Summary

Bluetooth is a short-range wireless communication technology that can replace many of the cables that connect your PC to peripherals such as a keyboard or mouse, and to other electronic equipment including mobile telephones, headsets, home entertainment systems, and PDAs. Many laptop computers include internal Bluetooth transceivers; if yours does not, you can attach an inexpensive interface adapter through a USB port. When you connect a Bluetooth interface to your computer, Windows automatically detects the interface and loads the appropriate device drivers.

To exchange data between your computer and other devices via Bluetooth, you must create a piconet that includes a master and at least one slave. To assign your computer to a piconet in Windows, use the Bluetooth Devices dialog box.

Many Bluetooth interfaces come with proprietary configuration software with more options and better features than the standard Windows utility. If you have a choice between the Windows utility and the one supplied with your Bluetooth adapter, the proprietary program is often the better choice.