Dell Studio Docking Station

Hi folks!

Seasons greetings to one and all!

I have a Dell Studio 17", and am looking for a docking station, so I can plug it into my desktop monitor, wireless mouse and wireless keyboard. I also have 2 printers to hook it up to.

Can someone please recommend a good docking station? I think Kensington do them. Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance,

Donal

 

Studio series doesn’t have a dedicated docking port, therefore you need to get one of those universal docking stations based on USB or Expresscard slot. In either case (especially with low bandwidth USB) I don’t recommend connecting an external monitor through the docking station, because video performance and resolution will be severely limited.

I use my notebook as a desktop : external monitor, keyboard, portable hard disk, and even a sound card. But I only use an external USB hub (all my peripherals are connected to that). With this setup I only connect 3 cables : video, USB cable of the hub and power cord.

 

Thanks PhoenixFx for your reply.

Just for my simple beginner mind, let me explain it back to you? Is that USB hub, essentially like an USB expander, i.e. you connect the hub to the laptop via USB, and then all your periphals plug into the hub. So you only connect a video cable, the USB cable from the USB hub, and the laptop power cord, to your laptop? I think I understand this.

What is the benefit in buying a docking station then over a USB hub?

And can you recommend a good USB hub or are they all more or less "up there"?

Thanks for help.

Donal

 

Yes.

Docking stations have more ports : Video , USB, network and sometime Serial ports, parallel ports and sound outputs. So it is more than just a USB hub (where only USB ports are available). But these days when everything is USB, there is not much of a difference with regard to connecting peripherals.

If you are planning to connect several USB devices, then buy one with an external power adapter. Because a bus powered USB hub (one that doesn’t use an external power source), can only draw power from a single port of your notebook (which is limited to 500mA). This can raise problems if you plan on connecting several different high power devices like external hard disks, chargers etc..

There are plenty of USB hubs out there, they are all similar in performance. Here is one such hub : 7 port Belkin externally powered USB hub. Externally powered hubs can also be used as bus powered, this is convenient if you don't connect high power devices or take the hub with you.

 

Thanks PhoenixFx!

Your help much appreciated!

Donal