How Does a Wifi Dongle Work? | Mobile Internet Dongles

As a society, we spend more and more time on the move. One issue that can arise from this increased travel is the need for a reliable mobile broadband connection something that can often be difficult to come by. One option is public wi-fi hotspots. The problem is that these can be infrequent in location and often slow to use. Another option which is seeing a spurt in popularity are wifi dongles. These handy and compact pieces of tech will help you stay connected when on the go. Continue reading to learn more about how wifi dongles work, how to get one and their advantages/disadvantages.

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What is a wifi dongle?

A wifi dongle is a small USB stick that allows you to access online services without needing to connect to Wi-Fi. These pocket-sized devices can be connected to your smartphone, tablet or laptop for easy internet access when travelling. Theyre also referred to as mobile broadband sticks, USB modems, internet sticks and USB network adapters.

Wifi dongles are popular as they offer much better flexibility than fixed-line connections and can be used on the go. The connection provided by a wifi dongle can be used to access the internet, share this connection with friends, download/share files and more, so it isnt hard to see why an increasing number of people are using them.

How does an internet dongle work?

To get your internet dongle working, it needs to be plugged into your laptop or computers USB port, where it can then act as a portable modem. Once plugged in, the dongle then connects to the internet in the same way as your smartphone to offer the user 3G, 4G or 5G connectivity. 

Some wifi dongles dont connect through your laptop or computer. Instead, they operate independently to provide you with Wi-Fi connectivity through cellular data.

Which providers offer mobile broadband dongles?

Broadband dongles use the same 3G, 4G and 5G technology as a mobile , so are offered by pretty much all mobile providers.

Where 5G is concerned, this is currently limited to cities and large towns. You can use this handy broadband checker to see if 5G is available near you. Right now, the following providers offer access to 5G: 

• BT
• EE
• GiffGaff
• O2
• Sky
• Tesco Mobile
• Three
• Virgin Mobile
• Vodafone
• Voxi

How do I get a dongle and what do they cost?

Because dongles are supplied by mobile network providers, the process of getting yourself one is really simple! In the same way that your mobile comes with a monthly contract or pay-as-you-go, the same applies to broadband dongles.

For example, if you buy a dongle from EE, then your laptop will hook up to the EE network once the dongle has been activated. 

Pay-as-you-go is the best option if you rarely require mobile broadband access (or arent exactly sure how much data you require). Here, youll pay around £30 to £50 upfront, and can then top up as and when you need more data. 

With a monthly contract, youll receive the dongle for free but can expect to pay around £15 a month on a 12 to 24 month plan. Picking an unlimited deal will cost more but wont restrict your data usage each month.

You can find and explore wifi dongle deals through a comparison site like Money Supermarket.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of wifi dongles?

Advantages

• Mobile broadband can be easily set up without an engineer appointment

• When you take out a contract, dongles are supplied for free

• USB dongles are great for flexibility as you can access the internet when away from home

• Because mobile broadband dongles run on the battery of your computer/laptop, you dont need an additional charger for them

• You can use wifi dongles abroad

• Theyre compact and continue to get faster

Disadvantages

• While 4G dongles are still the most common type of mobile broadband stick, they tend to have slower speeds than many fibre broadband packages. This makes high-data activities like file downloads and 4K streaming more difficult

• Coverage is dependent on the mobile reception in your area

• You can only connect one device at a time (and this device will require a USB port)

• Mobile broadband often has monthly data limits

• While overseas charges have come down, its still expensive to use a dongle abroad

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Depending on what you use broadband for and when you use it, you may want to consider one of the following for connecting to the internet instead:

Pocket WiFi Modem

Pocket Wifi modems are sometimes confused with dongles but in fact, double up as routers and modems in that they have the ability to connect several devices to a data network at once. Its battery can last for a few hours, and is self-powered: you do not need to plug it in to the USB, in other words.

But do bear in mind, using multiple devices can quickly gobble away at your data if you are not on a truly unlimited plan. As with a dongle, you have the flexibility to take it with you wherever you go.

SIM card

You can purchase SIM cards with a data plan that can be inserted into compatible tablets, laptops and equipment.

Wi-fi hotspot

You may have noticed a wi-fi hotspot option in your smartphones settings. This can effectively turn your mobile into a router that can allow other devices to access its data connection. It will, however, drain your data quicker than using it directly through your .

Mobile home broadband

Home broadband that connects to a mobile data network as an alternative to the NBN.

Your devices will be connected either to a 4G or 5G network, depending on your provider and the area in which you live.

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