Definition: In computer networking, a dongle is a short network cable that joins a PCMCIA adapter to a network cable. Dongles typically attach to either a RJ-45 connector for Ethernet networking or an RJ-11 connector for dial-up networking. Dongles tend to run no longer than about six inches.
The term "dongle" also has become popular in USB networking, referring to the USB cable that extends from a USB peripheral.
The term "dongle" has an older, much less common in non-network computing, pertaining to software security.
Pronunciation: DONG-ul
