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Correct name?

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5 replies

by ldavid

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What is the correct term and definition for a DONGLE, AKA a NIC connection, network connector or to simplify the strain of you technical minds, (seeing as my last question was so blatantly misunderstood) what is a dongle?

Respectfully,

Lori David
FAST Software
IT Department

5 replies

by danpiers

A DONGLE is the common name for a security device attached to a standard I/O port on a computer system. The most commonly used port for a DONGLE is the parallel (or printer) port, although I have seen DONGLEs on the serial ports and the keyboard port. The security issues a DONGLE is commonly used for is copy protection of a specific software application. In this case, the software is started and it immediately checks the I/O port for the DONGLE. If it finds it, it then interrogates the DONGLE and is looking for a desired response from the DONGLE. If the desired response is returned, the program startup continues. If not, the program crashes. The DONGLE could be in the simple form of a specially hardwired loopback plug, or more commonly, a PROM (programmable read-only memory) device. Hope this helped.

by ldavid

It didn't answer my question, but I now know the term dongle is used for more than one thing. I meant the NIC connector, but thanks,

LD

by gene_grimes

As long as I can remember they have been called dongles or dongle keys. The only other way to put it is laptop ethernet connector or cable.

by ldavid

AH, I was right. My co-workers minds are in gutter... no other explaination.

Thanks for the help.

LD

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