Created on: May 5, 2013
Last updated: August 24, 2015
Bluetooth is a standard communications protocol primarily designed for low power consumption, with a short range (power-class-dependent: 100m, 10m and 1m, but ranges vary in practice – see table below) based on low-cost transceiver microchips in each device. Because the devices use a radio (broadcast) communications system, they do not require line of site with each other.
|
Class |
Maximum Permitted Power |
Range |
|
|
mW |
dBm |
||
|
Class 1 |
100 |
20 |
~100 meters |
|
Class 2 |
2.5 |
4 |
~10 meters |
|
Class 3 |
1 |
0 |
~1 meters |
In most cases the effective range of class 2 devices is extended if they connect to a class 1 transceiver, compared to a pure class 2 network. This is accomplished by the higher sensitivity and transmission power of Class 1 devices
|
Version |
Data Rate |
|
Version 1.2 |
1 Mbit/s |
|
Version 2.0 + EDR |
3 Mbit/s |
|
Version 3.0 + HS |
24 Mbit/s |
