What kind of encryption will be used for Bluetooth security?

A: The Bluetooth specification 1.0 describes the link encryption algorithm as a stream cipher using 4 LFSR (linear feedback shift registers). The sum of the width of the LFSRs is 128, and the spec says "the effective key length is selectable between 8 and 128 bits". This arrangement allows Bluetooth to be used in countries with regulations limiting encryption strength, and "facilitate a future upgrade path for the security without the need for a costly redesign of the algorithms and encryption hardware" according to the Bluetooth specification. Key generation and authentication seems to be using the 8-round SAFER+ encryption algorithm. The information available suggests that Bluetooth security will be adequate for most purposes; but users with higher security requirements will need to employ stronger algorithms to ensure the security of their data.

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devarajan

What is a Personal Area Network (PAN)?

A: A Personal Area Network is another name for a Bluetooth Piconet

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devarajan

What is HomeRF ?

A: HomeRFlike Bluetooth is a specification for connectivity and mobility in a home-like environment. HomeRF Working Group has developed a specification for wireless communications in the home called the Shared Wireless Access Protocol (SWAP).

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devarajan

Bluetooth Radio:
The Bluetooth Radio (layer) is the lowest defined layer of the Bluetooth specification. It defines the requirements of the Bluetooth transceiver device operating in the 2.4GHz ISM band.

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devarajan

Baseband :
The Baseband layer describes the specification of the Bluetooth Link Controller (LC) which carries out the baseband protocols and other low-level link routines.

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devarajan

SDP:
The Service Discovery Protocol (SDP) provides a means for applications to discover which services are provided by or available through a Bluetooth device. It also allows applications to determine the characteristics of those available services.

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devarajan

Print wirelessly from your Bluetooth phone:

The Canon Pixma MP450 all-in-one printer has a PictBridge USB port that you can also use to enable wireless printing from a Bluetooth device, such as a camera phone or a PDA. Canon offers its own Bluetooth adapter, the BU-20.

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devarajan

How is Bluetooth used?

Bluetooth can be used to wirelessly synchronize and transfer data among devices. Bluetooth can be thought of as a cable replacement technology. Typical uses include automatically synchronizing contact and calendar information among desktop, notebook and palmtop computers without connecting cables. Bluetooth can also be used to access a network or the Internet with a notebook computer by connecting wirelessly to a cellular phone.

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devarajan

What is the future direction of the Bluetooth standard?

At this time, we anticipate the Bluetooth SIG to evolve the Bluetooth technology to provide greater bandwidth and distances, thus increasing the potential platforms and applications used in the emerging personal area networking marketplace

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devarajan

Where can I find more information on Bluetooth?
A: The following web sites are useful Bluetooth resources:
Bluetooth.com | The Official Bluetooth® Technology Info Site,
www.xircom.com, and
Bluetooth(TM) - Bluetooth wireless technology.

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devarajan

How secure is a Bluetooth network?
A: Bluetooth is extremely secure in that it employs several layers of data encryption and user authentication measures. Bluetooth devices use a combination of the Personal Identification Number (PIN) and a Bluetooth address to identify other Bluetooth devices. Data encryption (i.e., 128-bit) can be used to further enhance the degree of Bluetooth security. The transmission scheme (FHSS) provides another level of security in itself. Instead of transmitting over one frequency within the 2.4 GHz band, Bluetooth radios use a fast frequency-hopping spread spectrum (FHSS) technique, allowing only synchronized receivers to access the transmitted data.

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devarajan

What is Frequency-Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS)?
A: Frequency-Hopping Spread-Spectrum (FHSS) is a spread spectrum modulation scheme that uses a narrowband carrier that changes frequency in a pattern known to both transmitter and receiver. Properly synchronized, they maintain a single logical channel. To an unintended receiver, FHSS appears as short-duration impulse noise. More simply, the data is broken down into packets and transmitted to the receiver of other devices over numerous "hop frequencies" (79 total) in a pseudo random pattern. Only transmitters and receivers that are synchronized on the same hop frequency pattern will have access to the transmitted data. The transmitter switches hop frequencies 1,600 times per second to assure a high degree of data security.

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devarajan

Will other RF (Radio Frequency) devices interfere with Bluetooth Devices?
A: No. Bluetooth radios operate on the unlicensed 2.4 GHz (Industrial, Scientific and Medical) frequency band that is shared among other devices (microwave ovens, cordless phones, garage door openers, etc. ). Bluetooth radios switch frequencies at such a rapid pace (1,600 times per second) and the data packets are so small that interference from other RF sources is highly unlikely. Bluetooth is a robust communication system.

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devarajan

Will other RF (Radio Frequency) devices interfere with Bluetooth Devices?
A: No. Bluetooth radios operate on the unlicensed 2.4 GHz (Industrial, Scientific and Medical) frequency band that is shared among other devices (microwave ovens, cordless phones, garage door openers, etc. ). Bluetooth radios switch frequencies at such a rapid pace (1,600 times per second) and the data packets are so small that interference from other RF sources is highly unlikely. Bluetooth is a robust communication system.

__________________
Regards,
devarajan

Will Bluetooth and Wireless LAN (WLAN) interfere with each other?
A: No, both Bluetooth and WLAN can co-exist. Since Bluetooth devices use Frequency Hopping and most WLANs use Direct Sequence Spreading techniques they each appear as background noise to the other and should not cause any perceivable performance issues.

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devarajan

What is the data throughput speed of a Bluetooth connection?
A: Bluetooth transfers data at a rate of 721 Kbps, which is from three to eight times the average speed of parallel and serial ports, respectively. This bandwidth is capable of transmitting voice, data, video and still images.

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devarajan

What is the range of Bluetooth transmitter/receivers?
A: Bluetooth is designed for very low power use, and the transmission range will only be 10m, about 30ft. High-powered Bluetooth devices will enable ranges up to 100m (300ft). Considering the design philosophy behind Bluetooth, even the 10m range is adequate for the purposes Bluetooth is intended for. Later versions of the Bluetooth spec may allow longer ranges.

__________________
Regards,
devarajan

What kind of encryption will be used for Bluetooth security?
A: The Bluetooth specification 1.0 describes the link encryption algorithm as a stream cipher using 4 LFSR (linear feedback shift registers). The sum of the width of the LFSRs is 128, and the spec says "the effective key length is selectable between 8 and 128 bits". This arrangement allows Bluetooth to be used in countries with regulations limiting encryption strength, and "facilitate a future upgrade path for the security without the need for a costly redesign of the algorithms and encryption hardware" according to the Bluetooth specification. Key generation and authentication seems to be using the 8-round SAFER+ encryption algorithm. The information available suggests that Bluetooth security will be adequate for most purposes; but users with higher security requirements will need to employ stronger algorithms to ensure the security of their data.

__________________
Regards,
devarajan

s Bluetooth practical for use with mobile devices?
A: Yes. One concern for mobile computing users is power consumption. Bluetooth radios are very low power, drawing as little as 0.3mA in standby mode and 30mA during sustained data transmissions. Bluetooth radios alternate among power-saving modes in which device activity is lowered to maximize the mobile power supply.

__________________
Regards,
devarajan

What is a Personal Area Network (PAN)?
A: A Personal Area Network is another name for a Bluetooth Piconet.

__________________
Regards,
devarajan