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When connecting computer networks, powering electronic devices or securing applications the easiest and most convenient way is to use wireless technology. For these tasks in particular the technology of choice is usually Bluetooth or Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity). Bluetooth is primarily used as an alternate to cable wiring by offering wireless power connections while Wi-Fi is mostly used to link Ethernet 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.

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 PDAa, mobile phones, and audio components with Bluetooth.

But wireless technology is much more than transfer speeds and battery life. It also depends on compatibility and range. Wi-Fi stretches over 300 ft. which allows for wireless Internet surfing while Bluetooth’s short-range coverage of 30 ft. is ideal for point-to-point or multipoint communication between compatible devices. So in short, if you want to connect your notebook to your printer without using a wire, than Bluetooth is what you want. But if you want to connect multiple computers together while maintaining a high-quality connection than Wi-Fi is the way to go.

Any technology without security precautions is useless. 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.

While Bluetooth was designed to combine low-power communications through limited data transfer, Wi-Fi was made to conform certain devices to the industry-standard wireless network (IEEE 802.11b). Even though Wi-Fi has been out a number of years before Bluetooth, consumer businesses are eagerly awaiting the promises that Bluetooth seems prep 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.