Can I Use My Wireless Headset Without A USB Dongle?

With so many headsets being used today with computers, it’s common to see them with USB Adapters, or dongles as they’re also called. 

USB Adapters provide many benefits over using a Bluetooth connection.

• You will have a steadier, more reliable wireless connection
• You will likely experience better sound quality 
• And, you may even find that you’ll have longer wireless range.
• Iif you’re using a headset with a USB Adapter that’s optimized, you may get remote call answering. This is something that I’ll talk about more here shortly. 

And as helpful as these tiny devices are, simply due to their size, and portability, they can get lost. And when that adapter does get lost, you’ll probably find yourself asking should you replace it, or should you just connect your headset to your computer using Bluetooth? 

Fast forward to today, and you’ll find that wireless headsets that use USB Dongles are common, and you could even say they’re the rule, and not the exception.

What happens if you lose your headset USB Dongle.

Let’s choose a headset as an example. In this case, we’ll use the Jabra Evolve2 75. This is a Bluetooth headset that comes with a USB Adapter called the Link 380, which is a very small dongle that inserts into the USB port on your computer.

Using this small accessory allows you to move from using your headset with a computer, to using it with a mobile device. And the handoff is seamless. So what happens if that useful device suddenly gets misplaced?

Can you still use your Jabra Evolve2 75 with your computer? The answer to that question is yes, and no. 

Yes, if your computer is Bluetooth enabled, because all you have to do is to pair up your headset to the Bluetooth enabled computer, and it’s back to business as usual. However, here are a few things to keep in mind if that’s what you want to do. 

1. As noted earlier, you might not have as steady, and reliable of a connection. 
2. You also might discover that the sound quality isn’t as good. 3. And, you might even have less wireless range. 
3. Not to mention no remote call answering (more on this later) But will it work? Absolutely! 

How about if your computer isn’t Bluetooth enabled? Well, that’s a different situation. In terms of connecting your Evolve2 75 to your computer wirelessly, that’s not going to happen. This is the no part of the yes, and no I mentioned a moment ago.

That doesn’t mean you can’t still use it, because you can connect the headset to the computer using the USB cable that comes with the headset.

Connecting this way would allow you to resume using it, but that causes your premium Bluetooth headset to now become an overpriced wired headset, which pretty much defeats the purpose of having a wireless headset in the first place.

Although you can still use it wirelessly with your mobile devices. The only real way around this is to purchase a replacement USB Adapter that typically costs between $30.00 to around $100.00. 

There’s another disadvantage of connecting your headset to the computer using Bluetooth, which is you won’t have remote call answering. In other words, when using UC applications such as Microsoft Teams, RingCentral, Zoom or others, you won’t be able to answer calls when you’re away from the desk.

You’ll hear the incoming call tone in your headset earpiece, but you won’t be able to take the call unless you return to your desk. And for those who use remote call answering, they’ll certainly miss not having that feature available. 

Another issue is performing updates will be much more difficult. When using the USB Dongle, performing updates such as: 

• Firmware updates 
• Advanced controls 
• Adjustments to sidetone 
• Ringtone adjustments 
• Sensor controls, and other advanced technical features 

All are done conveniently if you’re using a USB Adapter. Otherwise, you may need to plug a USB cable from the computer to your headset in order to perform any of these updates, which is far less convenient. 

So when you think about it, it’s easy to see the advantages of using a USB Adapter over Bluetooth. 

1. You’ll have a steadier connection 
2. Better audio quality 
3. Longer wireless range 
4. A seamless handoff from computer to mobile devices 
5. The convenience of remote call answering 
6. And easier updates, and features control

And when you stop to consider the modest price for a replacement USB Adapter, it really doesn’t make sense not to just replace it. 

I also think it’s worth mentioning that the information outlined in the blog applies to other headsets brands, and not just Jabra. So if you’re using a Poly headset for example, the same rules apply. 

Conclusion

If you need some help finding a replacement USB Adapter (because there are many), or if you have questions, or need some help getting your headsets set up, just contact us and we’ll put our 30 years of knowledge and experience to work for you, free of charge. 

We realize that it can get confusing trying to figure out all the headset things these days. So why not let one of our headset experts give you a hand? We can help cut through the noise, and give you a tailored headset recommendation that’s guaranteed to be compatible with the system you use.