# Wifi internet dongle



## Sahil88 (Apr 8, 2016)

Hi all,
I am thinking of buying a internet dongle for my apartment.
Does anyone have experience of owning them and are theg any good? Also what companies do this?
Thanks!


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## ccm472 (Jan 6, 2016)

I've used dongles for more than 10 years now for work and play in UK, Spain and France. Yes they are good and do the job, with no need for trailing wires. I used to use my work one for about 9 hours a day with few issues.

They nearly all have lights which flash continuosly to tell you the strength of signal (varies according to the maker).
However if the signal weakens they drop a speed level (4g, H+, 3g, 2g) quicker than a data sim in a smartphone.

Huawei make good unlocked dongles which then allow you to use whichever data sim you want, and with the change in EU legislation on roaming charges you may find a bargain tariff on the internet. M

If you want to use a data/combined sim in a phone (also unlocked?) then you follow the instructions that come with the sim and then set up a Hotspot, from the settings, wireless and networks, More option.

We use the phones these days for all our data and no longer have any ADSL lines and find it meets all our needs.


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## davids0865 (Apr 12, 2016)

Check this offer out!!

https://tiendaonline2.amena.com/tarifas/amena-en-casa


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## bob_bob (Jan 5, 2011)

As CCM said, its very easy to use your phone as an internet dongle, I do this on my trips abroad from the UK if there is no wi fi internet available to me.


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## Simon22 (May 22, 2015)

Yep, another vote for a good data plan on your phone and then tether from there. We use 3.co.uk last year and it was not fibre quality but two of us used the internet a lot.


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## CharlieMCFC (Jan 27, 2016)

I have an Orange dongle in my apartment. It works well and is very fast, although there is 4G here. One downside is that it is not particularly portable - no battery or USB power input, only mains. The other downside is that it is limited to 35GB a month. I have never come close to that limit, although I don't stream TV/video, only the radio and then not often. I pay €35 per month.


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## CharlieMCFC (Jan 27, 2016)

I should add that I am 1 person. If you're a family with teenage kids then maybe the 35GB limit would be a problem!


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## ccm472 (Jan 6, 2016)

CharlieMCFC said:


> I have an Orange dongle in my apartment. It works well and is very fast, although there is 4G here. One downside is that it is not particularly portable - no battery or USB power input, only mains. The other downside is that it is limited to 35GB a month. I have never come close to that limit, although I don't stream TV/video, only the radio and then not often. I pay €35 per month.


Are you saying that you have a 4g router? 
A dongle is portable by design, it plugs into any USB port on any machine and needs no separate power. In a way it is simply a holder for a sim, plus maybe an SD card slot.
A typical 50 min TV programme if downloaded over the internet is 650mb, so you could download 50 programmes a month.


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## CharlieMCFC (Jan 27, 2016)

ccm472 said:


> Are you saying that you have a 4g router? .


I guess so. For an apartment, it is ideal, no wires and portability not needed.


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## CharlieMCFC (Jan 27, 2016)

I have a portable Huawei dongle left over from a different contract (in the UK). I assume I could plug my Orange 4G SIM into that and it would work, although I haven't tried doing so.


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## ccm472 (Jan 6, 2016)

Charlie, if the Huawei was supplied on contract it may have been locked. Depends on the contract provider.
Easy enough to get it unlocked, ask the contract provider for the unlock code and instructions and then have your IMIE number to hand, just in case.
If you haven't still got the box its probably on the inside of the dongle case along with the serial no.


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## Sahil88 (Apr 8, 2016)

Thanks guys! Does anyone have the Amena 4g one? So i can connect that to my phone, laptop etc?


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