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Need Community Forum for Docking Stations
I am posting to suggest that the Community create a dedicated forum for docking stations. I have a brand new set-up consisting of an Inspiron 7506 and a WD19TB. The docking station plays a central role in my set up and I am finding myself with multiple questions where the docking station features prominently. I am finding these in one of three categories:
- Configuring or operating the docking station itself. Also on capabilities and limits.
- Communicating from the computer through the docking station to various components.
- Troubleshooting problems with computer-component (e.g., monitor) performance when the connection is through the docking station.
I feel that posting these in my laptop's model forum risks the issue not being found by an appropriate member and also of hiding the solution from others with similar issues but with different computers, monitors, etc.
DELL-Cares
Moderator
Moderator
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25.6K Posts
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December 22nd, 2020 00:00
Hi,
Prajwal here from Dell community.
We from community technical support are trained on all the components including the docking station.
I am following up with you to check if the issue still persists so that I can take the case further.
Please get back to us with the status so that we can further assist you.
Regards,
Prajwal
Larry West
29 Posts
0
December 22nd, 2020 07:00
One of the purposes of having categories of products in a community support site such as this is to make it easier for viewers to look for existing information that pertains to them. Without a dedicated docking station forum I have to pick one of the others, probably one related to my computer model. But someone with a similar question or issue cannot browse a dedicated forum. Yes, they can do a keyword search but some issues are common across multiple models.
DELL-Cares
Moderator
Moderator
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25.6K Posts
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December 29th, 2020 05:00
Hi,
Prajwal here from Dell community.
I am following up with you to check if the issue still persists so that I can take the case further.
Please get back to us with the status so that we can further assist you.
Regards,
Prajwal
DELL-Chris M
Community Manager
Community Manager
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54.9K Posts
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December 29th, 2020 09:00
The fixes and workarounds for the Precision Laptops may not apply to XPS and Inspiron Laptops. Plus there are different support teams for Precision versus the Consumer models. The agreement reached with all of the specific Laptops teams was that each Laptops model Forum board would contain their own dock questions.
Larry West
29 Posts
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December 29th, 2020 12:00
I appreciate the number of responses I am getting here and with other posts, but I disagree with the decision, both for reasons stated in my original post and for a new one.
People using high end docking stations almost certainly have distinctive work patters which use the docking station to emulate the permanent connectivity inherent in a desktop while permitting the portability stemming from being able to disconnect a laptop from the dock and hit the road. The docking station is the central enabler in this setup even though processing power remains with the laptop and the connected devices have their own capabilities. Further, there is a multitude of combinations of laptops, docks, and connected devices.
I am finding multiple instances now where a device works perfectly when connected directly to the laptop but has unusual or problematic behavior when connected to the dock.
Here's an example: I keep two USB 3 hard drives attached to the dock, one more or less permanently and the second often travels with the laptop. When either is attached directly to the laptop, whether or not docked, and power is off to the laptop, the USB drive is also inactive. But when these drives are directly connected to the dock and power is off (either Power Off or Complete Shutdown to the laptop and dock power button is not lit) the activity lights on both drives come on intermittently, mimicking the behavior of the drives when connected to the laptop but laptop is not in use. This behavior is almost certainly not related to the computer so why bury the question in that forum?