Please help me plan my hardware connections

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Peat Moss

Gawd
Joined
Oct 6, 2009
Messages
543
So, I am going to be working from home soon, and I'm just planning out my home office hardware and the best way to connect it all.

What I have so far is:
- PC tower
- 2 laptops (one for work, one for personal use)
- 2 x 24" monitors
- wired keyboard
- wired mouse
- wifi router

What I plan to get is:
- 32" monitor (for video editing and watching movies, not for work)
- dock

What I want to do is to be able to connect everything in such a way as to switch back and forth between work and personal usage at the end of the day, without having to unplug too many things or dismantle my entire cable management system every time. Switching between personal and work laptops seems pretty straightforward as I can just unplug /plug a usb-c cable (coming from the dock or a monitor).

When it comes to everything else, I'm not sure. Should I run everything through the dock? If so, how many and what kind of ports do I need? What kind of cables do I need? Do I need a KVM switch?

Thanks.

Diagram1.png
 
_cp said:
Sounds like a kvm would be the best solution for you.

If you are ok only having the desktop hooked to the 32” only, you could get away with a network-based kb/m sharing program and use the dock to swap the 24” monitors between the laptops.

A program I use to share my desktop kb/m with my work laptop is called MouseWithoutBorders.
Click to expand...

Could I just connect all the monitors to the dock, along with my tower, mouse and keyboard, and run an extra usb-c cable from the dock out for the laptops?
 
Peat Moss said:
Could I just connect all the monitors to the dock, along with my tower, mouse and keyboard, and run an extra usb-c cable from the dock out for the laptops?
Click to expand...
You wont be using your GPU to power them, instead what ever chipset is in the dock, depending on the dock you get.
 
Most Monitors have KVMs installed already, so to speak.

Still a KVM/Hub, to connect the odds and ends that the monitors can´t, is the way to go.

Kindly clarify on the pic:

All possible laptop and pc-gpu video connectors
The resolutions, refresh rates, HDR (IF used) capabilities and possible VRR demands.

At a refreh rate of 60 a KVM can still transport everything else as well.
At 120 you will have to sacrifice or buy very expensive non-commercial KVMs.


Have a look at this as a all-in-one solution:

HP USB-C Dock G5 Docking Station​

1703211314196.jpeg

! Depenting on your monitors resolutions and refresh rates you may get an older or newer version than the one i´ve chosen as an example.

This one suits me but i separarte keyboard and mouse since after a while it simply becomes "good practise"
20230305_233927.jpg

And i only connect 2 montiors to the work-laptop using both of its usb-c connectors (It has no hdmi). One is a 50 inch 120hrz va-panel TV.

good luck with the next research step !
 
Last edited:
MrGuvernment said:
You wont be using your GPU to power them, instead what ever chipset is in the dock, depending on the dock you get.
Click to expand...

Most docks I've seen have Thunderbolt or USB-C or HDMI or DP ports on them. So they must be allowing pass-through GPU power, otherwise these ports would be useless.
 
Carlyle2020 said:
Most Monitors have KVMs installed already, so to speak.

Still a KVM/Hub, to connect the odds and ends that the monitors can´t, is the way to go.

Kindly clarify on the pic:

All possible laptop and pc-gpu video connectors
The resolutions, refresh rates, HDR (IF used) capabilities and possible VRR demands.

At a refreh rate of 60 a KVM can still transport everything else as well.
At 120 you will have to sacrifice or buy very expensive non-commercial KVMs.
Click to expand...

There are no KVMs in my monitors (HP Z24Q G3) that I know of.

Here is a list of connectors:

PC connectors

- 2 x Antenna Ports
- 1 x HDMI Port
- 1 x Optical SPDIF Out Port
- 2 x USB4 Thunderbolt™ 4 Type-C Ports (40 Gb/s for USB4 protocol; 40Gb/s for Thunderbolt™ protocol)*
- 2 x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A Port (10 Gb/s)
- 6 x USB 3.2 Gen1 Ports (USB32_12 are Lightning Gaming Ports. USB32_34 support Ultra USB Power.)
- 2 x USB 2.0 Ports
- 2 x RJ-45 LAN Ports
- 1 x Line Out Jack (Gold Audio Jack)
- 1 x Microphone Input Jack (Gold Audio Jack)


Work laptop connectors

- (2) USB Thunderbolt 4 Type-C ports with USB4 support (SuperSpeed USB 20 Gbps is not available)
- (2) USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports (1 Charging)
- (1) Headphone/microphone combo jack
- (1) AC power port
- (1) HDMI 2.0 (cable sold separately)
- (1) AC Power input port

Monitors (2560 x 1440p) 60Hz

connectors:
Inputs
1 x DisplayPort (1.4)
1 x HDMI (2.0)
Outputs
1 x DisplayPort (1.4)
USB I/O
1 x USB-B 3.0 / 3.1/3.2 Gen 1
4 x USB-A 3.0 / 3.1/3.2 Gen 1
 
Very dilligent, thanks :)

The Dell hub certainly lets you connect the work laptop with one usb-c cable to access everything at once.
Reverting back means switching all 3 monitors inputs to the tower manually all the time. Mouse and keyboard would get a 20 buck usb2.0 switch.

This is the expensive "switch with the push of only one button" solution:
https://www.store.level1techs.com/products/p/14-kvm-switch-triple-monitor-2computer-pne46-fxlmw

Anything else has flaws and needs you to either switch a usb-c cable "to and fro"
or always switch 3x monitor inputs if you change from the "hubbed" laptop to the tower.

The cheaper "plugging the Dell docks usb-c cable from one pc to the other" only works if the motherboard has a DP IN port (GPU signal into the motherboard) to ingest the gpu signal before sending it out to a male usb-c cable near the laptops parking space.

random
For only shaing the mouse and keyboard you could buy a usb 2.0 peripheral kvm switch for under 20 bucks. Or a usb3 one with even a remote for under 40.
Connecting data cables from pc and laptop to the new 32 inch montior means mouse and keyboard could be connected to the monitor and be accessed by both machines ?!

this is how far i get today ;)
 
Carlyle2020 said:
Very dilligent, thanks :)

The Dell hub certainly lets you connect the work laptop with one usb-c cable to access everything at once.
Reverting back means switching all 3 monitors inputs to the tower manually all the time. Mouse and keyboard would get a 20 buck usb2.0 switch.

This is the expensive "switch with the push of only one button" solution:
https://www.store.level1techs.com/products/p/14-kvm-switch-triple-monitor-2computer-pne46-fxlmw

Anything else has flaws and needs you to either switch a usb-c cable "to and fro"
or always switch 3x monitor inputs if you change from the "hubbed" laptop to the tower.

The cheaper "plugging the Dell docks usb-c cable from one pc to the other" only works if the motherboard has a DP IN port (GPU signal into the motherboard) to ingest the gpu signal before sending it out to a male usb-c cable near the laptops parking space.

random
For only shaing the mouse and keyboard you could buy a usb 2.0 peripheral kvm switch for under 20 bucks. Or a usb3 one with even a remote for under 40.
Connecting data cables from pc and laptop to the new 32 inch montior means mouse and keyboard could be connected to the monitor and be accessed by both machines ?!

this is how far i get today ;)
Click to expand...

Thanks, this got me thinking.

I am certainly willing to manually switch one or two cables around, provided they are within easy reach. When using the other PC (or laptop), I could have the unused cable(s) clipped to my desk at the ready.


Let me know if this below schema is correct.....

PC tower:
- power cord to wall
- usb-c thunderbolt from motherboard out to the dock, and then all three of the monitor's video cables connected to the dock.
- monitor power cords to the wall

Monitors - only using two monitors with either of the laptops. I don't think I'd be using all 3 monitors with the PC tower after all, but I'm not sure yet.

Keyboard + mouse
- both usb cables to the dock

Laptops (only using one at a time)
- usb-c (alt mode) cable to the PD usb-c port on the dock

Questions:

1. So, I'm thinking, if I simply manually disconnect the laptop (connected to PD port on dock via usb-c cable), then I could just use the PC tower by itself without doing anything further? No KVM switch needed?

2. Similarily, I could simply manually unplug the usb-c cable from my work laptop (after shutting off) and switch it to my personal laptop, correct?

3. If I only want to use the two smaller monitors with either laptop, I could just disconnect the third larger monitor from the dock, correct?

4. I could just leave the keyboard and mouse plugged into the dock all the time regardless of which laptop or pc I use, correct?
 
1 yes- just switch the monitor inputs from hdmi dock to hdmi tower for example.

2 correct

3 yes. I do it in windows by simply unticking the third monitor

4 the pc to dock connection must be checked. I am unsure if this is feasible since it dependa on the morherboard supporting displayport via usb-c with a dp in port as well. This way of transferring the gpu signal is new to me. So this theory has to be checked.
 
Carlyle2020 said:
4 the pc to dock connection must be checked. I am unsure if this is feasible since it dependa on the morherboard supporting displayport via usb-c with a dp in port as well. This way of transferring the gpu signal is new to me. So this theory has to be checked.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I just realized I don't think I'd be able to use the desktop GPU that way. I think I may have to get a KVM after all.
 
Ok, I think I've figured out how to do this without a KVM. Let me know if I've overlooked something.

After thinking about it some more, I probably won't be using all 3 monitors at the same time. I'll just be using 2 smaller monitors for work and web surfing, etc. The larger monitor I'll be using exclusively for video editing/watching movies. But I may be able to add one of the smaller monitors if I need to, with my proposed configuration.

What I need is a thunderbolt dock.

For work/ web surfing using laptop - connect the 2 smaller monitors (which are daisy chained) to the dock via usb-c to displayport (alt mode) cable, and then connect the dock to my laptop (s) via usb-c thunderbolt cable. I can easily switch between the 2 laptops just by disconnecting/connecting the thunderbolt cable. To switch to using my tower PC with the 2 monitors, I just have to move the same thunderbolt cable to the back port of my PC. I won't need to use the power of the discreet GPU in my PC just for work and web surfing. The iGPU in the CPU of the motherboard should be more than enough.

For video editing - I would have the large 32" monitor always connected to my tower PC (where I need the power of the discreet GPU). It wouldn't be connected to the dock.

My keyboard and mouse would always be connected to the dock (either wired, or by dongle). When I switch to using my tower PC with the 2 monitors, I wouldn't need to move the keyboard and mouse cables/dongles. But when I switch over to using my 32" monitor (which would already be connected to the PC, but not connected to the dock) I would just have to move the keyboard and mouse cables/dongles.

So for most uses, it requires only moving one cable. For video editing with the large monitor, just moving two cables.

I hope this is correct.
 
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