DONGLES ????

Wonkylegs

well I am no expert on this, but i believe from discussions we had at playgroup that a dongle is what one is provided with when setting up mobile access for a computer through a mobile phone company.

The dongle is the thing that connects the computer to the internet .... via the mobile phone network ... but I don't think anyone would need more than one? :?

there are things which are similar in appearance but are storage devices. I think they are sometimes called memory sticks, or something similar. They work like a disc but hold a lot more info. Would that be an idea for your friend?

skezier

Hi Lynn,

This I know about Its what I use. Mine is a stick type thing with a sim card and its own mobile number, so you wont need their number. If you know there post code and you know which dongle your getting it might be worth checking with the provider not using the internet one which isn't as reliable re coverage. In towns or cities they all have reasonable coverage but just cus a mobile phone on a particular network works in an area doesn't mean the dongle will. Remoter places have less coverage. My dongle is with a company who's phones don't work here and the phone is with a company who's dongles have no coverage here, yet.

Mine can go down but its quietly improving as they add in more transmitters (is that the right word?). Its normally ok and you can get boosters for them that strengthen the signal. Luv Cris xx

livinglegend

Wonkylegs wrote:

a dongle is what one is provided with when setting up mobile access for a computer through a mobile phone company.

The dongle is the thing that connects the computer to the internet .... via the mobile phone network ... but I don't think anyone would need more than one? :?

there are things which are similar in appearance but are storage devices. I think they are sometimes called memory sticks, or something similar. They work like a disc but hold a lot more info. Would that be an idea for your friend?

As wonkylegs says, once you have a dongle connected to your mobile network, you don't need another unless you are switching networks. Very often the major mobile operators provide them for free, because this is one of the most expensive ways of paying for an internet connection.

The USB memory stick looks similar but are used for storing information such as photos, music files, etc. and are simply plugged into a computers USB port. It is a quick way to store or move files from one computer to another. A common size is 4GB which should cost about £10 on the high street.

Joseph 8)

breane

Hi,We have a holiday caravan in Someset and because there's no facilities for using our laptop in that area,a friend suggested we bought a dongle so we could get onto the internet while we were away from home.However,we have found using the dongle very slow. It was easy to set up but it seems to take forever to move from page to page.I logged on to this website and just trying to get from the home page to the forum took at least 6 or seven mins,and each time I went to a different location on the web,the same thing happened.Perhaps there's something I'm doing wrong,but can't think what.Any suggestions? Breane.

frogmorton

No Lynn!
Get her a memory stick like Joseph said - they are really useful for storage. She can put things like photos on which take up loads of space
She will be pleased - I would be
Love
Toni xx

chris7

Hi Lynn

My dongle has driven me crazy!
Only got on to the internet in Sept when my old laptop died. As I didn't have a home computer with broadband I went for the free laptop, plus dongle package, over 2 years. Must admit they did check to make sure I got the one with best coverage but it really has given me some problems trying to get logged on, and stay logged on at times. I also now know I am paying over the odds for the priviledge!
I think you can buy them preloaded with memory if you want it as a back up only and then top them us as you need them, like a pay as you go idea, but as someone said it is the most expensive way of using the net.
I hope your friends are finding their dongle more successful than mine. Good luck all you dongle users out there.
Chris

valval

yes memory stick/flash drive good idea then if she has prob with comp. her photos safe . or a new memory card for her camera always usfull

chris7

Mine is White rehab with a fetching little 3 on it and a little light that is supposed to come on when you are connected.
Chris :roll:

chris7

Sorry rehab
I'm trying not to respond to this? Last time we debated dongles I think one of us ended up with a black eye
Yes I know I'll get some ointment! take care.
Chris :roll:

livinglegend

There is a list of advertised and actual mobile download speeds at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8267313.stm

Note that, a rural network may still be on a 2G network with speeds, at best, of a few hundred kilobits. At these speeds the average graphics/advertising heavy webpage would take quite some time to download.

So, how to help.

Always use just one tab or browser at any time which will stop pages refreshing in the background.

Look for a 'text only' link on some pages, as this stops the downloading of graphics and ads.

Move around for the best signal as a difference of a few feet can improve the signal.

Check your connection speed for free at http://www.speedtest.net/index.php on a regular basis and keep a log of times and speeds.

Don't surf at busy times such as early evening, as the mobile cells can only pass a limited amount of data. Then you will get slowdown or dropout of the signal.

Joseph 8)