Dongle and USB sockets?

[Deleted User]

I'm getting the Internet via a 3 Dongle.

Occasionally, I get a message from Windows, saying "This device can perform faster if it is connected to a high speed USB socket".

Given the comparatively low speed of the connection, will plugging it into a USB 2.0 socket make any appreciable difference to my connection speed?

The_JinJ

The bandwidth of the USB will be greater than any available internet bandwidth so shouldn't make a difference....

[Deleted User]

Thanks for that.

Nilrem

It depends on the speed that the dongle connects to the internet at.

You tend to get that message when you connect a USB2 device (up to 480mbs) to a USB1/1.1 port (they can only support 12mbs).

The dongle might be USB2 and able under good conditions able to get more than 12mb, but I think the average 3g speed is something under 8mb/s (if the dongle is 4g it will likely be able to connect at above the usb1 speeds if the signal is reasonable).

So in short if it's a 3g dongle it probably won't make a difference, if it's a 4g one it could.

[Deleted User]

It's 3G/HSDPA.

Just checked my usage history for this session, and it is showing an average download speed of 43kbps.

Even when running youtube videos, it seldom goes above 1500kbps.

droopsnoot

If you're running Windows XP, this article: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/835967 describes how to stop it displaying the message. Depends on how much it annoys you, whether it's worth doing.

[Deleted User]

It does appear to make some difference.

I just got a Win 8 Notebook, and connecting the Dongle to its USB3 port seems to make the web run faster, than when it's connected to one of the USB2 ports.

aerostar

You can get the USB message if you have worn USB sockets on the computer caused by many inserts and removals.

If you have a desktop get a short extension cable and plug it in to one of the rear ports, which you probably do not use.

Alternative use a powered hub.

[Deleted User]

Update.

Not sure if the USB type (2 or 3) makes a difference, but the performance of the PC seems to.

Just got a new PC, with an AMD A8 Quad Core processor, and, with the Dongle plugged into a USB 3 socket, the web pages fairly fly open. :cool: