The Dell docking station offers owners the ability to bring a complete office with them through the simple connection of cables. If you have a Dell docking station and love the portability as well as the connection ability but some connected devices aren’t working, what can be done?
If devices connected to your Dell docking station are not working,
When it comes to staying connected no matter where you are, a laptop can only afford so much. You may find that you need to connect to an ethernet, a printer, a monitor, or anything else to get the job or task assigned to you done. If you have a Dell docking station and notice that some devices are not working when connected, read below to find the device you are having problems with as well as the solution to fix the issue.
Dell Docking Station Devices Not Working
A Dell docking station may seem like an unnecessary expense at first glance, but if you are someone who always has your work or hobbies on the go and realize that multiple connections are needed even when you have complete access to your laptop, this device becomes a knight in shining armor. For those using a Dell docking station, read below to see what can be done when certain devices start working with this system.
If devices connected to your Dell docking station are not working, go to ‘Display Settings’ and click ‘Detect’ to discover missing monitors, be sure dual monitors are connected to the laptop through the correct cable, and
Dell Laptop Docking Station Not Detecting Monitor
If you are using a laptop or other smart device and want to connect that device to a monitor, a docking station is a great option to ensure that more ports are kept available while allowing you to move around files and documents with ease, and work at higher speed. If your Dell laptop docking station is not detecting the monitor you have your device connected to, what can be done to establish this connection?
If your Dell laptop docking station is not detecting the monitor it is connected to, use the shortcut Win + Ctrl + Shift + B which will force the detection of the monitor. If this does not work, go to ‘Display Settings’ on your laptop and click on the ‘Detect’ button to see if the monitor is shown.
If you complete these shortcuts and your laptop is still not able to recognize the docking station, it could be that you need to update the operating system. For Windows, if the operating system is not updated with the latest software, it may not be able to support the docking station. To see if this is the problem, go to ‘Settings’ > ‘Update & Security’ > ‘Windows Update’ > ‘Check for Updates > then allow the updates to download and install if available.
Dell Laptop Docking Station Dual Monitor Not Working
If you are someone who is looking to drastically improve your gaming experience or needs multiple screens to work on for an involved work project, the Dell docking station allows users to connect multiple monitors through the connection of their laptop with ease. Although this would always be the case in a perfect world, some users have found that their docking station does not work when connected to dual monitors.
If your Dell laptop docking station dual monitor is not working, first, be sure that both monitors are connected to one another before connecting to the docking station. Once confirmed, be sure the correct cable is being used to connect the laptop to the docking station.
With a Dell docking station, there are two cords that come with the device which are intended for the use of a laptop and the other is for the connection of all other devices. If you are not using the cable that is intended specifically for the connection of a laptop, it will not connect other devices to the laptop properly, resulting in issues such as dual monitors not working when seemingly connected.
Dell Laptop Docking Station Headphone Jack Not Working
Up until this point, the primary discussion around the Dell docking station has involved more seemingly complicated issues or connections. What is so great about this docking station though is that users are able to use the device for more complicated connections as well as for connections that take the simple insert of a jack, such as a headphone jack. If the headphone jack is not working on your Dell laptop, read on to see what might be the problem.
If your Dell laptop docking station headphone jack isn’t working, be sure that the headphones work when connected to another device. If they are working, you may need to update the DisplayLink USB Graphics Software for Windows to resolve the issue.
To update the DisplayLink USB Graphics Software for Windows when the headphone jack is not working on your Dell docking station, go to www.displaylink.com/downloads and click on the operating system you are currently running on. You will then be led to the proper software and will confirm to run the driver update. When the driver has installed the system will restart. Once Windows has recognized the hardware, click on the driver and see the installation then connect the headphones.
Dell Laptop Docking Station Keyboard Not Working
If you have a keyboard connected to your Dell laptop docking station, you should be able to make the connection with a simple USB cord. Once the docking station recognizes the device, it should only be a matter of seconds before you are able to use the keyboard without any issue. However, if you have a keyboard connected to your Dell laptop docking station and it is not working, continue reading below to see what can be done.
If your Dell laptop docking station keyboard is not working, try disconnecting the keyboard and reconnecting it step-by-step. To do this, unplug all devices from the docking station and wait two minutes. When the time has passed, connect the keyboard, wait 10 seconds, then reconnect to other devices.
If you complete this process and you are still not able to use the keyboard you have connected to your Dell laptop docking station, you may need to check that the USB cord is operational. First, inspect the cord and be sure that no damage is present. If the cord looks operational visually, try connecting the keyboard to another device to see if it will work. If it will not, it is likely that the cord will need to be replaced.
Dell Laptop Docking Station Mouse Not Working
If you find that you don’t have enough ports left on your laptop or that you want to use the ports located on the docking station instead, you may choose to connect a mouse to the docking station instead of the laptop itself. With this simple connection, you should be able to control whichever device you have connected with ease. However, if your Dell laptop docking station mouse is not working, red below to find the fix.
Copyright protected content owner: ReadyToDIY.com and was initially posted on March 27, 2022.
If your Dell laptop docking station mouse is not working, it could be that the mouse’s drivers need to be updated. To do this, go to the start menu and click on ‘Run’ and enter “Devmgmt.msc.” Click ‘Ok’ then open ‘Universal Serial Bus’ within the Device Manager.
Once you get to the Device Manager, you will be warned of any drivers that are not working on the device. If you see that the mouse is included within this list, go to the website of the mouse brand you are using and find driver updates that exist for that particular brand. If the drivers are up to date, be sure that all USB ports are functioning and clean.
Dell Laptop Docking Station USB Ports Not Working
One of the greatest advantages of using a Dell docking station is that this device offers the ability to connect to quite a bit more devices than a laptop could due to the three USB ports that exist on its frame. These ports are essential to the overall purpose of the docking station, as if they stop working, the device is nearly rendered useless. If you have a Dell laptop docking station and the USB ports are not working, what could be the cause?
If your Dell Laptop docking station USB ports are not working and other ports are working, turn the dock off, disconnect the Type-C cable, power on the docking station through the power adapter, then reconnect the Type-C cable back to your laptop.
Dell Laptop Docking Station Speakers Not Working
Whether you are working with the speakers on your laptop or are trying to connect another system with speakers connected through the docking station, you should be able to hear audio output if drivers are updated and all devices are connected using the proper cables. If this is true for you and your Dell laptop docking station speakers are still not working, take a look below to see what solution to try.
Copyright article owner is ReadyToDiy.com for this article. This post was first published on March 27, 2022.
If your Dell laptop docking station speakers are not working, make the docking station’s audio interface the default playback device within Windows. Click ‘Control Panel’ > ‘Sound’ > then check next to the option ‘Dock Audio Device’ and select ‘Set as default playback device.”
If you are wanting to connect external speakers directly to your Dell laptop docking station, and you think that you have the process complete, yet there is still no sound coming from the speakers, be sure you have followed the proper setup process. Go to ‘Control Panel’ > ‘Hardware and Sound’ > ‘Sound’ > select the default microphone you wish to use > then click ‘Ok’ to confirm the choice.
Dell Laptop Docking Station No Sound
Whether you are connected only to a laptop, are connected to a monitor, or are using an ethernet cable to run all of these devices through your Dell laptop docking station, if the speakers are working on any of the devices, you should be able to hear sound when the volume is turned up to an audible level. However, if you have a Dell laptop docking station and there is no sound, what might be the issue?
If your Dell laptop docking station has no sound, it could be that the docking station’s audio interface needs to be set as the default playback device within Windows. To see how this can be done, refer to the previous section titled “Dell Laptop Docking Station Speakers Not Working.”
If you go through this process and there is still no sound coming from any of the devices connected to the docking station, be sure that you have the volume turned up to an audible level and that all devices are unmuted. If this can be confirmed, be sure all cables are properly connected and none have any obvious damage which could prevent sound from transferring.
If the devices connected to your Dell docking station are not working, try updating the DisplayLink USB Graphics Software for Windows for issues with the headphone jack, update the drivers for a mouse that is not working, and set the docking station as the default playback device in Windows.
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ReadyToDIY is the owner of this article. This post was published on March 27, 2022.