A dongle is a tiny gadget that fits into a computer; it's usually about the size of a flash drive. Some dongles function as converters, while others as protection credentials. Modern dongles usually link to a USB connection, as opposed to the early models that connected to parallel ports on PCs and ADB interfaces on Macs.

Adapters

Dongles are another name for some adaptor varieties. For instance, an adapter might offer various cable link kinds for a notebook. Earlier laptop versions had PCMCIA ports—expansion slots—that were too narrow to accommodate an Internet cable. Consequently, an adapter was needed. These dongles usually had an Internet port on one end and a one to three-inch wire with a connection to the card on the other. Current Ethernet dongles look identical, but they typically plug into a Thunderbolt or USB connection.

Currently, a lot of dongles offer wifi functionality. For instance, USB Wi-Fi devices are frequently referred to as dongles. Since Wi-Fi processors are now integrated into the majority of PCs, cellular data devices like 3G and 4G dongles are more widely used. Even when Wi-Fi isn't accessible, these dongles let you link to the Internet via a cellphone provider like Verizon or AT&T.

Security Keys

To stop program theft, security dongles are used for copy protection. For instance, some high-end software programs, like programs for professional recording and video creation, need an adapter to function. When you start the software application, the dongle—which is a part of it—must be inserted in. The application will generate a warning notice stating that a dongle is necessary in order to use the software if the proper adapter cannot be identified.