Dear Geek,
My colleague has offered to show me his dongle. Should I feign interest or slap him?
Blushing of Beltinge.
Dear Blushing,
Dongle has been an IT term for years, most recently used to describe a USB adapter that gives you internet access over a mobile phone network. All the networks and most of the providers offer a dongle of some kind, so it can be a little complicated to choose one.
A dongle is great when you’re away from home or the office and need to check your emails. Invaluable during those long weeks either side of a house move while you wait for your broadband supplier to connect you.
You don’t have to get a dongle from the same company that provides your mobile, the choice is all about coverage and cost. Most providers give some indication of coverage on their websites. Check the small print when purchasing – what happens if it turns out you picked the wrong network? If you order online you should have a 14 day opportunity to get a full refund.
If going for pay-as-you-go then check how long top-ups will last – you could lose your data allowance if you don’t use it soon enough. Contracts can work out cheaper, as well as providing a free dongle. Beware the free laptop offers though, unless you were planning on buying a laptop anyway – they’re not really free!
Finally, some providers now offer a “mifi” device – it’s a combined dongle and mini wireless router, so more than one computer can use it at the same time. Very useful indoors – you can put the mifi by the window and not just next to the PC. They can also be used with other wireless devices, such as an iPad.
Geek x
A Microsoft Certified Professional with many years of large corporate experience and training, he now focuses on helping small businesses make the most of their IT.
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