Dell and Thinkpad Compatible docking station

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@jphughanThought I already replied but I don't see it.

Thank you for your response.  It is very helpful.  I lean towards the DisplayLink dock.  I don't do gaming and rarely watch full-screen video.  I may watch short YouTube clips, but I don't watch them a whole lot.

Two docks seems like it doesn't help. I would have to detach and reattach peripherals when switching laptops.  Except for the dual monitors that seems to defeat the purposes.

My other option seems to be to get a "multi-monitor adapter"  I found one when I went to Best Buy yesterday for something else (https://www.bestbuy.com/site/j5create-usb-3-0-to-dual-4k-hd-hdmi-multi-monitor-adapter-silver-white/5615018.p?skuId=5615018).  I didn't buy it.

The DisplayLink needs a driver and I can install the driver on my work laptop if I get it soon.  But, after that they are locking the laptops down.  So, I will have to do it soon.  Don't know what will happen when I get a new work laptop but this one is fairly new so I probably have a couple of years.

So, I need to decide whether to get the Zetta Guard which gives me more peripheral options and hopefully can handle what I need or whether to get the adapter.

Thank you again.

Tammy

@tdfree  Happy to help. Two docks is indeed a pain since you’d have to move peripherals back and forth between docking stations. The only other option would be to add a KVM between the dock outputs and the peripherals you want to use, but that’s more cost and bulk. That multi-display adapter would use DisplayLink or an equivalent technology to achieve video output despite plugging into a USB-A “regular USB” port. If you only need video output, then that may well be a more cost effective solution, but of course that’s not as much functionality as a proper dock. Regarding IT lockdown, that actually drove my wife to get a different display. She had a 15” portable display that relied on DisplayLink. Her IT department installed the software for her once, but when she got a new laptop a few years later, they said their new policies wouldn’t allow that. So I ended up finding a USB-C display that could use regular USB-C video output (called DisplayPort Alt Mode) and therefore wouldn’t require additional software. Good luck!

@jphughan- So, I bought the ZettaGuard dock.  I am waiting on my second monitor, but I hooked up my original monitor and then tried to hook up my wireless mouse and keyboard.  They didn't work.  That is frustrating.  My thumb drive works and my printer works through the dock, but the wireless mouse and keyboard don't.

Any suggestions?  I have them hooked through a hub, but I would prefer it through the dock.

Thank you.

Tammy

@tdfree  Sorry to hear that.  Did you install the latest DisplayLink software from DisplayLink.com?  You'll need that in order to get video output from DisplayLink-based docks like that ZettaGuard unit you purchased.  As for the wireless keyboard and mouse, given that other USB devices are already working properly through the dock, have you tried swapping the USB ports you're using for working and non-working devices to determine whether this is a problem with specific USB ports on the dock or whether the problem "follows" the problem devices to other USB ports on the dock?  If it's the latter, then other than perhaps updating the dock's firmware if an update is available, I don't have an immediate suggestion as to what may be going on there.  Sorry!

@tdfree  Windows 10 for a few releases now will automatically download some version of the DisplayLink software from Windows Update if needed, but that very likely won't be the latest.  The D3100 does use DisplayLink technology, so I'd still recommend updating to the newest release if you're having display issues.  There were recent threads here about the newer D6000 dock, also based on DisplayLink, whereby video output broke after an Intel Graphics driver update.  That was resolved only recently with a new DisplayLink software version that resolved the conflict with the newer Intel drivers.

@jphughan 

1)  I did not install the DisplayLink software.  The monitor worked without it.  Now, I am supposed to get the new monitor today, so I may have to install it tonight.  If I need to install it I can see if that helps with the peripherals.

2)  I did try switching USB ports.  There are some on the front and some on the back.  I tried them in the front and the back.  I am not positive that I used a "working" port, but I think I did.  I tried the wireless mouse and keyboard before I connected the other peripherals.  So, I suspect I used the same ports.  I will check that tonight.

Thanks.  I appreciate your insight.  May just have to connect the wireless mouse and keyboard through the hub and the docking station will just be used for monitors and printer, for the most part (the thumb drive can be through the hub or the dock as it will be used off and on).

Tammy

Thank you @jphughan for the above detail, very helpful!!! I am respectfully seeking your advice and expertise.

I just started a new job and now use a Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 9 laptop for work.  I connected to my WD19TB docking station connected to 2 dell monitors (P221H & P2210 w/ AX501 Multimedia Speaker) and it works fine except for the sound to the speaker.  There are 2 output devices showing up as "Line (Realtek USB2.0 Audio)" and "Headphones (Realtek USB2.0 Audio)" which is the AX501 speaker.  Do you know If I can install the Realtek USB Audio drivers from the Dell support sight on the Lenovo Thinkpad?

Additionally, I want to continue to use my personal Dell XPS13 9310 2-in-1 laptop with the docking station as well.  Do know of a thunderbolt KVM-type switch that would allow me to do this? 

Thank you in advance for your help!

@VicDew  Glad I can help!

Nice work laptop you've got there!  In terms of audio, try going to Control Panel > Sound.  You might have to switch Control Panel to Small Icons rather than Category View to see that.  That will allow you to right-click each audio device and perform a test, as well as choose the default playback device.  You may need to relaunch sound-generating applications for a change in the default playback device to take effect.  There's nothing wrong with installing Realtek audio drivers from a Dell website onto a Lenovo system -- I've done that as well as the opposite (Lenovo drivers on Dell systems) -- but if the device already appears in your playback devices list, I don't think a missing driver is the problem here, so I wouldn't expect that to change anything.

In terms of a Thunderbolt host switch, I don't know of one.  I've seen switches that allow you to toggle USB-A peripherals between multiple host systems, but no equivalent for Thunderbolt or even regular USB-C peripherals.  I personally handle my switching needs by keeping both laptops on my desk stacked on top of each other (I don't use the built-in display when I'm docked), and then I just move the cable back and forth.  I might also have an additional USB-C power source there so that I can keep whichever system isn't docked at any given time still connected to power.

I got it working. SP7 with Lenovo Think Vision P27u-10 through dell docking station WD19S.

I plugged both display port and usb-c cables to the monitor. Then I unplugged the display port. 

Was able to achieve 60hz. 

@DELL-Cares​ 

I have 2 lg monitors that I am attempting to connect to my Dell laptop using the Lenovo Thinkpad.  Even if I plug the monitor directly up to the laptop I cannot get the laptop to recognize the monitors.  So using the thinkpad docking station it does not seem to react at all.  I've neglected this process several times because it was supposed to be quick and easy, but there is no evidence of these reacting to each other at all.