KVM Switch and Docking Station - I'm doing something wrong
Hello,
Yesterday I purchased an 816439/ IOGEAR USB-C DOCK W/ 100W PD https://www.microcenter.com/product/510631/iogear-usb-c-docking-station-with-power-delivery-30 and a 988253/ IOGEAR USB-C 2PRT KM SWT W/PD https://www.microcenter.com/product/610523/iogear-usb-c-2-port-keyboard-mouse-and-peripheral-switch-w---power-delivery at Micro center to connect my LG 29WK600-HDMI, Lenovo Ideapad L340, and a Surface Pro 6.
A few things I noticed when I unpacked the purchased items yesterday was that I might not have the correct connect cables. Also, when I combined the elements, the KVM switch read only one computer. It did not feed that one computer to the monitor that is connected to the docking stations.
The set up right now is that monitor is connected to the docking station with the HDMI cable, the docking station USB-c is connected to the surface pro (because of COVID Look down) I do not have the surface pro docking station. The wireless keyboard and mouse are connected to the docking station that allows me to type on the surface.
This is where I am lost – the KVM switch has two USB-c ports in the back for two computers and a third USB-c port for the power, with three USB-b ports in the front with an additional USB-c port in the front also.
The docking station has two USB-c ports in the back, one next to a VGA HDMI, ethernet port, printer port, and three USB ports with a USB-c cable.
I placed the KVM switch USB-c cables into the Lenovo USB-c port and the other KVM USB-c cable into the surface pro. The KVM only registered one laptop without the monitor.
I’ve read that I could connect a KVM switch to a docking station; however, I think that does the docking station have to be equipped to read two laptops?
Answers
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In theory having a KVM switching two PC's between a dock should work. In practice, having a controller behind another controller usually creates it's own issues. To verify, it's a switch, so it should only detect one PC at a time. Then you'll toggle the channel and it should switch over to the second PC. Then that PC will detect the docking station and attempt to install it. This is where you can run into an issue.
So first lets do this. Whenever you're using something behind a switch, I would always let the system install it first, so that it's going to recognize the device properly. This is more than likely if you install it directly then move it behind the switch, rather than trying to install it through the switch or docking station. If you connect the docking station directly to the system with USB C, does it work properly and are you getting video output?
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