Dongles and MiFi

Dan Howdle • May 26th, 2023

We're all used to being online pretty much no matter where we are and what we're doing these days. But there are some situations where that's going to be difficult. Perhaps you work at multiple locations and need your laptop to always be online, or you simply can't get fixed-line broadband where you live? Whatever the reason, either a mobile broadband dongle or a MiFi device may be the answer. But what are they, and how do they work?

What is mobile broadband and how does it work?

Mobile broadband is a connection to the internet (usually for your laptop) that you can use anywhere. It's provided via three different types of device, each of them subtly different, and each suited to different jobs. They are…

4G dongles

Dongles are the most common way you can get mobile broadband. They come in the form of small, stick-style 'keys' that fit into the USB socket on your laptop computer. If you're not sure what a USB is, do not worry – all computers have at least one USB socket.

The dongle then connects to the internet via whichever 4G network you bought it from. If you buy a dongle from EE, for example, it will connect to the EE network in the same way your phone does. Your laptop will then be able to use this connection to access the internet.

4G MiFi devices

In terms of how it connects to the internet, a 4G 'MiFi' device is exactly the same as a 4G mobile broadband dongle. It's how it connects to you that makes it different.

Unlike a dongle, which can only be used by the device it's plugged into via USB (pretty much only a laptop), a MiFi device acts like a broadband router. It creates a 'personal wifi hotspot' that allows any wifi-enable device to connect to it, provided you have the password – just like your home broadband. This device could be your phone, your friend's phone, your tablet, your camera – whatever devices you want to get online. Lots of them at the same time, should you so wish.

Mobile hotspots/tethering

Many mobile SIM deals allow something called 'tethering'. This is where you create a personal wifi hotspot using your phone, allowing you or anyone else with the password to use its connection to the internet as if it were a router.

Most providers now allow unlimited tethering, but it's a good idea to check what you can and can't do on your current plan just in case, as you may be penalised if it is not allowed or if you go over the data limit permitted.

Pros and cons of mobile internet dongles

Pros

You can take it anywhere
Ideal temporary broadband solution
Alternative to fixed-line broadband

Cons

Can only connect to laptop or computer
More expensive and slower than fixed line
Tethering means you might not need it

If you are the sort of person – in business, or a student perhaps – who travels everywhere with your laptop, answering emails and racking up the spreadsheet hours, mobile broadband in the form of either a 4G dongle or a MiFi device may be for you. It can also be one of the only available solutions if you're somewhere where there's no other means of getting online.

However, with so many mobile tethering plans out there, dongles are declining in demand. Don't get us wrong, they serve a purpose, but you need to be someone who needs mobile broadband or a mobile hotspot a lot to justify purchasing one. If you only need connectivity a couple of times a month, it's going to be more cost-effective to tether, as long as your mobile provider permits it.

Compare mobile broadband deals

Which providers offer dongles and MiFi devices?

Most companies offer mobile broadband devices. The UK's four mobile networks (Three, O2, Vodafone and EE) all offer devices.

EE – EE no longer offers stick-style dongles, but offers the 4GEE WiFi Mini for mobile broadband on the go. EE also offers customers the option to have a 4G or 5G router to use for your home broadband, rather than having a fixed line, but these require a cabled power supply. The 4GEE Mini has a rechargeable battery just like a phone, however
Vodafone – Vodafone offers both a stick-style dongle, which will provide mobile internet access to the device it's plugged into, and a USB MiFi device, which provides a mobile wifi hotspot. Both are available on a wide variety of data plans, including unlimited. Like EE, Vodafone also offers the option to use a 4G or 5G connection for your home broadband with its Gigacube
Three – Three offers only a USB MiFi device, no stick-style dongles. It takes the form of the Huawei 4G Plus MiFi, and can be obtained via a number of different monthly or annual plans offering various data amounts, including unlimited
O2 – O2 offers a 4G dongle and two ‘Pocket Hotspot’ devices, or MiFi devices, supporting 4G or 5G speeds that you can use anywhere, one of which is the Netgear Nighthawk M1, which promises download speeds up to 1000Mbps

Dongles vs MiFi – Which is right for me?

Confused about which type of mobile broadband to get? Let's make it simple.

Get a 4G dongle if:

In essence, what is usually referred to as a 'dongle', a 'USB dongle', or a 'mobile broadband dongle' plugs into the USB port of your laptop or desktop computer, providing internet connectivity to that device and that device only.

So, get a dongle if you want your laptop to have access to the internet wherever you go, but you don't need to provide access either to anyone else, or to any other device.

Get a 4G MiFi device if…

A 4G MiFi device can also be plugged into the USB port on your laptop or computer, but acts like a router you can use while you're out and about, allowing anything or anyone to connect to it and use the internet (provided they have the password).

So, get a MiFi device if you want multiple devices and/or people to have access to the internet when you're out and about.

How to choose the right dongle or MiFi

You need mobile broadband in your life and tethering to your phone just isn't an option – maybe it'll eat up too much of your phone's monthly data allowance. Maybe it's just too fiddly. Maybe you don't want your colleagues or friends using your phone as a hotspot. So how do you go about choosing the right deal?

Step one – Choose between either a dongle or a MiFi device. Everything you need to help you decide is in the section above
Step two – Work out how much data you need. This can be hard to do. Often the only way to know for sure is to jump in with a low limit and see if you hit it. No provider in the world will hold it against you for increasing it if you need to
Step three – Use our mobile broadband comparison tool to compare mobile broadband deals from UK providers

Compare MiFi deals

Frequently asked questions

What are the alternatives to dongles and MiFi?

Tethering would be the first, best alternative. This is where you use your mobile phone as a wifi hotspot, provided your mobile provider allows it under your plan. The other alternative is to use public wifi hotspots. Many public places, buses, trains, stations, libraries, coffee shops, airports, hotels and commercial centres offer free public wifi. You never know, you may luck out and almost never be out of range of one of them.

What is a mobile wifi hotspot?

A mobile wifi hotspot is a wifi signal that uses another device – usually your phone or a dedicated MiFi device (as described above) – as a router to which you can connect your phone, laptop or any other device requiring connectivity. The device connects to the internet via your mobile deal, and you connect to it via wifi.

Are dongles and MiFi secure?

Yes. A traditional stick-style dongle can only provide connectivity to the device it’s plugged into, while in the case of MiFi devices, no one can access them without your password.

What's the difference between mobile broadband and wifi?

Mobile broadband is broadband provided over wifi via a device you carry with you – either your phone or a 4G MiFi device. Wifi just refers to any wireless internet access: public, at home, wherever.

How do I check mobile broadband coverage?

Mobile broadband coverage is identical to mobile phone data coverage, so if you want to know what the coverage of 4G mobile broadband from Vodafone is, for example, you need only check its 4G mobile data map. Same goes for all providers, and for 5G, where available.

Can I use mobile broadband dongles abroad?

Yes and no. With some you can, with some you can't, and there are a fair few in-betweeners, where you can, but only in a predetermined list of specific countries. If you have a specific country in mind, it's best to check before you buy.

How much do mobile broadband dongles and MiFi cost?

Generally you'll find they cost about the same as equivalent mobile data deals. You can compare prices here. They can be cheap, or they can be expensive – it all depends on the provider you pick and the monthly data allowance you need.

Are dongles easy to install and use?

Yes. In most cases, with both stick-style dongles and USB MiFi devices, you simply plug it in and your operating system will do the rest. They just work. If there is anything more complex than that required to set it up, instructions will arrive with the dongle.

Can I use a mobile broadband dongle as wifi?

A traditional dongle? No. The term 'dongle' refers primarily to stick-style USB devices that provide connectivity to only one machine – the one it's plugged into. With 4G MiFi devices you can, as they act like mobile routers. In fact many providers now offer a 4G or 5G connection for home broadband usage as an alternative to a cabled connection.

Can I get unlimited mobile broadband?

Yes. Three, Vodafone and O2 offer unlimited data for mobile broadband.

Is my phone SIM the same as MiFi?

It can be. If your phone allows tethering, using it by switching on its 'personal wifi hotspot' essentially turns it into a MiFi device.

Can I connect a dongle to my home router?

No. Home routers need to be connected to fixed-line broadband.

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