Wireless connections are defined by the 802.11 standards for 2.4 and 5 GHZ frequency bands. Most mobile devices will have an integrated chip, oftentimes a plug in mini PCIe chip, which allows for wireless communications. Otherwise, external USB wireless adapters are also available.
NFC
NFC stands for Near Field Communication. It uses low power radio frequency communications for short distances. It has a shorter range and is slower than Bluetooth. NFC allows you to send small amounts of data wirelessly in a short range to other devices. NFC also supports encryption of the data being transferred.
You may see NFC being used today in payment systems where you simply tap or hover your phone near a transaction device to make a payment. NFC can also be used to send contact information to another mobile device with NFC enabled. NFC is also used in transportation systems. Your phone can act as your ID card/ access token and you can use your phone as your ticket to a bus ride, train system, etc.
NFC operates in 3 different modes:
- NFC card emulation mode: Lets device act as smart card (Example to make payments)
- NFC reader/writer mode: Allows device to readied information stored in NFC tag
- NFC peer-to-peer mode: Allows for ad how data transfer between 2 NFC enabled devices
NFC operates at 106 Kbps, 212 Kbps, and 424 Kbps at the 13.56 MHz frequency.
Bluetooth
Bluetooth provides a higher speed and more persistent wireless data connection compared to NFC. Bluetooth operates in the 2.4GHz UHF band. Bluetooth only works in short distances. Class 2 devices have a max range of 10 meters and Class 3 devices have a max range of 1 meter. Bluetooth connections are sometimes referred to as a PAN (Personal Area Network).
You would commonly see Bluetooth being used to connect your mobile device to accessories like wireless headsets, fitness monitors, smart watches, wireless external speakers, mouse, keyboards, automobile interfaces, etc. Bluetooth can also be used to tether a mobile phone and computer together so that the mobile phone can be used as an access point.
With Bluetooth, one master can have up to 7 slaves. Meaning for example, 7 Bluetooth devices can be managed by a single laptop, tablet, or phone.
IR
IR stands for Infrared. It previously was used for limited file transfers and printing, but not so much nowadays. Nowadays, IR is mainly used to control entertainment centers so that you can use your mobile device like a remote control to make changes to your entertainment center.
IR requires a clear line of sight for operation.
An IR port on a laptop usually appears as a small red window on the laptop.
Infrared has a functional distance of about 1 meter with a viewing angle of about 30 degrees.
Hotspot
Similar to tethering is being able to turn your mobile phone or device into a hot spot. Rather than just allowing one device access to the internet, your mobile phone can become a personal wireless router and allow multiple devices to simultaneously use its cellular data network. Again, your wireless carrier may require additional service fees and configurations in order to enable the hot spot capability on your mobile phone.