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Linux Running Bluetooth Access Points

Posted by Hemos on from the demoware dept.

quick_dry_3 writes: "A few days ago I saw Red-M give the first demo of their Bluetooth access point, basically its an x86 Linux box with bluetooth, looks pretty cool too - the extenders look like silver soap holders, they only have to be given power if they're inside main units range. Range was claimed to be 100m from each unit, they demoed it with a PalmV + Bluetooth PC card. Pricey at just under US$3000 though ... They reckon an 802.11 card flattened a Palm in 2.5 minutes, but Bluetooth gave only a slight dent in normal life."

2 of 45 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Wireless on Linux by matthew.thompson · · Score: 5
    But these are technologies with different aims.

    802.11(whatever) was designed as a replacement for the ethernet wires that connect two PCs.
    Bluetooth was designed to replace the parallel, serial, IrDA and other short range low power links between devices.

    Note devices. One use for Bluetooth that the mobile phone makers Ericsson are touting is a cordless Bluetooh headset for your mobile phone, removing the transmitter from your brain and allowing easier movement etc. Another is Palm to phone connectivity, no more lining your Palm V's IrDA port up with that of your Nokia 7110 phone

    One of the great ideas - although wether it would ever take off or not is another matter is micro lans which allow broadcast environmental information to be displayed on compatible devices. Imagine walking into an airport and instead of looking up at the TV screens you look down at your Palm organiser which shows you where your plane is boarding and that it's 5 minutes late. It knows the flight number because you told it and when you arrived at the airport you entered their Microlan and your Palm interroageted their systems.

    All this would be possible with 802.11 but the hardware necessary and the power drain of a Medium ot long range protocol would make it bulky or impractacle(sp?).

    --
    Matt Thompson - Actuality - Insert product here.
  2. Here's how to do this with 802.11 by Ross+Finlayson · · Score: 5
    FYI, if you don't want to wait for Bluetooth (or if you want more range than Bluetooth gives you, and don't mind the extra power consumption), then it's quite straightforward to use a Linux (or FreeBSD, or other Unix) box as a 802.11 base station.


    For more details, see http://www.live.com/wireless /un ix-base-station.html