I've played around with the Bluetooth profiles on my Pocket PCs and have figured out how to use most of them.  One profile that never understood how to use is the Bluetooth Personal Area Network profile.  I could connect two Bluetooth enabled devices together and create a Personal Area Network, I just couldn't figure out what to do once the network was established

I recently discovered a piece of software that I would like to use in my classroom, but the software requires some kind of network connection between my computer and my Pocket PC.  Since the classroom WIFI connection is inconsistent and unreliable and since I do not want to be limited by an ActiveSync connection, I was motivated to create a working Bluetooth PAN.  I started experimenting with the Bluetooth Personal Area Network (PAN) profile and I finally figured out how to use it.

Now, I'm no network expert, but this is what I've figured out so far.....

• Bluetooth PANs can be used to connect devices together to perform a myriad of tasks, such as to playing multi-player games, printing to a Bluetooth enabled printer, browsing or working with files on a computer from a Pocket PC, or text messaging between connected Bluetooth devices.
• Similar to a WIFI network, a Bluetooth PAN uses the Internet Protocol standard to identify and communicate between the devices that are connected to it, so each electronic device (computer, Pocket PC, printer) on the network is assigned a unique IP address within the context of the Bluetooth PAN.  To use the resources of or communicate with the other devices on the network, you must refer to each device by it's unique identifier.  In many instances you can use the name of the device as its unique identifier, but in some cases, you will need to use the device's Bluetooth IP address.
• Bluetooth PANs may facilitate peer communications across all the devices on the network, or they may operate within master/slave or server/client relationships, where there is a dedicated device (slave or client) whose resources are being used by the other devices on the network (master or client).

Setting up a Bluetooth Personal Area Network

To create a working Bluetooth PAN between a Bluetooth enabled computer and Pocket PC, first you will create a Bluetooth network shortcut on the Pocket PC, then you will activate the Bluetooth Network connection to find your computer's and Pocket PC's Bluetooth IP addresses.  If your computer does not have an internal Bluetooth radio, you can purchase a Bluetooth dongle (I use a Kensington USB dongle).  If you use a Bluetooth dongle, be sure you install the Network Access profile when you install the software that comes with the dongle.

1. Create a Bluetooth shortcut on the Pocket PC

• Turn on the Bluetooth radio on your computer (the Bluetooth radio should support the Network Access profile)
• On the Pocket PC, open up Bluetooth Manager > Tap New > select "Explore a Bluetooth Device" in the Connection Wizard screen > Next
• The Pocket PC will search for available Bluetooth devices.  Assuming you have already established a relationship with your computer (for another purpose), you can select the computer icon from the screen
• Select Network Access from the Service Selections window > Next > Finish

2. Activate a Bluetooth Network connection

• Open up Bluetooth Manager > Tap the My Shortcuts tab
• Press and hold your stylus on the Network connection icon you just created, tap Connect from the popup menu
• Your computer will display a message indicating that a connection is being attempted > accept the connection to connect the Pocket PC and computer.
• The computer will take a few moments to acquire a network address (the Bluetooth network icon in your computer's task bar will become active)

3. Find your computer's Bluetooth IP address

• Open Network Connections on your computer
• Select the Bluetooth Network, the status column should show "Connected"
• Review the IP address for your computer in the Details box on the left hand side of your computer screen

  4. Find the Pocket PC's Bluetooth IP address

• Tap Start > Settings > Connections tab > Network cards icon > Network Adapters tab > scroll down to and tap the Bluetooth PAN User Driver in the window below the words, "Tap an adapter to modify settings"
• Take note of the IP address in the blue box

Now What?

You can use the Bluetooth PAN you've just created to listen to music or open up and edit documents on your computer from your Pocket PC just as you could with a WIFI connection.  With more setup, you can share your computer's internet connection with the other networked devices.  With additional software and the Bluetooth IP addresses of each device, you can play multi-player games, send instant messages between your networked devices or you can control your computer from your Pocket PC.

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