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What are dongles and how do they work ?

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Dongle Protection

I've recently heard about dongles also known as Hardware locks... i got interested in them but i was unable to find any info... Can someone help me regarding the following:
1. What actually is a dongle?
2. Some pictures of a dongle
3. What is the mechanism involved along with its internal structure.
4. Is it possible to beat the dongle protection.
5. Why a printer port and not any other is chosen for the dongle.

Please Help...
 

Re: Dongle Protection

Looks like answers to your question you can find here:
**broken link removed**
 

Dongle Protection

Thanks a lot IanP but where can i find its internal structure..? because that would explain everything about the Dongles... Any suggestions please?
 

Re: Dongle Protection

I don't have a photograph of a dongle but from what I have already seen it had a small pcb with a microcontroller with erased numbers connected to assorted lines + 3-state RS-232 driver and DB-9 male and DB-9 female at both ends..
 

Dongle Protection

Thanks a lot...i've got a few useful pictures from Google Images by typing "Dongles"... And, all the websites i find are explaining what dongles are...but i wanted to know how dongles work? I mean, from the electronics point of view... What happens inside the dongle? and other similar questions... Please Help...

Added after 2 minutes:

Also, I heard that there are some techniques of beating dongle protection...so, what is the latest trend of protection?
 

Re: Dongle Protection

When a software is started it checks for the presence of a dongle on a port (parallel, serial, etc) by sending certain string of data which dongle reads and sends back to PC its string which the software accepts (can be more than one exchange) and continous its operation..
 

Re: Dongle Protection

sending certain string of data which dongle reads and sends back to PC its string which the software accepts
Click to expand...
What do you meam the dongle reads a string? In what way? Whether a gate has a 0 or 1 and then it interprets the data and then send it back to the PC...
Now, is it not possible for me to replicate the same signals, the dongle sends to a pc using another chip? If yes, then even this protection is not completely foolproof...so, did they come up with any upgraded models, or do you have any idea about the current trends?
 

Re: Dongle Protection

That is why dongle is not popular any more.

As far as current trends, I think it is on-line registration with codes to activate software sent directly to you..
 

Dongle Protection

Oh...Dongles are not popular anymore? Thanks for that...i never knew that...i was still thinking that dongles are used even today... As far as online registrations are concerned...i think they are good but definitely the best...

Added after 7 minutes:

And by the way, i still didn't get my answer for this:
What do you mean when you say that the dongle reads the data sent?
Please clarify
 

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