"Recommended for Linux" docking station? Huh?
Posted by FLJerseyBoy@reddit | linux | View on Reddit | 36 comments
I recently bought a Lenovo laptop (straight Windows 11) with the idea that it will eventually replace my aging (dual-booting Linux/Windows 10) desktop. To that end, I started looking at docking stations.
I know there are a ton of options, but figured I'd start with Lenovo themselves. Went to their site, quickly narrowed down the possibles based on what I think I'll need, and got the final list to 3 candidates. Then I did a more detailed spec-by-spec comparison. It was shortly obvious that I'd end up with just 2. But then I noticed an odd spec:
They all listed Windows and Mac as "compatible" OSes. But one -- the weakest candidate -- also included Linux. Which surprised me, because frankly I'd never even considered the OS to be an issue at all (except maybe for USB/Thunderbolt connectivity issues).
What might make a docking station INcompatible with Linux???
Thanks for any insights!
BrotherKey2409@reddit
I use the USB C Dock gen 2
Works well with Win, Mac and Linux.
https://support.lenovo.com/us/en/solutions/acc500106-thinkpad-usb-c-dock-gen-2-overview-and-service-parts
Solid-Complaint715@reddit
I have that one and also a DynaDock. I have an older Macbook Pro (no USB-C) running Fedora. I had it working on a DynaDock with LMDE 7 but not since trying Fedora. And I have to switch at home for work laptop running Windows so I am trying to get some sort of setup that works for both laptops. I wonder if this will work with a USB-A to USB-C adapter?
hispanicman15@reddit
I just went through a whole fiasco with the docking station I bought from Tobenone via Amazon. I didn't suspect the docking station to be issue after a few weeks of troubleshooting. I changed:
- distros (deb/ubu, arch, independent, chromeos)
- DEs (GNOME/KDE/Budgie/XFCE
- updated BIOS and drivers on the devices using a tiny 11 install and windows update
- Installed displaylink drivers from github
It turns out that my docking station was just incompatible with Linux. I bought an HP G5 Dock and it worked right out of the box with a multimonitor setup where the Tobenone would take 10+ minutes of cycling my screens on/off before establishing a connection to keep them on.
I had an Anker 364 USB-C hub with HDMIs that I also found out were not Linux compatible and did the same thing the Tobenone docking station did.
On Fedora, the HP dock had drivers that it found via the software center and everything worked out well.
Other threads suggest that the big company docks are more likely to be linux compatible than the random chinese ones from amazon or other places. Think Dell, Kensington, HP, and Lenovo.
FLJerseyBoy@reddit (OP)
Very very helpful. Thanks!
Volvo-Performer@reddit
Having Dell WD19DCS with Dell Precision 7560. Recent firmware update made things good also for Linux. Running Almalinux 9.
skuterpikk@reddit
My thinkpads have this huge connector underneath, where you place the laptop ontop of the dock, even though at least one of them also supports usb3 docks
BurrowShaker@reddit
Newer ones just have a extended usbC port, at least the one I have bought in the past 4 or so years.
pm_a_cup_of_tea@reddit
I Can talk you through getting displaylink working under both Slackware and Debian, once you have done it a couple of times it will become routine but if you are updating the kernel regularly it can be a bit of a chore as you have to uninstall and re-install after each upgrade.
PS The secret is when installing make sure it is not plugged in
Charming-Designer944@reddit
Avoid DisplayLink docks..There is no need to go that route.
Pretty much all modern laptops have USB-C Alternate Function support for an extra DisplayPort compatible display up to 4K. (@30HZ with USB-3, @60HZ with USB-2 only, freeing all lanes for display usage)
There is also plenty of good displays with built in dock. (USB hub, gig network, display with audio, up to 100W charging)
sensitiveCube@reddit
I would say, avoid DisplayLink in general.
Lordgandalf@reddit
Thunderbolt en Display link can give problems but we have it working for some docks but every dock works just that bit different so yeah.
nonesense_user@reddit
Tipp
Forget the new docking stations. Purchase a good external monitor with USB-C *IN* and and *USB-Hub*.
Less cables.
gordonmessmer@reddit
The most likely answer is "DisplayLink."
DisplayLink is... basically it's a graphics adapter that's attached by USB. And just like a graphics adapter from NVidia or AMD, it needs Linux kernel modules. But support for DisplayLink isn't included in the Linux kernel yet. You can get an out-of-tree driver, and it might work, but if I were selling docks, I wouldn't label devices with DisplayLink as being "Linux compatible" because you're going to get a lot of complaints that a primary function doesn't work out of the box.
DisplayLink will probably offer you more monitors at higher resolutions than DisplayPort pass-through, which I would further guess is why you see the compatible one as being the "weakest" candidate.
thephotoman@reddit
Yeah, if you’re not on Windows, DisplayLink is going to be a bad time. It doesn’t even work well on Macs.
ultraDross@reddit
I've been using it on my M1 work and M4 personal Mac laptops for a while now without issue. It was a bitch to get working with my Dell XPS with Linux on it though.
ImJustPassinBy@reddit
Even on Windows, DisplayLink can be a bad time.
I bought a Lenovo docking station, but couldn't get its HDMI port to work with my Ubuntu laptop. Asked a colleague to lend me his Windows laptop, couldn't get it to work there either. Contacted support, they recommended installing DisplayLink drivers (easily doable via
apt), and I never had issues since.ipaqmaster@reddit
I've had great luck with the
evdi-gitanddisplaylinkAUR packages for those older USB2/3 dock things with HDMI on them. We use one at work which seems to be driving 3 displays for graphing just fine.BinkReddit@reddit
Why I mention DisplayLink when he's specifically asking for Linux compatibility? Just do DisplayPort over USB; I expect it'll be good enough and this is what I do now.
FLJerseyBoy@reddit (OP)
Very, very helpful Thank you!
Formal-Fan-3107@reddit
Well afaik DisplayLink are the only usb display adapter manufacturers to even make an out of tree driver for usb to display adapters
Level-Suspect2933@reddit
this is exactly it. i bought a dock with my T14SG4 and haven’t been able to get it to play nicely with my dual monitor setup. i expected it to be a little hassle to get right but honestly its just not worth my time to figure out how to get my thinkpad running pop to behave like my macbook pro when docking it with the lid closed.
triemdedwiat@reddit
Simplecom make a good range.
I use my 1 in 16 mostly as USB A&C slots, plus
USB headphne. I haven't use the ether port or any of the HDMI or DP sockets as
Debian doesn't carry the drivers in their repository.
natermer@reddit
Avoid anything that has Displaylink drivers. (not to be confused with Dipslayport (DP))
At work they handed me one that had displaylink and I handed it right back to them. IT knew they were garbage, but it was on the list of approved devices and it supported 4 outputs so it is what they gave out standard. Never mind that the 'standard' is many years old at this point and largely out of date.
Luckily, since I asked nicely they had a cheaper Dell unit that I ended up using that didn't require displaylink. Works perfectly with Linux. No drivers, no configuration, etc. Just plug and play.
'Laptop Docks' nowadays can be incredibly generic and work perfectly well. All they consist of is a USB-C dock with USB Power Delivery (USB PD) and USB DP Alt mode.
USB PD allows you to power your laptop over USB-C.
USB DP Alt mode allows you to go displayport over USB-C. Some adapters do HDMI conversion to, if you want. Something about passive vs active HDMI conversion with some devices, I haven't really looked into. Why? Because so far every one I bought, no matter how cheap, works just fine.
Newer monitors you can plug directly into USB-C, but a USB adapter with Displayport output works just fine.
Theoretically you should be able to daisy chain Displayport monitors using a USB-C adapter that supports DP Alt and multi-stream transport (MST), but I have never tried it and don't know how well it works. How many monitors and how high a resolution depends on the exact version of Displayport your video card supports.
The whole USB-C thing is a confusing mess. But it doesn't require special drivers.
One of the nasty things about it is that on most PC laptops it matters which USB-C port you use for your display adapter.
It may only work well on one port and have reduced performance on other ports. Or may only work on one side of the laptop. It really depends how the ports are wired to your CPU, whether they are wired to your North Bridge and stuff like that.
I don't know how well thunderbolt stuff works with Linux as I haven't tried it personally. USB-C speeds work fine for my purposes.
FLJerseyBoy@reddit (OP)
Very thorough and completely credible reply. Thank you!
Nandry123@reddit
Linux usually takes everything on and my guess anything you throw at it will work. Especially if it is USB or USB C. Not so with Windows
Odd-Possession-4276@reddit
^ And that's, kids, how you end up in "Linux sucks, my laptop refuses to suspend" situations. Test your peripherals compatibility, it's easier to find a good working out of the box hardware than build workarounds for some rogue component inside your docking station.
gordonmessmer@reddit
There's lots of common hardware that isn't supported or isn't reliable on Linux systems. Lots of common Realtek Ethernet hardware, lots of WiFi adapters, DisplayLink, etc. And many of them are USB-attached devices.
rhweir@reddit
I got an Anker USB C hub to use as a cheap dock option and it works completely fine. My setup is pretty basic though, single monitor, wired mouse/keyboard, and usb audio jack. I can charge from it while connected and everything worked without addditional tinkering.
wowsomuchempty@reddit
I use a gen2 lenovo docking station.
Works with popOS, archlinux & nixOS (tested to date).
FLJerseyBoy@reddit (OP)
Thanks so much for the info, all. Very helpful.
I maybe should've spelled out that for the foreseeable future, I wasn't planning on replacing my monitor. It's just a (likewise aging) Dell 26-inch model. I don't do a lot of ferocious gaming or other intensive graphics activities, and for the most part have kept myself willfully out-of-the-loop regarding display technologies... When spec'ing the laptop, I went with Intel graphics rather than, uh, I think AMD was the other choice? because I'd read somewhere that Intel was more likely to play nicely with Linux. But that was about at the limit of my "research" into graphics, video adapters, etc.
MANCtuOR@reddit
If your new laptop supports USB4 or thunderbolt 3/4, the Caldigit TS4 is amazing. I use it with my work MacBook, my personal USB4 Asus laptop, and my Pixel 9 Pro.
On CachyOS on my personal laptop it works perfectly. I can use Gnome at 180hz over display port alt mode.
FLJerseyBoy@reddit (OP)
That does look amazing. Way out of my price range (I'm looking for a device I can easily use when traveling), but I'd spring for it in a heartbeat otherwise. And yeah, Thunderbolt 3/4 no problem. Thanks for the rec!
PotatoNukeMk1@reddit
Lenovos usb-c docks mostly use standard protocols so they should work out of the box. Even the power button worked on my 40AY dock with a thinkpad L15 amd
ofbarea@reddit
Some of the Lenovo docking stations use display link chipsets. These are not supported by linux out of the box.
But drivers do exist for some dristros. Ubuntu is one of them: Display link drivers
I have tested a couple of thunderbolt dockings and they worked fine.
Also I usted one usbc gen 4 dockings and it worked.
kornerz@reddit
Most likely they never tested it under Linux and provide no drivers for it - therefore "no support".
But if the hardware in the device is more or less common - it should work.
Otaehryn@reddit
I have 40AH0135 dock for my Thinkpads and everything works.