Get Bluetooth Pan On Android: Easy Steps

Bluetooth PAN (Personal Area Network) is a wireless connection that allows two devices to communicate directly with each other and share an internet connection. While Bluetooth tethering is a quick and easy way to connect devices to the internet using your smartphone's data plan, it exposes your phone to wireless hacks, strains your phone's battery, and quickly uses up mobile data. To enable Bluetooth tethering on an Android device, go to Settings > More > Tethering & Portable Hotspot > select Bluetooth Tethering.

Bluetooth tethering

Firstly, enable Bluetooth on both devices. On your phone, navigate to the "Portable Hotspot and tethering" menu in your phone's settings and select the other device in Bluetooth tethering.

If you are pairing your phone with a computer, enable Bluetooth on your phone and select your computer. Follow the on-screen prompts on both devices to complete the connection.

If you are using a Windows 10 computer, go to the Bluetooth tile in the Action Center (found in your taskbar). For Windows 11, go to Settings > Devices > Bluetooth. For Macs, you can find Bluetooth in System Settings > Bluetooth.

You can also pair your phone with another phone. Although the following steps are worded for Windows 10, you can follow similar steps for other devices. Navigate to the Tethering & Portable Hotspot menu on your phone. You can also long-tap the Hotspot icon in the Quick Settings panel (Android), then tap to turn on "Bluetooth tethering."

Join your phone's network on your computer. To do this, right-click the Bluetooth icon in the system tray and choose "Join a Personal Area Network." A new window will open, and you need to select "Access point" from the "Connect using" drop-down menu.

Once the connection is successful, you will see a message pop up on your computer. You can now use your phone's data/internet connection to browse the web if you have a hotspot set up. If you don't have a hotspot set up, you can browse the connected phone's files.

It is important to note that Bluetooth tethering only supports one device at a time. It also does not match Wi-Fi or USB in terms of throughput, resulting in slower internet speeds. Additionally, some mobile carriers limit or charge extra for tethering, so it is recommended to check with your carrier before setting up a Bluetooth PAN.

Pairing devices

To pair devices using Bluetooth, the two devices must be Bluetooth-enabled and within a certain proximity of each other.

On your Android device, go to Settings, then Network and Internet, and select Bluetooth. Ensure Bluetooth is turned on, then select the device you wish to pair with from the list of available devices. You may need to ensure Bluetooth is enabled on the other device, too.

If prompted, enter the same pairing code on both devices and accept the connection. The two devices should now be connected and you can share your phone's internet connection via Bluetooth tethering.

You can also enable Bluetooth tethering by going to Settings > More > Tethering & Portable Hotspot > select Bluetooth Tethering. This will allow other devices to connect to your phone's internet connection. However, Bluetooth tethering only supports one device at a time.

To automatically connect to a device after pairing, you can use a BroadcastReceiver in your app code. This will listen for specific actions, such as ACTION_FOUND (when a new device is discovered) and ACTION_BOND_STATE_CHANGED (when the device's bond state changes). When the device is paired, you can connect to it programmatically in your app.

Bluetooth PAN networks in crowded places

To create a Bluetooth PAN (Personal Area Network) on Android, go to Settings > More > Tethering & Portable Hotspot > select Bluetooth Tethering. This will allow you to connect a phone via Bluetooth to a device and receive IP traffic from that device. However, it's important to note that Bluetooth tethering only supports one device at a time.

The concept of a PAN was first developed by Thomas Zimmerman and other researchers at MIT's Media Lab. There are two types of PANs: wireless and wired. A wireless PAN is designed to serve a single person or a small workgroup, while a wired PAN provides short connections between peripherals using wired technologies such as USB.

While Bluetooth PAN networks have the advantage of being discreet and portable, they also have some disadvantages. These include short network range, slow data transfer rates, signal interference with radio signals, and higher costs associated with built-in WPAN devices.

Bluetooth PAN API

Bluetooth PAN (Personal Area Network) is an ad hoc wireless connection that allows two devices to communicate directly with each other. It can be used to pair a payment terminal with an Android or iOS tablet or smartphone, for example, to function as a mobile POS system.

To create a Bluetooth PAN on Android, you can go to Settings > More > Tethering & Portable Hotspot > select Bluetooth Tethering. However, Bluetooth tethering only supports one device at a time.

Android's Bluetooth API does not officially support the PAN profile. However, it is possible to use the PAN profile on Android by accessing the Android Internal API. This can be done by importing an external .jar file, which will allow you to access the BluetoothPan and other internal APIs.

It is worth noting that Bluetooth PAN may be a more secure option than Wi-Fi networks, as fewer people would think to look for Bluetooth PAN networks in crowded places, and it does not broadcast your WiFi SSID. However, Bluetooth has slower internet speeds than Wi-Fi or USB and can strain your phone's battery.

Bluetooth PAN connection troubleshooting

Check Your Device Compatibility

Before attempting to establish a Bluetooth PAN (Personal Area Network) connection, ensure that your devices are compatible and have the same version of Bluetooth installed. Not all Android phones support Bluetooth PAN out of the box, and it may be disabled by default on some commercial Android phones. Android 4.0 devices and above support both client and host PAN roles.

Enable Bluetooth and Make Devices Discoverable

On your Android device, go to Settings > More > Bluetooth and ensure Bluetooth is enabled. Set your device to "visible" or "discoverable" mode so that it can be detected by the other device.

Pair Your Devices

On the other device, search for nearby Bluetooth devices and select your Android phone from the list of available devices. Once paired, you can then turn on Bluetooth tethering by going to Settings > More > Tethering & Portable Hotspot and selecting "Bluetooth Tethering".

Check Internet Connection

If you are attempting to use Bluetooth PAN for internet connection sharing, ensure that the host device has an active internet connection.

Check for Nearby Interference

If you are experiencing connection issues, try disabling any other wireless connections such as Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, and remove any nearby wireless devices or metal objects that may cause interference.

Restart Your Devices

If the connection is unstable or briefly established and then terminated, try restarting both devices.

Check Bluetooth Settings on Mac

If you are connecting to a Mac, go to System Preferences > Bluetooth and ensure that the "Allow Bluetooth Devices to Connect" option is enabled.

Update Firmware and Drivers

Ensure that all necessary drivers are installed correctly and that any firmware updates have been applied.

Reset Bluetooth Module

If none of the above solutions work, try resetting the Bluetooth module. On your Mac, hold Shift + Option and click on the Bluetooth icon in the menu bar. Click Debug, select "Remove all devices", then click Debug again and select "Reset the Bluetooth module".

Use a Terminal Command

If you are connecting to a Mac, you can use a terminal command to establish a connection between the two devices. On the terminal, in the Bluetooth menu, select the plus button to scan for available devices. Select your mobile device, verify that an identical pairing code appears on both devices, and accept it.

Use an Alternative Bluetooth App

If you are still having trouble connecting, try using an alternative Bluetooth app such as AirBuddy or ToothFairy, which are available with a Setapp membership.

Frequently asked questions