooth is designed for short-distance communication (typically about 10 meters), whereas Wi-Fi covers broader ranges (tens to hundreds of meters). Bluetooth connections are also more limited in the number of devices they can connect simultaneously compared to Wi-Fi, and they use significantly less power. However, Bluetooth’s security protocols are not as advanced as Wi-Fi’s.
For desktop computers, Bluetooth chips are not as commonly found as they are in smartphones, tablets, or modern laptops. If your PC doesn’t have Bluetooth, you can enable it by using a Bluetooth USB adapter, a wireless adapter card, or, in some older notebooks, a Wi-Fi + Bluetooth ExpressCard module.