Network via Bluetooth ?

Has anyone tried to create an HPC- PC- PAN network with an socket Bluetooth CF- card ?
Does it work like an WLAN network ?

Bluetooth refers to a short-range radio technology aimed at simplifying communications among Net devices and between devices and the Internet. It also aims to simplify data synchronization between Net devices and other computers.

Socket does have drivers for their Bluetooth CF card for H/PC 2000 devices. You can go to the Socket website for that information (http://www.socketcom.com).

Essentially, it does work like a wireless LAN but the range is considerably shorter and the throughput is less.

Hi FrankW,


Tried - yes. But with no success. Both the Socket bluetooth card and my Anycom bluetooth usb stick claim to support "lan access" profile. Bad luck the Anycom help file is not really helpful and only covers the usage of internet connection sharing. In theory access to an existing local area network should work like a charme at least with XP pro using the option to create a network bridge between the virtual bluetooth lan adapter and the NIC connected to your local area network. But I don't even get the basic connection to work - no problem with any other bluetooth profile I'm using (dun, sync, obex), only "lan access profile" refuses to connect. My guess is there's some major hurdle with the authentication method used I haven't figured out yet.


In theory it should work like wifi ad-hoc mode. But as Clinton already pointed out a lot slower (max 768 kbit/sec AFAIK) and only on very short distances (depending on the bluetooth class of your pc's adapter). There are, however, bluetooth access points available. Haven't seen one yet in real life and not much read about it, so I don't know wether those devices would provide you with router services you could use to build up a bluetooth network.

Edited by Juergen 2004-09-21 12:40 PM

The next specification Bluetooth should be interesting in terms of solving the bandwidht problem, however sometihng tells me that we're not going to see it in a PC Card format. CardBus O-Rama.

It's worth pointin out here that the stack drivers for CE3 are limited next to the significantly enhanced CE4 protocol stack. If you're using a 2.11 devier, you are going to see a lot of BT's uses out of your grasp as the driver just don't support it.
Anyone looking for 2.11 drivers for BT hardware can get them out of the HCL.

I suspect that it will be in PC Card format. That, along with USB devices, will open up the lappy market to the new standard. But your right Chris, odds are next to zero that it will support anything other than the CE 4.x, specifically the P/PC platform.

Freakin' HP and others need to step up and come out with an updated H/PC....

Just out of curiocity what makes you say that?

The newer G standard WiFi's a CardBus spec. The pending proposal for BT is looking similar.

I'm just trying to argue... ;-)

Oh right, argue away.

I'm just being speculative here myself.

Hi all,

thanks for the answers.
Does I need the PC- Socket Bluetooth Windows Upgrade Kit from http://www.socketcom.com/support/support_bluetooth.asp?Type=CF%20an... for this ?

Is the transmission range 10m (30feet) or less ?

No. It's explained in the product details: "If you purchased our Connection Kit for Windows CE and would like drivers for Windows 98SE, Me, 2000 and XP we recommend you purchase the Windows Upgrade Kit for Bluetooth. The Upgrade Kit includes the software as well as a special extended CF-to-PC Card adapter designed specifically for our CompactFlash Card." So it's only needed if you want to use the Socket card as a bluetooth adapter on your Windows pc or laptop.


The Socket card is a class 2 product meaning it has an output power of 2.5mW and a maximum range of 10m. This maximum range you will only get, however, if there are no walls, furniture or any other obstacles between your bluetooth stations. Bluetooth mainly is used for wireless connection with peripheral devices like printer, modem, headset, keyboard or mouse, so class 2 range should be sufficient for most users. There's a class 1 defined, too, with much higher output power (100mW) and a theoretical range up to 100m. There are class 1 bluetooth cf cards for CE devices available, but not from Socket. And you should keep in mind that the increased output power of a class 1 product drains your handheld's battery quite a lot faster.

Edited by Juergen 2004-09-22 4:11 AM