4g dongles have became one of the most common ways to connect a laptop/desktop to internet in today’s time. So, it’s important to know how to pick the right dongle out of many options available in the market. To do that, it’s important to have good knowledge about them.
Following are the main features a good 4g dongle should have :-
1. Affordable price
Today many people from middle class have started using internet. For them, price is always an important point. Expensive does not always means better.
Some companies produce material at large scale, use latest technology and build them within India. Such products are always going to be cheaper than imported products, or from products which are prepared by using inefficient methods.
Sometimes, in premium dongles people are paying money for features they actually don’t need, and will never even use them. So sometimes, a cheaper option can be a smarter choice also.
2. High speed connectivity
High speed is one of the most basic and important need for an internet user. This allows a person to perform different activities like internet browsing, downloading, gaming etc. in a smooth way.
Some dongles provide very high speed, but are very inconsistent. Their speed fluctuates a lot, it can go up to 10 mbps at one point and can come down to just 10 kbps at another pint.
So, it’s important to find a dongle which can provide high speed on a permanent basis. My personal opinion is that despite all the big claims made by internet companies, reality is that a 4g dongle providing 1-2 mbps speed on a consistent basis will be considered very good.
3. Easy and fast setup
Sometimes setup of a dongle becomes a headache for the buyer. They have to search for hours on internet to understand the proper setup process.
Ideally, setup should be all about plugging in the dongle, installing the software, and doing very basic settings. It should take less than 30 minutes of basic effort.
So, find a device having simple setup like Airtel 4g, or Huawei 4g dongle. Avoid devices which boast of premium features but have a very complicated setup.
4. USB port compatibility and Wi-fi
It is important for every dongle to be compatible with different types of USB ports like 2.0, 3.0 and 4.0 ports. It makes them function well with different devices.
This feature also provides an alternative option to the user, in case one port does not function well. Strong wi-fi connectivity is also important as some people prefer wi-fi connection to the direct USB port connection.
We have also noticed that certain combination of PC, dongle and network provider have a tendency to perform better with wi-fi.
5. Support for multiple internet networks
A dongle which is unlocked and can work with every network is mostly better than those which can work only with a specific network.
Unlocked dongles provide more flexibility and options to a user. If due to some reason, one internet provider is not providing high and consistent speed, you can always switch to some other network.
In some cases, when network provider is one of the best in country, and has a excellent track record of providing high quality service, then even locked dongles can work well. But, unlocked is still the best option.
6. Easy to carry
A dongle should be small enough to be carried in a pocket or a bag without any trouble. Interesting thing is that even being too small can be a problem, as chances of loosing it can be very high.
It needs right size, small enough to be carried easily, and big enough to be found and noticed easily. Along with size, quality of build material is also important.
If it’s too soft or weak then chances of getting damaged or broken while carrying can be high. Build material has to be a bit strong and firm to sustain for few years in a comfortable manner.