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USB Dongle Elimination

USB Dongle Elimination
If you own a laptop you most likely despise your track pad. Sure its fine if you just want to check your email but good luck trying to finger dance on the pad with a complex program like Auto-Cad. So your left with a couple of options; get a wired mouse (least expensive), get a Bluetooth mouse (most expensive) or get a wireless mouse with a dongle.

I choose the wireless mouse with the dongle, unfortunately I underestimated just how inconvenient unplugging the dongle would be every time I wanted to put my laptop away. This routine gets real old going from class to class, so I decided to eliminate the dongle.

This Instructable can be adapted to a wide variety of USB devices including; flash drives, network adapters, security dongles and of course RF adapters for wireless mice.

This Instructable is being entered into the EPILOG challenge so if you like it please vote for it, If not I would appreciate the vote anyway. If you are going to vote, I feel like I owe an explanation of what I would do with a Laser Cutter.
  • First of all it would just be awesome to have, right now my method of cutting acrylic involves a jigsaw and goggles. Think of all of the wonderful things that could be made.
  • I would share. Not sure how, But anyone who wanted to use it would have access.
  • Telling off the boss and starting my own business would definitely not be out of the question.

 
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Step 1Consider the risk

Consider the risk
Before you disassemble anything, you need to understand that electronics can be very fragile and you are following these instructions at your own risk. If you have never taken apart a laptop before you may want to ask someone with more experience to help you. I can only explain it as a static sensitive puzzle with complex layers that are built up on top of other equally complex layers. When working with expensive electronics make sure you and the the device you are working on are grounded, at the very least always be sure to touch a grounded part of the case before touching anything else. If you decide to proceed just remember that the laptop must be reassembled the exact way it was taken apart.
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20 comments
Dec 13, 2011. 6:59 AMfgorenc says:
What happens if you plug another device in the same port to which the receiver is connected? Can two devices work on the same port at the same time?
Nov 11, 2011. 7:41 PMNekoman says:
Two things:
1. How is it inconvenient to unplug the dongle? It only takes a second.

2. Just get a wireless mouse with a tiny Nano Receiver. When my laptop was my only computer I had one and I never had to worry about unplugging the receiver.
Dec 7, 2011. 10:43 AMsquiggy2 says:
Answer: Because we here on instructables like to hack things just for the sake of it!
Oct 20, 2011. 3:32 AMcurious youth says:
great idea. but i would risk it. id rather buy a mouse with a micro dongle like this one http://www.logitech.com/assets/19678/19678.png quite simply cos i dont wanna risk my precious laptop ahaa
Sep 26, 2011. 10:33 PMsageserver says:
Would a usb hub work? so that you can maybe add more modules and still have a usable port.
Sep 27, 2011. 10:51 PMzack247 says:
if you could manage to get one to fit i wouldnt doubt it.
Sep 27, 2011. 1:39 PMs3cur17y says:
Awesome idea...

But I would have done two things different.
1) I would have found something like a micro usb hub, like this one. http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/4118/lindy-usb-20-hub.

2) I would have shelled out the extra money for a bluetooth dongle. I found some on ebay for 2$ a pop. Because you can't always be sure that the wireless mouse is going to work.

Still Voting For You...
Sep 27, 2011. 1:44 PMs3cur17y says:
Forgot I had a 3rd thing.. I would have gone with Fedora 14 as a distro!

:)
Oct 2, 2011. 9:32 AMistsquad says:
This is a great idea, as long the laptop cases are not shielded. I did this to mine some time ago works if the case is apart, But will not when put together due do copper plated shielding in my laptop.
Oct 5, 2011. 12:32 PMawawawaw says:
Really nice instructable, well written and detailed. I do agree that in some cases it is voided by the newer mouse dongles. My wife's latest only sticks out about 1/8" from the USB port, so you don't even know it is there. But my main mouse has the full size like this, so it would be nice to hide it away.

Good job!
Sep 27, 2011. 1:36 PMMusicman41 says:
Some newer mouses come with tiny dongles that render this instructable un-needed. Mine only stick out 3/8" and is 1/2" wide. I can easily and safely store my laptop in a laptop bag without removing it, and I still have 3 working usb ports.
Sep 27, 2011. 10:50 PMzack247 says:
maybe, but i find that any dongles are unsightly to see on my laptop.
my laptop has bluetooth built in, but dongles just look tacky.
in my opinion, at least.
Sep 27, 2011. 6:10 PMzurich says:
I'v been contemplating the concept of hiding the USB port in my laptop for a while (but i don't have the guts to do it), looks like you did a great job :) ! I had an idea for keeping the external port usable and adding up to three internal ports, if the space is there. I was going to reroute the leads of the external USB to a 4 USB hub and then place that hub inside the laptop, then just reattach one of the 4 USB ports to the external port. This method would be much harder to solder, but i think it might just work. datavirtue gave me the idea of a hub :D
Sep 27, 2011. 3:39 PMdatavirtue says:
First, I wouldn't use a Belkin device. I would use a Logitech dongle that is compatible with all their devices so I could use any mouse or keyboard I wanted (from logitech) without re-hacking the USB port. Couldn't you splice into the USB bus without knocking out the port? Hint: usb hub
Sep 27, 2011. 2:50 PMReffner says:
I have one of the newer tiny dongles as well, but I would TOTALLY do this. Awesome idea and well executed. I am of the opinion that doing something the easy way isn't always the best (or coolest) way of doing things. Great job on this one!
Sep 27, 2011. 10:38 AMmikeasaurus says:
Wow, what a clever idea. I wonder if there's room in my laptop for this, hmmm

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