Bluetooth Frequently Asked Questions

A. Bluetooth is a low cost, short-range wireless technology that enables you to send data wirelessly over short distances.

A. You can use a Bluetooth system for any purpose that requires the transmission of data, data can take many forms it can be voice, music or a control signal.

A. Bluetooth receivers / controllers can be configured to form a MESH network, so providing that power is present at all the receivers in your Bluetooth MESH network the Bluetooth signal is transmitted from device to device so the wireless range is extended.

A. Yes, by downloading a free Bluetooth application that is compatible with the Bluetooth receivers you can control your lighting products from your smart phone.

A. Yes you can purchase Bluetooth wall panels and handsets.

A. Yes, the Bluetooth signal is digital so there is no loss of data between the transmitter and the receiver.

A. The Bluetooth signal is a short wave length UHF radio frequency signal which ranges between 2.4GHz and 2.485GHz.

A. The name Bluetooth dates back over 1000 years to a Viking King, Harald “Bluetooth” Gormisson who was well known for two things; uniting Denmark and Norway in 958 and his “dead” tooth which was a dark blue / grey colour which earned him his nickname. As he was responsible for improving communication between Denmark and Norway Bluetooth was named after him.

A. No, Bluetooth does not use an internet connection so it can be used anywhere between two devices that have Bluetooth incorporated into them.

A. Yes you can, you would simply pair the Bluetooth receiver to your smart phone application and give it a name so if it was controlling an LED lamp you could name it Lounge main Light. You can then add other lights to the application.

A. Yes you can, simply pair each receiver to the same “zone” on the wall panel.

A. Yes, you can have multiple transmitters controlling one Bluetooth receiver however this number is usually restricted to up to 8 x Bluetooth controllers to each receiver.

A. There are advantages of both depending on the purpose of the communication. Wi-Fi is faster than Bluetooth but then with Bluetooth you are not going to be downloading large files, just sending small packets of data.

A. The Bluetooth signal range is approximately 10m (32 Feet).

A. You don’t have to have Line of Sight for Bluetooth to work however obstructions between the transmitter and the receiver will cut down the range of the signal dramatically.

A. No, Bluetooth is independent of Wi-Fi and does not connect to your router or through a Gateway. As long as you have two Bluetooth devices, they will communicate with each other.

A. No, Bluetooth is a universal system so any Bluetooth transmitter will communicate with any Bluetooth receiver no matter who manufactured it.

A. Bluetooth is becoming more popular as new devices are brought out that support Bluetooth however you would normally find that the most popular Bluetooth products are Headphones, Speakers and most modern cars have Bluetooth built in so that you can connect your phone to the car wirelessly. This is because Bluetooth is a digital system so there is no loss of data between the transmitter and receiver. Your music or voice on a wireless Bluetooth connection is as good as it is transmitted so high quality.

A. Bluetooth is a low power system so it is ideal for small mobile devices with limited battery power. If Bluetooth used more power, it would drain your mobile devices battery much quicker so it is perfect for small devices with limited battery life.

A. No Bluetooth is a wireless system it does not work with connecting cables.

A. Probably the quickest way to add Bluetooth to your computer is to purchase a Bluetooth Dongle which simply plugs into your computers USB port. This acts as a Bluetooth transmitter.

A. Bluetooth is very secure; the system uses a personal identification number or PIN number which you use to pair your devices. Bluetooth devices also use a fast signal hopping system that randomly chooses one of 79 available frequencies and flips between them at 1,600 times every second. Only paired devices can synchronise with this.

A. The biggest issue with Bluetooth is problem with pairing your devices together however this is usually because the pairing procedure is not followed properly.

A. Bluetooth can transmit packets of data at 721Kbps.

A. This is a Bluetooth wall panel for controlling your lighting that doesn’t require any batteries or power supply. It uses a tiny micro generator to provide enough power to transmit the Bluetooth signal to the receiver.

A. This is any device that can receive a Bluetooth signal and decode it in order to perform a function.

A. Yes you can do this with a Bluetooth system as it is independent of Wi-Fi but will form a MESH network within your home which extends the Bluetooth signal. You can also add Bluetooth wall panels and handsets so your lighting can be controlled from your smart phone or these other devices.

A. No you can simply pair your Bluetooth wall panels and handsets to the Bluetooth receivers.

A. Kinetic wall panels don’t require power so they can be installed almost anywhere. Fix the wall panel as required, connect the Bluetooth receiver to the light that you are controlling, press the learning key on the receiver and press the wall panel switch. This will pair the switch to the receiver wirelessly.

A. Having Bluetooth on your computer enables you to connect various things to it wirelessly such as a Wireless Keyboard, Mouse or monitor speakers. All these will be close to your computer so are ideal for Bluetooth.

A. Bluetooth 5.0 is the latest version of the Bluetooth wireless standard.

A. There are many improvements with the Bluetooth 5.0 standard but the mains ones are it has a higher bandwidth and longer range.

A. Yes you can but the system will only work at the rate of the Bluetooth 4.0 device.

A. No, Bluetooth is a high-quality digital transmission system so no data is lost between the transmitter and the receiver so Bluetooth 5.0 does not improve on the sound quality of you r headphones.

A. No, as Bluetooth has a very fast signal hopping capability choosing from 79 available channels and switching frequencies 1,600 time per second other devices will not interfere with your speakers.

A. Yes, Bluetooth is a digital system and will accurately receive the digital signal from the Bluetooth transmitter so there would be no loss of sound quality.

A. Yes it does however walls and any obstruction between the transmitter and receiver will reduce the range so if your walls at very thick then the signal will be dramatically reduced.

A. Yes you can but you will need to have a compatible Gateway that connects to your router which connects to the internet.

A. ZIGBEE is a wireless protocol with a longer range than Bluetooth it forms a MESH network so all the various ZIGBEE nodes boost the signal however some Bluetooth devices can also form a MESH network. Bluetooth is normally used for close range transmission.

A. No, one of the advantages with Bluetooth is that it is a low power system so it is ideal for mobile devices such as smart phones.

A. No, Bluetooth can be found in most devices these days from washing machines to scales and even toasters. Anything that benefits from a short-range communication system is usually fitted with Bluetooth.

A. Yes you can, as long as your device has Bluetooth built in, it will connect to your smart phone.

A. Yes it does, any device can have Bluetooth built in, all smart phones will have the technology.

A. No not at all, Bluetooth is completely independent of your phones data, it is free to use.

A. Make sure that your smart phone Bluetooth system is switched on and is searching for a Bluetooth device. Make sure that the Bluetooth device that you are connecting to is in discovery mode. Make sure that you are close to the device that you are trying to pair your smart phone to. Remember that Bluetooth has a short range so don’t try and pair your smart phone to devices in different rooms.

A. The devices data sheet or instruction leaflet should tell you which application is the right one for your device.

A. It is better to use the application that is recommended by the manufacturer to ensure that it works properly and you are getting the best out of your device.

A. No Bluetooth is an independent system and does not use a Wi-Fi connection.

A. As Bluetooth is only short range it is dropping out because you are moving away from the device you are connected to. Try moving closer to the device and don’t move around from room to room.

A. A MESH network is a group of devices that work together as a network and pass the signal from one device to another, a Bluetooth MESH network will do this as well so each Bluetooth receiver with power connected to it will pass the signal on to the next device effectively extending the range of your Bluetooth system.

A. No, Bluetooth MESH networking is designed to exchange small messages between a lot of devices not for media streaming.

A. No, the MESH network will not affect other Bluetooth devices.

A. No, the audio streaming signal is separate from your Bluetooth MESH network.

A. A Bluetooth node is a device that is part of a Bluetooth MESH network.

A. Bluetooth has made provision for up to 32,000 nodes however realistically these numbers are not expected to be achieved. Some MESH networks however have over 1,000 nodes.

A. No, all Bluetooth commands include an identifier that determines which packed to information belongs to which MESH network, each network is isolated completely from other networks.

A. Each node on a Bluetooth MESH Network will send out a pulse message every now and will report back if a device is not working.

A. No, a Bluetooth MESH network sends out the packets of information through multiple nodes at the same time so the message will find another route around your MESH network.

A. No some nodes such as door or window sensors that are battery powered remain asleep for hours or even days until they have something to report so other nodes in the network take on the additional messaging function to support the low power nodes.

A. Yes, a Bluetooth network works with all kinds of lighting and supports single colour, Colour temperature adjustable and colour changing lighting.

A. Yes, mains powered TRIAC dimmers are available that will pair to your Bluetooth application.

A. Yes, the Bluetooth application also supports a music function that will synchronise your LED coloured lighting to the beat of the music played on your smart phone.

A. Yes, the Bluetooth application also has built int programs that will flip or fade through the colours of your connected LED lighting strips.

A. Yes, pre-programed effects on Bluetooth applications will have a speed adjustment control.

A. Yes, you can adjust the brightness of your lighting either using the Bluetooth application on your smart phone or you can adjust the brightness using a Bluetooth Wall panel or handset.

A. Yes, most Bluetooth applications will allow you to add additional users.

A. Bluetooth Kinetic wall panels do not have any batteries and do not require a power connection so they can be mounted just about anywhere. They can be stuck int place using the pads provided or for a more permanent installation they can be screwed into place.

A. No, Bluetooth is a very low power system and transmits information in short “packets” of data.

A. Yes you can, providing the lighting you are controlling matches the voltage of your van (normally 12v) you can use 12v LED lighting strip and connect it to a Bluetooth receiver.

A. You can use a Bluetooth control system for this, connect the LED strip to a Bluetooth receiver and download the associated free application. Pair the receiver to your phone and you are ready to go.

A. Bluetooth pairing is when you connect two Bluetooth devices together wirelessly, it is a secure way for Bluetooth devices to communicate with each other.

A. Paging is the process that is sued to get a connection between two Bluetooth devices. One device sends out a “Page request”, the other device responds to this request and to complete the connection.

A. Yes you can but they will both do the same thing when you operate the wall panel.

A. Yes you can, but although setting up the Bluetooth system is not difficult, using a specialist company to do this is advisable as you will need to get the right products to suit your home and also it would involve wiring Bluetooth receivers into your mains lighting. This would need to be done by a qualified electrical contractor and companies who specialise in Bluetooth home automation would be able to help, advise and do the installation for you.

A. Bluetooth was invented in Sweden by Sony Ericsson.

A. The most common use of Bluetooth in a vehicle is so you can connect your Bluetooth enabled mobile phone so that you can make hands free calls using your car audio system. It is also used to stream music from your phone to your vehicles audio system.

A. You can pair multiple mobile phones to your car audio system and even prioritize which phone is connected first when you get in the car but you can only use one device at a time.

A. No, Bluetooth is very secure and only devices that are paired with your phone can pick up the conversation and then only one device at a time.

A. Bluetooth SIG is a Special Interest Group that was set up to ensure that Bluetooth is kept as a universal system that works across different manufacturers and improves the system ensuring that companies who produce Bluetooth products comply with the Bluetooth patent and licencing agreement.

A. A personal area network is another name for a Bluetooth Piconet.

A. A Bluetooth Piconet is a collection of devices that are connected by Bluetooth to form a small Network of up to 8 devices (one primary or master device and up to 7 secondary or slave devices).

A. Piconet means small network, Pico meaning very small and net referring to a network.

A. A Scatternet is a collection of interconnected Piconets.

A. The first Bluetooth device was revealed in 1999.

A. The first Bluetooth product was a hands-free mobile headset which was unveiled at the COMEX show in 1999.

A. The Sony Ericsson T36 was the first mobile phone to have Bluetooth capabilities but the T39 was the first phone to go on general sale in 2001.

A. The radio frequency that Bluetooth works on is similar to mobile phones at around 2.4GHz, this is non-ionising radiation and no specific health problems have been found with this. Furthermore, as Bluetooth has a maximum power output of 100mW, which is much lower than the lowest powered mobile phone which can be as much as 2000mW.

A. Bluetooth is a standard technology that many companies all over the world contribute to on a daily basis so as far as we can predict yes, it is futureproof as it is continually being upgraded and modified to improve its performance.

A. Wi-Fi is a much higher-powered communication system so it would not replace Bluetooth as Bluetooth consumes much less power than Wi-Fi so is ideal for short range communications on mobile devices, Wi-Fi would drain mobile devices much quicker so would not be practical.

A. Bluetooth is only designed for short range communication, under some conditions it can lose its connection, it has a low bandwidth so it is limited to the amount of data it can send.

A. Yes, you can use your Bluetooth devices on planes as the output power is low and will not interfere with the planes navigations systems however some airlines will not allow them to be used during take-off and landing.

A. Yes, it does because “Airplane mode” only switches off the Cell phone function on your mobile phone it does not switch off your Bluetooth connection.

A. There are three stages involved when Bluetooth devices connect together.

1. Inquiry stage, this is when two Bluetooth devices that have never connected initial a connection. One device runs an inquiry to the other device, other devices that are listening for an enquiry will then respond with their address and sometimes more information such as name or device.
2. Paging or connecting, is the process of forming a connection between the two Bluetooth devices.
3. Connection, after a device has completed it paging process it is then connected with the other device and can send and receive data from it.

A. This is when two devices that are connected together by Bluetooth are set to recognise each other when they are within Bluetooth range. An example of this would be when you have paired your mobile phone to your car, it will automatically establish a Bluetooth connection when you are in your car.

A. No it does, the Bluetooth signal is a radio transmission that can pass through walls etc. however obstacles will reduce the Bluetooth range.

A. No 5GHz routers do not interfere with Bluetooth.

A. Yes, there are many companies offering Bluetooth range extenders.

A. You need to have Bluetooth Version 4.0 or later to support Bluetooth MESH networking.

A. Tethering is when you are sharing your internet connection with a device that does not have internet connection. For example, if you have a laptop that can’t connect to Wi-Fi you can “tether” it to your mobile phone wirelessly. So connecting your phone to your laptop via Bluetooth in order to share your mobile internet connection is called Bluetooth tethering.