Need info on laptop docking stations

[Supergumby5000 5,000+ posts]

Just looking for any of you out there familiar with laptop docking stations.

the padre is getting a new laptop and wants to trash his desktop computer at work. Are those docking stations where you can hook up a moniter/mouse/ethernet/etc into the station, then have one plug from the station into the laptop, worth while? Seems like a pretty good setup for him. He spends half the year in washington, and the other half in alaska, so it would benefit him to have two different docking stations, along with his laptop.

Are they worth while? or are the drivers and stuff just gonna be a pain in the ***?

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[Fraze 10+ year member]

I use the HP docking station for my laptop. Its got HD compnents outputs and all that stuff, lots of extra USB ports. And its nice to not have to be so close to a laptop screen and have everything wireless.

Worth it 100% IMO.

 

[Supergumby5000 5,000+ posts]

There are no drivers ya dummy.And yes, they rock the socks.

Wouldnt there have to be a driver in a situation where you are feeding a moniter connection, mouse and laptop connections, and an ethernet connection to something like a USB port? or at least some sort of software? //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/crap.gif.7f4dd41e3e9b23fbd170a1ee6f65cecc.gif

any reccomendations on brands?

 

[Fraze 10+ year member]

Ya I didnt have to install any drivers for mine. Just hooked it up and it worked fine. Mines not universal though, only for HP I think.

 

[whitedragon551 5,000+ posts]

Some are model specific like the HP docking station will only work with HP laptops. If his laptop dies hes got to get another HP. It happened to my moms business laptop. Then after that your out the money for the docking station as well.

Its easier to just buy a laptop that has enough USB ports and get a powered USB hub thats powered off of a power adapter. Get a mouse, keyboard, and external HD that are all USB platform and your whole issue is solved and much cheaper.

 

[whitedragon551 5,000+ posts]

That's not a solution, dipshit. Having to unplug all of that shit everytime you want to move the laptop is for gays.

A powered USB hub is a single connection to the laptop. Its much easier than removing a VGA adapter with the screw in pins. Its also not a proprietary piece of hardware so it will work with any model laptop that has a USB port.