Should use Dongle or portable WiFi transmitter?

Gone are the days when most of us would have to connect via phone lines. The time when Ethernet cables were essential to achieving high-speed connectivity was no more. Now everyone uses wireless networks and is not limited by the range of routers. Mobile internet devices can help us online anywhere with strong connectivity.

Do you connect everything through a mobile WiFi hotspot or smartphone? Should invest in a USB dongle or WWAN card? Each option has its own pros and cons. Let's look specifically through the following article!

Portable WiFi transmitter

The mobile WiFi transmitter accesses the same cellular network as a smartphone. You can add them as another device in a shared data plan or with a separate data plan. Data plan prices tend to be equivalent to the amount you need to spend on your phone.

These mobile Internet devices tend to provide 10 to 20 hours of battery life. Some models act as portable battery packs that can charge the phone, or provide shared memory through the microSD card slot. Many models have screens that display how much data you have used within the monthly limit. Specific details vary depending on the product you buy.

With the launch of 5G, mobile WiFi transmitters can work better as the main Internet connection at home. That's because 5G has low latency, allowing devices to communicate with each other faster. This is the key to gaming and leveraging the power of VR.

Some devices, such as the 2019 HTC Hub 5G, can support up to 20 devices and provide enough battery life to last a day. But because 5G networks are slow to deploy, most regions will still rely on 4G LTE.

One disadvantage of a portable WiFi transmitter is that it has to be placed next to your phone, tablet or laptop. The cost of a data plan may also increase.

Dongle

Like mobile WiFi transmitters, Dongle tends to come directly from a carrier. Many dongles look like USBs or small modems that you can plug into your computer via a USB cable. You can switch back and forth between WiFi or mobile data, just like a smartphone. Dongle can also share that connection with other devices.

A big difference between Dongle and portable WiFi transmitter is that Dongle doesn't take up much space. They also do not drain the battery like when using Tethering (sharing connection with mobile devices). You only have to sacrifice a USB port to plug the Dongle. This is probably not a big problem for most laptops, except for devices that have a limited number of ports or have completely removed full-size USB ports.

Dongle is not limited to USB or PC. A number of options can plug into the OBDIIII port in the car, giving passengers WiFi signals on the go. Dongle is nearly equivalent to the WiFi transmitter.

Another drawback is that Dongle often requires special software. Setup can be slow or quite confusing. If you are a Linux user, you must overcome additional barriers or cannot use this type of device.

Tethering

If you don't want to spend money to buy more equipment, a smartphone in your pocket might be all you need. Refer to the article: Instructions to access the Internet via phone running Android for more details.

1. Difference between Tethering and Hotspot

Should use Dongle or portable WiFi transmitter?

There is no exact answer to this problem. If you only need a light connection from time to time, using the tethering feature on your smartphone is enough. If you have to work remotely frequently and need to connect multiple devices, a portable WiFi transmitter might be more useful. And if there is only limited working space, the USB Dongle can fit in your pocket and follow you wherever you go would be the right choice.

Wish you find a device like that!