How To Use A Docking Station

Connecting Your Equipment Using a Docking Station

Instructions for connecting your monitors, keyboard, mouse, etc. to a docking station also known equally a port replicator.

Preparation

If you took more than than merely your laptop abode (i.east. monitors, docking station, etc.), you lot may want to mark the cables you lot have been using to ensure you know where they will need to exist plugged into when you render your equipment to the function. Examples of potential video connections you may be using include:

VGA
HDMI
Mini-DisplayPort
DisplayPort

For a simple option to marking your cables, wrap some record effectually each cease of the cablevision to make a flag. Using a permanent marking, write the type of cable (i.e. HDMI, DisplayPort, etc.) on the tape equally well as what it plugs into (i.e. monitor, docking station, etc.)

Instructions

The video below includes instructions for connecting monitors to a docking station, then connecting the docking station to a laptop. You may besides need to connect a keyboard and/or mouse. Typically these are plugged into the USB ports.

NOTE: In this video, the author ofttimes refers to the docking station as a "port replicator."

There are many potential docking stations you may have. Below is an example of a Dell docking station with the ports labeled. Note the size and shape of the available ports then that yous tin match them to the ports on the docking station y'all have when you need to reconnect your equipment.

back and front of a docking station with the ports labeled with numbers

USB-C
USB
Audio or Headset
Audio Out (oft used for Microphones)
DisplayPort (DP)
HDMI
DisplayPort (DP) over USB-C
USB
Ethernet
Ability In

Connecting Your Monitors to Your Docking Station

If yous only took your laptop dwelling and your monitors, docking station, etc. are still set up as earlier, ensure everything is all the same plugged in and skip to Stride 3 .

Connect Each of the Cables you previously labeled with tape to the corresponding port in both the docking station and the monitors, noting the port shape and size list higher up. This may look something similar the example prototype below. Besides be sure to plug in your keyboard and mouse.
Connect the Ability Adapter to the docking station and to the wall. This power adapter and cablevision likely came with the docking station.
Connect your Laptop to the docking station using the cable attached to the docking station. This may exist USB-C (similar to the example image) or regular USB depending on the type of docking station.
NOTE: Certain types of docking stations do not supply power to the reckoner so you lot may need to connect your computer'due south Ability Adapter also.