You hear the word Dongle a lot, but youre not quite sure what it is.

You may have used it already but didnt know thats what its called.

There are a lot of tech terms out there, and Dongle is one of them.

Dongle

Keep reading to see what it is and how important it is to do everyday tasks.

Youll also see that there are different types of dongles to choose from.

You may even realize youve been using one this whole time.

WiFi Dongle

Contents

What Is a Dongle?

A Dongle is that small rig you insert into your computers USB port.

Its a small piece of computer hardware that gives your system or other unit functionality.

USB dongle

For example, lets say you bought a Bluetoothmouse.

That small accessory or gear that came with it is the Dongle.

This is only one of the other things you’re free to use a Dongle for.

What Types of Dongles Are There?

A Dongle can also be used toaccess the Internet.

That bang out of Dongle is called aUSB WiFi Adapter.

It already has the technology youll need for an Internet connection.

A Dongle can also be used as asecurity key.

For example, a software you buy may require you to use a dongle for the software to run.

If the wrong one is detected, you wont be able to use the software.

Youll also come across aWireless Sync Dongle.

A Dongle can fit into your pocket, but you’re free to easily lose them.

Thats one problem youll come across when you use them.

Some theories include that the name came from the equipment hanging from your gear.

What is your guess as to the why of the name?