Problems ahead for Bluetooth Users, says writer
Despite a year of trials and tribulations for Bluetooth,
the short-range radio interface, is starting to be seen in a variety
of products from handsets to printers to adapter cards. According to
research firm Cahners In-Stat Group, 100 million Bluetooth products
will be shipped next year to nearly 1 billion in 2005.
But Bluetooth afficionados shouldn’t savor the sweetness of
Bluetooth for too long, because they are in for "some serious
toothaches," according to writer John Cox with ‘Network
World.’ In his article ‘Bracing for Bluetooth Problems,’ Cox
says, "potential problems abound, including partial security,
no standard roaming features, buggy interoperability, and
interference with wireless LANs."
Partial Security
Cox says, "Bluetooth’s security is only partial, focusing
on encrypting data transmissions." According to Graham Carter
of Red-M, "Bluetooth can be configured to allow users to enter
a PIN to identify themselves, but it is unclear to what degree that
will complicate the users’ interaction or slow performance."
Furthermore, Bluetooth lacks the superior security features found
in 802.11b wireless LANs, Cox says.
Roaming
Despite industry efforts to promote it as an alternative to
802.11b wireless LANs, Bluetooth does not support roaming: the
ability to remain connected and session intact while moving through
a wireless voice or data network. For example, if a user moves
outside the group of Bluetooth devices, called pico net, their
device has to renegotiate a new connection.
Interoperability
Cox foresees interoperability as being a problem for users of
the ‘first wave’ of Bluetooth gear. For example, users may find
it difficult to transfer a file or receive a phone call, because the
manufacturers, more than likely, "have used different versions
of the Bluetooth specification or faulty drivers." Vendors say
that the interoperability bugs will be fixed by the time version 1.1
is released.
Interference with 802.11b Wireless LANs
In offices where wireless LANs are already deployed, bringing
Bluetooth devices on site may cause interference, says Cox, "as
both radio technologies use the 2.4 GHz band, which is already
crowded by microwave ovens and cordless phones." Vendors are
warning "when devices using different technologies are near
each other, users of either might see performance slowdown, but no
packet loss," Cox writes.
