BackLong range Bluetooth options
17 Mar 2016
The Bluetooth standard is defined as providing a short range wireless connection between electronic devices. As such, up to 100 meters is the official longest range required to be tested by the highest power Class 1 devices (often only under perfect conditions such as line-of-sight with no obstructions or interference).
Some applications and instruments (such as robotic total stations or GPS Rover receivers that are used by land surveyors) require a longer range connection than is officially defined as being required by the Bluetooth standard. If a long range Bluetooth connection is needed with the rugged handheld computer, it is still recommended to test with the integrated Bluetooth first. Even if our official product specifications state otherwise, you may yet find that it still provides the needed connection range. This is as described at the following web page.
A Look at the Archer 2’s Bluetooth – You May Be Surprised
If testing shows that even further range is needed, alternative external long range Bluetooth adapters and custom radio modems are available as listed at the following web page.
Radio (wireless, robotic) options
Sept 2017 - Certain re-brands of the Mesa 3 and Mesa 2 platforms may offer an alternative 63 mW expansion Bluegiga WT41u long range Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR module, which replaces/disables the standard 10 mW built-in Broadcom BCM43241 Bluetooth 4.0 + HS module on such units.
We have not yet tested long range BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) Coded PHY S8 device connections with our standard Bluetooth 4.0 and 5.0 modules in Mesa 3.
