I see an Ethernet port. Can I use the UD-160-A as an ultra-thin client to browse Internet? What is the purpose of the UD-160-A Ethernet port?
Hi Remo,
The ethernet port on the UD-160-A is a USB-to-ethernet device (ASIX 88772A chip). It adds another ethernet interface to your PC, via USB. Another way of saying it is, it bridges ethernet packets over USB.
The most common usage model is for people who want to use wired ethernet with their laptop – and rather than having to plug/unplug their ethernet cable in addition to every thing else, evey time they leave with their laptop – instead, they can leave the ethernet connected to the dock, and just have the single USB cable to plug/unplug. One cable to rule them all.
It’s actually an unused extra in the thin client case, because the docking station can only be controlled through USB. The dock is just a collection of USB devices, no complex CPU inside, nothing that knows how to generate its own ethernet network traffic. So it’s unlikely the extra ethernet connection provided by each terminal will get used (except perhaps as a convenience to reach an ethernet cable that’s physically far away from the server, from somewhere on the USB topology).
Thanks for the question!
Bernie
Hello I am interested in using the USB to Ethernet device on my Smart Panasonic TV TC-L32x30 because the port is burned out. Do u think this will work for my problem?
Thanks for any help you can give
Ayoola