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If you’re hoping to get your laptop, tablet, Nintendo Switch, or other portable gadget online when out and about – or simply hoping to get anything online when there’s no Wi-Fi available – then a mobile Wi-Fi dongle is the device for you.
By mobile Wi-Fi dongles, we mean battery-powered devices that can broadcast a Wi-Fi network using 4G or 5G. Note that there are also USB stick-like devices that are sometimes referred to as dongles, but that’s not what we’re looking at here – we’re specifically interested in battery-powered mobile Wi-Fi devices.
In any case, with one of these mobile Wi-Fi dongles you’ll be able to connect any device that supports Wi-Fi to the internet wherever you are, as long as there’s a mobile signal (which there is in the vast majority of the UK and most other countries), so they’re extremely useful gadgets to have.
There are quite a few mobile Wi-Fi dongles to choose from, but below we’ve detailed the best options, starting with the 5G models and followed by the 4G ones.
The best 5G mobile Wi-Fi dongles
At the time of writing there are quite a few 5G mobile Wi-Fi dongles available, and these are better than the 4G options as they support higher data speeds.
EE 5G WiFi
The EE 5G WiFi is EE’s one and only 5G mobile Wi-Fi dongle. Like most such devices it’s compact enough to easily carry with you anywhere, and it has a 30-metre Wi-Fi range, so you can blanket an entire holiday home in Wi-Fi if needed.
It also supports over 100 simultaneous connections, so you can get dozens of devices online at once, and it has a sleek white design.
Vodafone 5G Mobile Hotspot
The Vodafone 5G Mobile Hotspot is in some ways a similar device to EE’s, with a compact design so you can take it with you everywhere. It has an Ethernet port if you want a wired connection to something, and it has a 4,500mAh battery. However, it tops out at 32 simultaneous device connections.
Where it wins out though is in having a 2.4-inch touchscreen, which makes monitoring and configuring the Vodafone 5G Mobile Hotspot a breeze.
Three 5G MiFi U50
The Three 5G MiFi U50 is the device you’ll be getting if you want a 5G mobile Wi-Fi dongle on Three.
It doesn’t have a touchscreen but it’s compact, light, can get up to 32 devices online, and supports speeds of up to 1Gbps. The Three 5G MiFi U50 also has a 4,500 battery, which is good for up to eight hours of life.
Netgear Nighthawk M6
The Netgear Nighthawk M6 is a 5G dongle that you can currently get from O2. It has a 2.4-inch touchscreen, a 5,040mAh battery, an Ethernet port, and a compact design, coming in at 105 x 105 x 21.5mm.
The Netgear Nighthawk M6 also supports up to 32 simultaneous connections, and works over a range of 1,000 square feet.
Netgear Nighthawk M3
The Netgear Nighthawk M3 is a similar device to the M6 above – it also supports 5G and has a 2.4-inch screen, but unlike on the M6 this isn’t a touchscreen.
Still, the core performance of the Nighthawk M3 should be similar, and it comes in at a lower cost.
The best 4G mobile Wi-Fi dongles
There’s a larger selection of 4G mobile Wi-Fi dongles than 5G ones. The best of the current options can be found below.
Three 4G MiFi
The Three 4G MiFi is Three’s 4G take on this tech, and it offers speeds of up to 300Mbps and the ability to get up to 32 devices online at once. That should be enough for most people, and it’s in line with rival devices.
The Three 4G MiFi also has a 2,150mAh battery that’s capable of up to 9 hours of life with active use or up to 300 hours of standby time.
EE 4G WiFi
The EE 4G WiFi is similar to the EE 5G WiFi, just limited to 4G speeds. It supports up to 64 simultaneous device connections, has a 30-metre Wi-Fi range, and has a compact design.
Vodafone 4G Mobile Hotspot
The Vodafone 4G Mobile Hotspot lacks the 5G Mobile Hotspot’s touchscreen, and it’s limited to 4G speeds, but it’s still a very capable device, with a pocket-friendly design and the ability to get up to 32 gadgets online.
It also has a 2,150mAh battery, which can last for up to an impressive 11.8 hours between charges.
Netgear Nighthawk M1
The Netgear Nighthawk M1 is a 4G mobile Wi-Fi dongle that’s available from O2 at the time of writing, and it can get up to 20 devices connected to the internet through Wi-Fi, as well as having an Ethernet port, a 2.4-inch touchscreen, and a 5,040mAh battery.
The Netgear Nighthawk M1 can also be used as a portable charger for smartphones and other USB devices.
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TCL Linkzone MW63
O2 sells another 4G dongle in the form of the TCL Linkzone MW63. This can get up to 32 gadgets online, has a small and light design, and has a 2,150mAh battery, offering up to 8 hours of active use time.
It also supports download speeds of up to 300Mbps, and while it doesn’t have a screen, it does have four useful indicator lights.
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Frequently asked questions
Are there any 5G dongles?
Yes, there are a number of battery-powered 5G dongles now available, including the EE 5G WiFi, the Three 5G MiFi U50, the Vodafone 5G Mobile Hotspot, the Netgear Nighthawk M3, and the Netgear Nighthawk M6.
Should I get a dongle or a mobile broadband router?
That depends on how many devices you want to get online when away from Wi-Fi and on whether your devices have a USB port. If you just want to get a laptop or similar online, then a Wi-Fi dongle is the best choice, but if you want to get multiple gadgets online at once or they lack USB ports, then a mobile broadband router would be a better option.
Which networks sell Wi-Fi dongles?
At the time of writing, Three, EE, Vodafone, and O2 all sell Wi-Fi dongles – though you could alternatively buy an unlocked one from a store and then put another network’s SIM card in it.
