Slow HDD read speeds on Thunderbolt 3 dock station (TBT3-UD1-83)

USB Docking Stations UD-ULTCDL
1

Hi there!
I’m using Plugable dock station TBT3-UD1-83 with Dell 9365. The problem I’m experiencing is slow read speeds via USB 3.0 and 3.1 ports with external HDDs. It’s almost 2 times slower as compared to Dell TB16 original dock station used with same setup.
Do you have any idea what could be the cause of the problem? Or such performance is expected and there’s no way to boost transfer speed?
And the product TBT3-UD1-83 isn’t even on the list on the right.
Kind regards,
Alexander

2

Hi Alexander,

Thanks for posting! (we have also fixed the forum issue you mentioned, thanks for bringing it to our attention)

We can’t comment on the performance of the Dell TB16 dock as we don’t have one in our test lab. That said, we would like to get more details about your setup so we may investigate further.

Can you let me know the following?

  1. What brand and specific model number of external hard drive(s) you are connecting to the Plugable dock?
  2. To which specific USB port in the Plugable dock is the external drive being connected? For example, there are three total choices, the front USB-C port, either of the two USB-A ports (one on the front and one on the back), or the ‘downstream’/second Thunderbolt 3 port.
  3. What benchmark you are using to test the behavior, and what specific results are you getting?

Thank you,

Bob
Plugable Technologies
www.plugable.com/support

3
  1. I am connecting 4GB Seagate Expansion Portable Drive (SRD0NF1)
  2. I connected it to front and back USB-A ports
  3. Read speed is around 20-30 MBytes/sec as compared to 50-60 Mbytes/sec on official dock station (Dell TB16)

Also when using dock station with Nec LCD2690WUXi display when switching display on and off dock station sometimes takes up to 1 minute to start working properly (display doesn’t recognize signal from several attempts). Display is connected via DVI port on

4

Hi Alexander,

Thanks for getting back with the additional detail. A few quick additional questions for you:

  1. Can you let me know what specific utility you were using to benchmark the drive speed?
  2. Can you let me know what type of video cable and/or adapter you are using to connect the DVI-enabled NEC display to the dock?

In addition to that information, we will also want to get some additional detail from your system. If you would, while everything is connected (including the hard drive) as you previously described, please send the output of our diagnostic utility PlugDebug –> http://plugable.com/support/plugdebug to us directly via support@plugable.com with ‘For Ticket 189858’ in the subject line. This will allow us to match everything up and examine some log files from your system to help determine the next steps (please don’t post the file here in the public forum).

Thank you!

Bob

5

Hi, Bob,

  1. I was using simply the windows copy and looking at the speed displayed + counted total time with timer on my mobile. Strangely, after running your diagnostic tool the speed increased dramatically. Probably your tool enables something in the system? Consider the speed problem resolved anyway
  2. Unfortunately don’t know the cable type, it’s some generic one DVI to HDMI (and I’m using the HDMI-Displayport plug supplied with your dock station). The problem with the display still persists

Will send you the diagnostic tool results shortly.

Best regards,
Alexander