Bluetooth Serial Bridges

Bluetooth serial bridges are an important, though little discussed, component of Bluetooth wireless networking. Bluetooth wireless technology has revolutionized local wireless data transfer and wireless connectivity.

Initially little more than a cable replacement technology, Bluetooth has grown and expanded considerably with consumer usage continuing to increase near exponentially. One potential drawback to using Bluetooth wireless technology in certain situations has been the distance limitations of the technology. Bluetooth serial bridges help to solve that limitation.

A Bluetooth serial bridge is an electronic networking device. Bluetooth network technology allows Bluetooth devices to connect to other Bluetooth devices through bridge devices. While any Bluetooth device can act as a network bridge device, for practical reasons a dedicated serial bridge is necessary in large applications.

The Bluetooth serial bridge serves as a bridge between serial adapters to extend the communication range of the Bluetooth network. Serial ports are not even included on some newer computers and serial technology usage has dwindled in the computer world. However, serial port technology is still used in industrial and medical settings.

Bluetooth serial bridges are not often used in the home setting. Most home networks are within the 10 meter range of a Class 2 Bluetooth network or well within the 100 meter range of a Class 1 Bluetooth network. However, many medical and industrial environments exceed the 100 meter range of even a Class 1 Bluetooth network.

Since many industrial and medical facilities span multiple buildings or multiple floors in a building users may often find themselves out of range of the Bluetooth network. Many medical and industrial applications still use serial ports for data communication between devices. Until recently these serial port connections have required a cable connection to connect the devices together.

Thanks to the advent of Bluetooth technology though, many of these devices can now be connected wirelessly with Bluetooth serial adapters. Bluetooth serial bridges allow these medical and industrial users to greatly expand the range of their Bluetooth wireless network.

Bluetooth serial bridges provide many advantages to certain wireless network users. The option to extend the Bluetooth network range is certainly preferable to needing to run cable throughout an entire facility.

Bluetooth serial bridges can considerably extend the range of the network as well. Some Class 1 Bluetooth serial bridge units boast a range of 100 meters standard with an increased range of 1 kilometer with an optional antenna installed. Few medical or industrial facilities will need to broadcast more than 1 kilometer with their Bluetooth network.

Bluetooth serial bridges are available from many Internet retailers and networking supply companies. There are several manufacturers that produce Bluetooth serial bridges. Most Bluetooth serial bridge devices use dip switches to allow the user to set network preferences on the device.

Bluetooth serial bridges serve an important role in the industrial and medical wireless networking environment. While home users are likely to find a Bluetooth wireless serial bridge to be overkill, the devices allow for the expansion of wireless technology in large scale environments. These networking devices facilitate a large step forward in wireless technology implementation.