This is how Bluetooth devices can detect each other. Bluetooth-enabled devices have a tiny computer chip that broadcasts a signal. How does Bluetooth work?īluetooth uses short-range radio waves to “pair,” or connect, nearby devices. Let’s take a closer look at each technology to get a better understanding. The “internet of things” refers to all the smart devices we use in every room of our homes that have Bluetooth or Wi-Fi capabilities.Ī device labeled as “smart” might connect via either of these two technologies, and sometimes it can be hard to know which one you are using. You may have noticed these items all have one thing in common - they are a part of the IoT (internet of things). Here’s some familiar ones you may already own: Try to determine if those devices are working on Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or both. Need more help telling the difference? Let’s think about some devices that you use in your home. That’s Bluetooth.īut, if you want to perform a Google search on that same iPad, you will need Wi-Fi service. So, for example, if you are trying to connect that iPad keyboard to your iPad, you can do that without being in range of an internet connection.

The main difference between the two technologies is that Bluetooth does not require internet access, while Wi-Fi does. Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are not the same thing, though they do sometimes serve similar functions.

Wifi vs bluetooth speed