"Universal" Docking Stations

[DeskJockey]

Aren't really apparently.

TL;DR: tech geekery. Probably mostly appreciated by @Beany.

Anyway. New job uses Dell laptops, but as Thunderbolt is meant to be a universal standard, no issue, right? Well, new laptop refuses to connect to my Lenovo Thunderbolt docking station. Wife's work Dell laptop has no issues. Odd. Dig around a bit and it turns out the model I've been issued doesn't support Thunderbolt, and the dock doesn't support USB-C/3 docking instead.

Dig around a bit more and the work lappy does support USB-C/3 docking. So, I buy a Dell docking station, like we have in the office, because it works, and it can run Thunderbolt or, failing that USB-C/3.

It works a treat with the work lappy. It doesn't work so well with my Lenovo laptop. It works with the screen open, but if I close the lid the laptop goes to sleep and doesn't respond to the dock power button. Dig around a bit more and it appears to be a bit they left out of the standard. The flippin' remote power button implementation is unique to each manufacturer with no guarantee that it will work with anything else (not even, if posts are to be believed some of their own models). So the solution is to run a three screen mode. Not the end of the world, but it means the laptop is balanced on top of the printer, rather than neatly sitting on the desk under the monitors.

Another annoyance with the new dock is the fan. The Lenovo dock was fanless and silent. The Dell dock isn't and is spinning the fan up and down constantly.

Oh well. 1st world problems and all.

[240PP]

Aren't really apparently.

TL;DR: tech geekery. Probably mostly appreciated by @Beany.

I’ve worked in IT for over 20 years and 90% of what Beany talks about is a mystery to me

[DeskJockey]

I don't disagree with that statement.

[Beany]

Don't even start me on fucking docking stations.

That said, I've personally been lucky - the (USB-C ones) I've had for works machines have been reasonable enough, but I'm mostly using them as port expanders, not true docking stations, which is probably why I've got away with it it - no power buttons on them etc.

[Swervin_Mervin]

Don't even start me on fucking docking stations.

I don't think that's what the docking means in this case Bean. Maybe if DJ had titled it Universal "Docking" stations..

[Mito Man]

Ok don't search docking on urban dictionary

[mik]

https://iss-sim.spacex.com/

(The + and - on the LHS are for your approach speed BTW - not immediately obvious)

edit: Success on 2nd attempt (after finally reading the destructions)

[Jobbo]

I only buy Dell WD15 docking stations for the office - mostly second hand or refurbished because I simply don't understand why they're so expensive. As long as they come with the original power supply they're almost always fine. But we do use exclusively Dell laptops, purely because I like my XPS.

What I really don't understand is why what is basically a port replicator/charger combo has to be so bloody complicated. I also have a tiny and cheap USB-C hub to give me USB-A, ethernet and HDMI ports which does effectively the same thing - even allows power passthrough so with the laptop's original power brick I can simply plug in one USB-C and get all the same functionality other than having a power button on the hub.

[Sundayjumper]

What model(s) of dock, @DeskJockey ? I bought a Dell TB16 a while back because Thunderbolt, but found it to be rubbish, and the Thunderbolt spec requires the connection cable to the laptop to be quite short meaning it had to live on top of the desk, not hidden away underneath. I only use a dock as a way of charging the laptop & running external monitors, plugging in any kind of USB is only occasional.

I now have D6000 (two of them in fact), they happily run three screens (2x DisplayPort + 1x HDMI), they work fine with my Dell XPS & with the HP I had in my last job, they don't make a noise, have a much longer cable and I've not noticed any speed difference that supposedly Thunderbolt is so much better for.

The only minor wrinkle with the HP was the power button, you needed to open the laptop, press the power button there, then close it again. But I only needed to do that once per day so meh.

As Jobbo says they're stupidly expensive new - £327.97 on the Dell website - but are plentiful on ebay for <£50.

[Beany]

Don't even start me on fucking docking stations.

I don't think that's what the docking means in this case Bean. Maybe if DJ had titled it Universal "Docking" stations..

No, those are explicitly called Space Docking Stations.

Do NOT google that from work, even for a laugh.

[DeskJockey]

@Sundayjumper I bought a WD19TBS because it could do both. Was £99.99 on eBay, so not awful.

Had it just been for my work laptop I would have gotten whatever supported two Displayport monitors, probably a WD16 or similar.

Very much a first world problem as I said.

The cable is quite long and thick (ooh err), but at least it can reach in both needed configurations. I'm not so bothered about the VESA mount as they're on an arm, so it is in use already.

[Sundayjumper]

I did something long and thick this morning.

[Beany]

I did something long and thick this morning.

You've got to stop talking about your better half that way, she'll find out and then you'll be in trouble.

[Jobbo]

I did something long and thick this morning.

You're spreading that everywhere on this forum.

[Jobbo]

As Jobbo says they're stupidly expensive new - £327.97 on the Dell website - but are plentiful on ebay for <£50.

I've never bought one of those because I can't see what the practical differences are with the more expensive Dell docks. It's bigger, certainly. I don't tend to use more than 2 screens and the WD15 will do that quite happily. Is there anything about it which makes it worth paying £50 for one on eBay rather than my usual £30 for a WD15?

[Sundayjumper]

I've never bought one of those because I can't see what the practical differences are with the more expensive Dell docks. It's bigger, certainly. I don't tend to use more than 2 screens and the WD15 will do that quite happily. Is there anything about it which makes it worth paying £50 for one on eBay rather than my usual £30 for a WD15?

See above. I know it's a lot of money, but for me, having the third screen is worth splashing out an extra £20. YMMV.