Switch between desktop and laptop

[lwg]

I have a Dell desktop running Windows 10 at home and a Dell laptop running Windows 7 at work. I have two monitors at home. I want to be able to plug in my laptop and use both monitors when I work from home. I bought a USB 3.0 and need help setting up; what wiring diagram will make this work?

[Mitchell]

Hi,

Thanks for posting! Are you looking to share the two monitors between your desktop and laptop and swap between them with the push of a button (such as this video: https://youtu.be/pwfAAn9e1jE)?

If so, please see attached for a quick simple diagram:

Please see the product page for the USB3-SWITCH2 for more information: https://plugable.com/products/usb3-switch2/

We speak in more detail about achieving this kind of configuration in the following blog post: https://plugable.com/blogs/news/all-you-need-to-know-about-plugable-switch-kvm-options-for-sharing-two-displays-and-more-between-two-computers

If you don’t want the sharing switch, you can simply unplug the USB 3.0 Type-A to Type-B cable from the dock to your desktop and connect it over to your laptop. You would have to unplug and replug it every time you want to switch, however.

Hope this helps!

Mitchell
Plugable Technologies
www.plugable.com/support

[lwg]

Thank you for your assistance, I guess I’m not techy enough to figure it out. Below is how I “think” the wiring should work – but it’s not. I would like the system working before I purchase the Switch.

• Ethernet is plugged into the computer.
• The type A to type B cable is plugged into the Docking Station and the Desktop.
• On the back of the USB 3.0 Docking Station I have two monitors plugged in.
o The first monitor uses a HDMI cable out and into the back of the Docking Station.
o The second monitor uses a VGA cable out to a converter that changes it into a DVI in the back of the Docking Station.

This setup gets me two monitors that are on, I can see the mouse move, but I can see the task bar or see the screen if I right click to Display Settings.
When I plug the first monitor into the computer, both monitors will work, but it still doesn’t get me to where I need to be – plugging in my laptop.

[Mitchell]

Thanks for the breakdown of how you’ve set that up! You many want to consider plugging the Ethernet cable into the docking station itself, just so you can contain all your peripherals through the docking station and have the freedom to swap out from your Desktop and still receive an Internet connection.

Back to your goal – are you trying to connect your laptop to the docking station while your desktop is connected as well? If so, this setup is not possible. A docking station can only be connected to a single host system at a time. You will need to either unplug the USB 3.0 Type-A to Type-B cable and swap it between your two computers, or you can make use of the sharing switch to swap with a button press instead.

Hope this makes sense.

Mitchell