Orange Dongle review: Secure your off-grid communications

Step into a world where communication defies limits and privacy reigns supreme with the Orange Dongle. It offers secure off-grid connectivity.

Orange Dongle keeps you connected off grid

Love being outdoors? Whether you hike, bike, or take rambling walks in the countryside, outdoor adventures are good for the mood and health. However outdoor adventures often happen in areas with limited cellular signal. And that’s where the Orange Dongle can help. This off-grid communication device offers long-range mesh coverage and maximum privacy.

When my husband and I go on hiking trips with our kids, we aren’t always within view of each other. Usually, my husband and older daughter walk at a faster pace while my youngest daughter and I take the trail more slowly.

And it’s all fine until one of us turns down the wrong path. This has happened—in an area with a spotty cellular signal, no less. In that situation, we would have loved to have had a gadget like the Orange Dongle.

This innovative communication gadget is like having a walkie-talkie for your phone. It gives you a direct private connection to the people in your group, ensuring you can reach them—no matter where you are.

Interested? Then let’s check it out together!

Meet the Orange LoRa Dongle

So what is the Orange Dongle? Its creators call it a private wireless communication system that’s independent of the Internet. That’s right, this gadget guarantees secure and encrypted data transmission between you and connected devices.

This means you don’t have to worry about anyone coming into contact with your communications and you can be sure your conversations are private. It also means you can always contact each other.

Share your location with your group

Did you lose your group during a bike ride? It’s nothing to get anxious about when you have this off-grid communication gadget. It even lets you share your location with your group using a pre-downloaded offline map.

This lets your group see your exact location. I would have loved to have had this device during the hiking trip I mentioned earlier. My husband and I would have found each other in no time instead of wasting an hour on the trail, trying to retrace our steps.

Protect your conversations with 2 layers of encryption

Walkie-talkies can be useful during off-grid adventures. But, because they aren’t encrypted, it’s easy for someone to eavesdrop on your communications.

And that’s another reason why buying the Orange Dongle makes sense. This communication gadget actually uses 2 layers of encryption: one within the chat software and another inside the communication encoder.

The double-layer approach gives you an impressive level of security and safety. It ensures only you and your group are able to receive messages and calls.

Break free from traditional networks

Meanwhile, this off-grid communication device doesn’t rely on traditional internet infrastructure the way your smartphone does.

According to the company, because its wireless network doesn’t rely on cloud services or telecom towers, your information and conversations stay private. You don’t have to worry about your words being stored or discovered in the future. In fact, they become untraceable.

Get a self-destruct feature for your messages

Interestingly, the Orange Dongle’s chat application also has a self-destruct feature for messages. It lets you set a time limit, like 20 seconds. After that time, the device deletes the message automatically.

This could be useful if you don’t want your messages stored for eternity on a computer somewhere, or if you’re texting about a sensitive subject and don’t want it hanging out on your phone.

Overall, this feature further guarantees your privacy during off-grid communications. So, go ahead and say what you feel! You can make your message delete it.

Connect when network availability is scarce

I don’t know about you, but anytime my phone doesn’t have a signal, I get a little nervous. What if someone is trying to call me? When will I get a signal again? These questions fill my thoughts.

Well, another plus for the Orange Dongle is that it’s designed to work even when your network availability is scarce. So it can be your primary communication gadget when you connect with other Orange Dongle owners.

And you can communicate with other users whether you’re in the same room or when you’re on your travels. Using both hardware and software components, it is a complete communication solution.

Join the Orange Mesh Network

What’s more, you can ditch Wi-Fi limitations and expensive cellular plans. The Orange Dongle makes it possible to communicate with anyone who has the App and has joined the Orange Mesh Network.

Once you’re connected, you’re part of a safe and secure network that ensures you’re never out of reach. As a parent, this is a feature I truly appreciate. Nothing is more valuable than always being able to contact your family when they (or you) are in need.

Make travel so much easier

What’s more, this off-grid communication device helps you avoid buying expensive local SIM cards when you travel to Europe from the USA. You won’t need one because the Orange Dongle lets you communicate with others in a 5-mile radius.

What’s more, you can even connect with a loved one on a cruise ship in the middle of the ocean with this device and message others in your group during outdoor activities.

Stay connected outdoors

As an outdoor enthusiast, I’ve learned the importance of staying connected, even when venturing into areas with limited cellular signal. The Orange Dongle offers a lifeline of communication in such scenarios.

It’s a great solution for families like mine, where varying speeds during hikes can lead to accidental separations. This innovative gadget serves as a modern-day compass, ensuring my family and I can always find our way back to each other.

Beyond personal experience, the Orange Dongle’s ability to work in off-grid environments connects users in remote areas and keeps communications private. It’s a must-have for any kind of explorer.

Preorder the Orange Dongle for about $64 on Kickstarter.