Study Shows Bluetooth, 802.11b Don't Interfere

There has been some concern that, because Bluetooth and 802.11b use the same unlicensed, 83 MHz wide, 2.4 GHz radio frequency band, the two wireless standards would interfere with each other when used together. Prelimary results from a recent study show that this doesn't happen. The range of each was unaffected by the other. The study doesn't seem to have looked at whether connection speed was affected.

The study was carried out by the Pennsylvania State University's Applied Research Laboratory and Wireless Infotech Education Services. Both groups agree that additional tests with varying procedures are necessary to completely determine the likelihood of Bluetooth and 802.11b interference under all circumstances.

In this study, conducted in a large manufacturing facility, the determined 802.11b range was approximately 284 feet with or without the presence of Bluetooth. Likewise, the Bluetooth network range was 64 feet regardless of whether the 802.11b device was active.

About 802.11b
The 802.11b standard is used to create a wireless, Local Area Network (LAN) and allows connections across ranges as great as 100 meters, depending on power level. Connections are made via access points and consequently multiple devices can be connected to the network through an access point, provided they are within range. An access point functions as the interface between the wired network and wireless network.

About Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a low-powered, short-range wireless network technology best suited for mobile devices, as they may not have enough power to support 802.11b signals. It creates a Personal Area Network (PAN) by directly connecting two devices together within a range of approximately 10 to 100 meters depending on power levels. It is also being used as a networking option for mobile devices.

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Not in this Country.

c_blue @ 12/11/2001 1:29:09 PM #
the 2.4 Ghz band in my country has been sold to a wireless ISP. Does that means we can't use Bluetooth or 802.11b? Or we will have to go to the local version of the FCC with an interference test certification or something like that?

C_Blue
www.amnetus.com


RE: Not in this Country.
Xian @ 12/11/2001 2:13:04 PM #
What country are you in? I remember a notice in my Xircom CBT package that mentioned something about some countries and Bluetooth operation.

RE: Not in this Country.
c_blue @ 12/11/2001 3:48:17 PM #
I'm in Guatemala. I used to work for a company that started to use the wavenetIP product from wireless inc. this suppose to be on the "unregistered" 2.4 Ghz. but we have to shut down the entire network and move to another band.

c_blue

RE: Not in this Country.
Token @ 12/11/2001 5:58:53 PM #
Its a concested area of bandwidth. Many cordless phones also work in the 2.4GHz range. My Ericsson T68 causes interference with our handset if it is close to the base station (and in "promiscuous" mode). Similar things used to happen with cordless phones and Intermec RF barcode scanners.

RE: Not in this Country.
I.M. Anonymous @ 12/12/2001 7:07:29 AM #
Sorry folks, this will be in spanish!

c_blue: Yo trabajaba para el regulador de Venezuela (el "equivalente de la FCC" en USA, como lo llamas), y dado que por lo visto se desarrollarán gran cantidad de aplicaciones del tipo "sin licencia" en la banda de 2.4 GHz, tuvimos que reevaluar los planes para esa banda. No estaría de más que te dirigieras al regulador de tu país para plantear esta situación.

Sorry folks, this will be in spanish!
I.M. Anonymous @ 12/13/2001 1:50:11 AM #
For those few of us that do not read Spanish can you repeat in English too?

RE: Not in this Country (translation)
jnavon @ 12/13/2001 7:23:48 AM #
c_blue: I used to work for the Venezuelan regulator authority (something like the FCC) and as it seems that a large number of the so called "unlicenced" 2.4 Ghz applications will be developped we had yo reevaluate our plans for that band. I suggest you write to your country authorities to discuss this matters.

JNC

FALSE

I.M. Anonymous @ 12/11/2001 2:27:26 PM #
I've worked on Bluetooth, and (for the tech point of view) the frequency hoping used by Bluetooth is seen as noise by 802.11b : so sure the range won't decrease,
but the bandwith is drastically reduced (from 11 to 2 Mb) ... bluetooth software and hardware makers are working on workaround.

RE: TRUE
I.M. Anonymous @ 12/11/2001 4:21:18 PM #
You've merely confirmed what the study showed you dolt! They never said the bandwidth was reduced...

And what sort of workaround do you envisage? They can't modify the basics of BT operation (ie frequency, hop rates etc). I think the 802.11 guys need to make their system more robust as more and more BT devices come into the market.

RE: FALSE
Coyote67 @ 12/11/2001 10:57:32 PM #
Why would 802.11 tech be changed when it is already out and well established?

---------------------------------------
When you have a Clie shoved up your mouth, you can only talk in vowels.
RE: FALSE
I.M. Anonymous @ 12/12/2001 2:51:09 AM #
If one is thinking global "we" and recall issues with cell phone network compatibility then bluetooth and 802.11 together is logical. If one thinks in terms of "I" singular then one can see why there would be no understanding of the need for wireless choices.

Dosen't anybody think 1/5 the bandwidth is important?
I.M. Anonymous @ 12/12/2001 3:41:07 PM #
I know I'd be kind of torqued if the device is rated at 10mb/s and runs at 2mb/s.

I definately consider that 'interference'.

BT is pretty much a waste of time, anyways.

RE: FALSE
I.M. Anonymous @ 12/12/2001 4:33:12 PM #
As are your comments... thanks for nothing.

Dosen't anybody think 1/5 the bandwidth is important?
I.M. Anonymous @ 12/13/2001 1:55:09 AM #
Choices may be more important to start with. Bandwidth will and has always increased. Perhaps we start at less and end up with what we want in the end ... a win-win.

This is really great news...

I.M. Anonymous @ 12/11/2001 9:06:56 PM #
I was really fearful that all of my many Palm SD Bluetooth Peripherals that I own would conflict with all of my many Palm 802.11b Peripherals. Thank you, Palm, Inc. You guys are geniuses!!!

RE: This is really great news...
I.M. Anonymous @ 12/12/2001 8:34:02 AM #
+2, Funny

Another Paper

skoty @ 12/11/2001 10:39:38 PM #
Here's a paper that discusses how the affect each other in terms of bandwidth and range:

http://faculty.cs.byu.edu/~knutson/cs501r-2/Golmiemswim01.pdf

(we had to read it in a class I'm taking)

RE: Another Paper
I.M. Anonymous @ 12/12/2001 1:50:32 PM #
That is so wierd... I work at NIST ad the people who wrote that paper work right down the hall from me. small world.

Chick a Boom

Coyote67 @ 12/11/2001 10:58:20 PM #
At work we have a floor setup as a dummy network where we are testing 802.11b and a proto of the a revision. Facts or not, anything that is bluetooth is totally not allowed on the floor. Pisses the Europa guys off who have the bluetooth cells.

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When you have a Clie shoved up your mouth, you can only talk in vowels.
RE: Chick a Boom
I.M. Anonymous @ 12/11/2001 11:19:43 PM #
LOL.. then I really wonder how sony build Both 802.11 and Bluetooth in their VAIO Computers.

RE: Chick a Boom
I.M. Anonymous @ 12/12/2001 2:41:38 AM #
Sony appears to be following the vision set out by a person willing to sharing their thoughts about a we-com virtual wallet project at the official bluetooth.com site before the forum was shut down ... interesting.

The skinny

I.M. Anonymous @ 12/12/2001 2:59:57 AM #
The skinny, 802.11 is US based bluetooth PAN is EURO based.

Look, BT and 802.11 are working together and have since forming the BT SIG group. They do different things within the same air space.

For some time now a few people have been sharing a vision where both 802.11 and bluetooth work together. What will the future hold?



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