Choosing an adapter for wireless communication between your phone and your computer
origin of name
The technology for wireless data transmission was not named Bluetooth at all after the International Dental Association. The name is based on a legend dating back to the deep Middle Ages. King Harald Bluetooth was the leader of the Vikings who went down in history as the unifying king of the Scandinavian lands. Bluetooth, which means "Blue-Toothed", is the nickname given to the king by the witty British. King Harald brought Christianity to Scandinavia and also united Denmark and Norway. It is for its ability to establish communication between various devices that the technology of wireless data transmission was named Bluetooth - in honor of the Scandinavian king. By the way, there is even a monument to the ancient monarch in Sweden, on which the inscription is engraved: "Ericsson Mobile Communications AB installed this stone in honor of Harald Bluetus, who gave his name to a new wireless technology for mobile communications."
Adapter adapter strife
If the buyer always carefully weighs the pros and cons when choosing a phone, then a Bluetooth adapter is often purchased at random, which can subsequently lead to problems. To begin with, there are three types of wireless adapters: PCMCIA cards with a Bluetooth module (for laptops without Bluetooth functionality), Bluetooth adapters in the form of SD cards for smartphones and communicators (installed in a standard SD card slot), and See also USB adapters (Bluetooth USB-dongle) designed for installation into the USB port of desktops or laptops. Considering that most laptops, smartphones and PDAs are equipped with the Bluetooth function already during production, the area of application of the first two types of adapters is gradually decreasing, but USB adapters, due to their affordable price, convenience and versatility (compatible with any PC equipped with USB), acquired lately it has become very popular. Agree, a modern phone without the help of a PC reveals its functions by only 10%. And the purchase of branded Data-cables often does not justify itself due to their possible shortage, as well as the need to purchase a new cable every time you change the phone. Therefore, a wireless USB adapter has become a universal way to "make friends" your handset with a computer, especially since its scope is not limited to this. With Bluetooth, you can listen to music with wireless headphones or exchange data between two desktop computers.
Bluetooth capabilities
Although Bluetooth is a standardized technology, the functionality of adapters can be radically different. It depends on the technology version (most often there are Bluetooth 1.2 and 2.0 adapters) and support for various Bluetooth profiles. Today the overwhelming majority of adapters on the market support Bluetooth 2.0, as the most modern and characterized by the highest data transfer rate. As a rule, any manufacturer indicates the Bluetooth version directly on the box with the product. The situation with profiles is somewhat more complicated - in fact, these are the functions that a particular adapter based on Bluetooth technology can perform. Here are the main profiles required to fully work with the phone, the presence of which in a particular adapter must be checked: Serial Port Profile allows Bluetooth devices to emulate a PC's serial port - thanks to which various programs get access to the phone, the Headset Profile determines the way through which Bluetooth provides a wireless connection
devices with a headset equipped with speakers and a microphone.Dial-up Networking is designed to use the phone as a wireless GPRS modem, Fax Profile allows you to receive and send faxes using a mobile phone. The File Transfer Profile allows your computer to access files stored on your phone directly, without the need to install any software or drivers. Synchronization Profile provides synchronization of data stored in the phone, such as phone book, calendar, notes.
Testing
Now that we have identified all the possible differences between adapters, we will try to find out how different the user characteristics of devices of this type from different manufacturers are. The test involved four Bluetooth adapters from leading manufacturers. The devices work with both Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR (Enchanced Data Rate) and the previous version of the protocol - Bluetooth 1.1. The newer standard has a number of advantages, but most phones are equipped with an older version of the Bluetooth radio module, so when working exclusively with a phone, all adapters are virtually equal. We evaluated not only the speed and stability of data transfer, but also the build quality and user-friendliness of the interface embedded in the proprietary software for the adapter.
Smart BT-USB 04
Build quality
The adapter has a rectangular shape with slightly smoothed corners, on the front surface there is an inscription Bluetooth. That's all, there is not even a hole for attaching a lace - in fact, it's not to wear it around your neck. In general, the case looks very austere, although it is assembled with high quality. The cap closes tightly, so the risk of losing it is minimal, no cracks or gaps in the case are observed.
Convenience of the interface
It was not difficult to connect the adapter to the PC - the main problem is that the software for similar products from Smart Mobile Devices is not universal. When trying to connect the adapter, the computer signaled that the installed software is incompatible with this type of adapters. But after installing the drivers included in the kit, the device immediately started working. The easiest way to manage the adapter is with the BlueSoleil software, a fairly easy-to-understand program that provides access to the basic Bluetooth profiles available when using the adapter.
Data transfer speed and stability
As you can see, the data transfer rate gradually decreases as the distance from the PC with the adapter increases or obstacles arise.
Test condition | Transfer time from PC to phone | Transfer time from phone to PC |
File transfer of 3.48 MB | 4 min 30 sec | 2 min 52 sec |
File transfer of 3.48 MB at a distance of 8 meters | 5 minutes | 3 min 10 sec |
File transfer of 3.48 MB from phone to PC (phone and adapter in different rooms separated by a brick partition) | 5 min 30 sec | 3 min 40 sec |
Outcomes
Decent adapter in price / quality ratio. The austere appearance of the device is compensated by the stable operation and ease of use of the supplied software. The adapter is relatively inexpensive and will be the perfect addition to your phone.
D-Link DBT-120
Build quality
Unlike previous devices, this adapter does not support Bluetooth 2.0. However, in terms of data exchange with most mobile devices, it is in no way inferior to newfangled developments for the reason that most phones are still equipped with a Bluetooth 1.2 module, which equalizes the chances of adapters here. The external difference between this adapter and the previous two is in the absence of a cap - apparently, the manufacturer expects that the device will be permanently located in the computer's USB port.
Convenience of the interface
The device has shown an amazing degree of compatibility with Windows XP and drivers for Bluetooth adapters from several other manufacturers. The proprietary software is easy to install and quite stable.There are two ways to install the program - a step-by-step installation from a disk, or insert an adapter and let the operating system find the required driver on the disk itself. The first option is preferable.
Data transfer speed and stability
Measurements show that when used with mobile phones (with Bluetooth version 1.2), both somewhat outdated adapters and newer ones turn out to be almost in equal conditions.
Test condition | Transfer time from PC to phone | Transfer time from phone to PC |
File transfer of 3.48 MB | 4 min 40 sec | 3 min |
File transfer of 3.48 MB at a distance of 8 meters | 4 min 58 sec | 3 min 15 sec |
File transfer of 3.48 MB from phone to PC (phone and adapter in different rooms separated by a brick partition) | 5 min 50 sec | 3 min 45 sec |
Outcomes
Not a bad and quite reliable adapter, which, when used with most mobile phones, is not inferior to advanced developments. A significant argument in favor of the adapter will be an affordable price and "time-tested" printing, which this hard worker deserves.
Cellink BTA-6030
Build quality
The use of metal elements and the combination of different types of plastic suggests that the manufacturer has worked hard not only to ensure the reliability of the internal components, but also to ensure that the exterior of the adapter does not drive the user into the paint. The main body with the Cellink brand logo is made of soft matte plastic, which virtually eliminates scratches and softens possible shocks. We must admit that the body is made soundly, and the capabilities of the device are impressive.
Convenience of the interface
Installing and configuring proprietary software will take no more than a quarter of an hour, after which the device works extremely stable. We are pleased with the high degree of compatibility of the program and drivers with Windows XP - in order to send or receive a file via Bluetooth, the user does not need to launch the application, just right-click on the desired file and select the required item in the context menu. The manufacturer emphasizes that the adapter is compatible with the Bluetooth 2.0 standard with EDR support.
Data transfer speed and stability
The device works within a radius of up to 100 meters, apparently this is one of the reasons why the decrease in the data transfer rate depending on the distance is not as significant as in other adapters.
Test condition | Transfer time from PC to phone | Transfer time from phone to PC |
File transfer of 3.48 MB | 4 min 31 sec | 2 min 48 sec |
File transfer of 3.48 MB at a distance of 8 meters | 4 min 50 sec | 2 min 57 sec |
File transfer of 3.48 MB from phone to PC (phone and adapter in different rooms separated by a brick partition) | 5 min 17 sec | 3 min 20 sec |
Outcomes
Cellink BTA-6030 is an excellent adapter at the height of modern technology. Its capabilities and range are record-breaking in many ways, so limiting the scope of this device to just exchanging files with a mobile phone is like using a personal computer exclusively for typing.
Belkin USB-Adapter
Build quality
The new Bluetooth adapter from Belkin Devices combines support for the latest Bluetooth protocol (Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR) with a modern, streamlined design. Outwardly, the device can be easily confused with a regular USB drive; there is a special cap that can be attached to the back of the device to avoid loss during operation. Unobtrusive appearance and stable performance are the main advantages of this adapter.
Convenience of the interface
The manufacturer separately emphasizes that this adapter consumes little power, which makes it promising for use in laptops. Installing the software does not require much time and effort, and in the future it is a pleasure to manage the adapter.The icon on the "Start" panel of the desktop will always show whether the Bluetooth mode is active (the logo is colored white) and whether data is being transferred at the moment (the logo is colored green). Data transfer during testing was traditionally stable.
Data transfer speed and stability
The fluctuations in speed compared to similar devices are very insignificant, after all, Bluetooth is a unified standard and the performance should ideally be practically the same.
Test condition | Transfer time from PC to phone | Transfer time from phone to PC |
File transfer of 3.48 MB | 4 min 34 sec | 2 min 49 sec |
File transfer of 3.48 MB at a distance of 8 meters | 4 min 55 sec | 3 min 07 sec |
File transfer of 3.48 MB from phone to PC (phone and adapter in different rooms separated by a brick partition) | 5 min 37 sec | 3 min 44 sec |
Outcomes
A mid-range adapter that combines modern functionality, support for all existing Bluetooth profiles, as well as features such as low power consumption and high speed of both data transfer and discovery of new devices.
It should be remembered
Do not forget that when the Bluetooth module is always on, the phone or laptop battery starts to drain faster, and the constantly active Bluetooth mode on the PC theoretically makes it vulnerable to unauthorized connections in order to get your confidential information. Therefore, you only need to turn on Bluetooth in your phone and other devices if you really need it, and if you are using a phone with a wireless headset, you need to set the invisibility mode in the Bluetooth settings in your phone.
