DongleHider+ is a cunning new Framework laptop Expansion Card for hiding up to three dongles

Mark Tyson
·2 min read
LeoDJ's DongleHider+ for Framework laptops .
LeoDJ's DongleHider+ for Framework laptops .

Developer and maker LeoDJ has shared his design for a Framework laptop expansion card that will surely gain wide appreciation among owners of the modular PC. The  DongleHider+ can fit up to three dongles inside and offers an outward-facing USB Type-A connector.

Using this card does take a bit of DIY muscle, as it's not for sale. To hide your Logitech Unifying dongle-sized device successfully, its outer casing needs to be removed.

LeoDJ's DongleHider+ for Framework laptops
LeoDJ's DongleHider+ for Framework laptops

LeoDJ didn't like the Bluetooth latency of his wireless mouse, so they wanted to keep the Logitech Unifying dongle permanently plugged into his laptop without spoiling the device's clean lines. The DongleHider+ project admirably achieves these goals, and more, by providing connectivity for up to three (tiny) dongles and offering a handy USB Type-A port.

There are more than enough instructions for those wishing to follow in LeoDJ's footsteps. From the Framework community post, you can head over to the maker's GitHub repo and Mastodon threads, which are packed with useful source files for getting the PCB and Framework laptop expansion card made. The Mastodon thread is particularly useful as it offers a pictorial assembly guide.

LeoDJ's DongleHider+ for Framework laptops
LeoDJ's DongleHider+ for Framework laptops

Some people might be nervous about breaking apart and soldering in the dongles they want to install permanently in the DongleHider+, but LeoDJ says they are pretty cheap on used goods marketplaces. Clear instructions for disassembling Logitech's Unifying Gen1 and Gen2 dongles are provided. Furthermore, the soldering of the dongle to the PCB shouldn't be too challenging – especially if you only decide to install a single dongle internally.

LeoDJ's DongleHider+ for Framework laptops
LeoDJ's DongleHider+ for Framework laptops

LeoDJ has provided a few compatibility notes: Using the Framework 13 (AMD versions) and 16 (AMD versions) he noticed that when connected to a USB4 capable expansion card slot, a USB 3 device is connected to the exterior port the second internal USB dongle stops working.

We've reviewed various Framework laptop sizes and generations, most recently the powerful Framework 16 with AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS and Radeon RX 7700S (8GB GDDR6, 100W TGP) graphics module option installed.