Should I use a 2.4 GHz dongle or Bluetooth?

What it means

A dongle is a small USB receiver that comes with the device and talks to it directly.

• Dongle: works before the operating system loads, such as in a BIOS menu, and usually has lower delay. It takes a USB port and can be lost.
• Bluetooth: needs no receiver, and many keyboards and mice can pair with several computers and switch between them, but it can lag or drop in a crowded office. The Bluetooth page explains how it works.

Both live on 2.4 GHz, the busy band described on the Wi-Fi bands page.

Why it matters to a business

• Unified receivers: one receiver can serve several compatible devices from the same maker, so a keyboard and mouse share a single port.
• Locked-down laptops: dongles use a USB port, so check whether your policy allows unknown USB devices.
• Shared desks: Bluetooth suits people who move between a laptop and a phone, and a dongle suits a fixed desk.
• Security: some older dongles sent keystrokes without encryption, and some could be tricked into accepting typed commands from a radio nearby. Apply the maker's firmware updates and retire models that cannot be fixed.

How this shows up in our work

Keyboards, mice and headsets are part of the standard desk kit we supply and set up under managed IT, alongside laptops, docks and monitors. We choose the connection type by role, using the trade-offs above, rather than person by person.

Learn more

• Bluetooth on WikipediaBackground on how Bluetooth works and where it falls short.
• List of WLAN channels on WikipediaShows how many channels share the 2.4 GHz band.
• Bluetooth Special Interest GroupOfficial learning material on the standard and its uses.