USB Dongle
The Many Uses of a USB Dongle
The ubiquitous Universal Serial Bus or USB dongle is the phrase used to refer to a small hardware device that can be connected to the USB port of a bigger hardware, usually a desktop PC or laptop, to enable some peripheral functions the PC can be configured to perform. It is similar in appearance to a USB flash drive. It is both a software and hardware solution as you may need to install related software into the PC to recognize the USB dongle and make it work.
The term “dongle” is more often used these days to refer to any small device that dangles on the PC. People used the word “key” or “token” before to refer to such devices. They generally have the following functions:
Bluetooth Connection
A USB dongle can be a Bluetooth device that is plugged into the USB port of a desktop or laptop PC to enable it to receive and send data with another device with Bluetooth capability. The transmission is done wirelessly over a distance typically within a radius of a few meters. With handheld devices like PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants) and mobile phone handsets with Bluetooth capability, you can synchronize the data on your PC with these mobile devices through a Bluetooth USB dongle, apart from sharing files between them.
Internet Access
A USB dongle is also used to tap into a wireless internet access which is usually a wireless local area network (LAN) that with internet access and allows this access to be wirelessly used. Often referred as “Hotspots,” you can access the internet with the proper communications USB dongle connected to your PC.
Data Encryption or Protection
The USB dongle had its first application as a software or data protection device that allows users to access certain application or file if the PC detects the presence of a USB dongle which can do some decryption as well.
