General
Will this dock work with computers that dont have USB-C or Thunderbolt?
No, the AXIS dock can only be used with a computer that has Thunderbolt (3, 4 or 5) ports, or USB-C ports with DP Alt Mode support. Consult your computers manual or the manufacturers website to check if your computers USB-C ports support DP Alt Mode. Computers with just USB-A connectivity cannot be used with AXIS. ALOGIC manufactures a number of Universal docking stations that support USB-A computers, such as theDUCH2Universal Dual 4K Docking Station.
Does the DV4 require any additional software to be installed?
The DV4 is a DisplayLink-enabled dock. In order to use ports HDMI 2 and 3, you will need to download and install the free DisplayLink software:
https://www.synaptics.com/products/displaylink-graphics/downloads
Do I require a power adapter to use this dock?
This dock may be used without a power supply, receiving its power from the USB port on the host computer, but power available to connected peripherals will be limited to what the host computer can provide. If too many power hungry devices are plugged into the USB ports on the dock the dock may be unstable or shut down as a result of exceeding the power that the upstream USB port on the computer can provide.
It is recommended that a power adapter be connected to the dock for the best experience and reliability. Connecting a power adapter also allows the dock to charge the connected computer using USB Power Delivery Passthrough.
This dock features a USB-C Power Delivery (USB PD) power input, allowing it to be used with any USB PD power supply with an appropriate rating to power the dock and the connected laptop. ALOGIC recommend the DCG1X100 100W Rapid Power GaN charger as a preferred power adapter for use with this dock.
The dock secures 15W from the connected power adapter to power itself and any connected peripherals and passes the remaining power to the connected computer. As a result, the use of a USB PD power adapter that has an output at least 15W higher than the power adapter supplied with the computer is recommended to ensure that the computer charges at the highest speed possible when connected to this dock. The dock can provide up to 85W of power to the connected laptop when used with a 100W USB PD power adapter.
What functions of the dock can I use when connecting with the USB-C to A Adapter?
The dock should be connected to a USB-C or Thunderbolt port on the host computer where possible. The USB-C to A adapter provided with the dock is only intended for use with older laptops that do not have any USB-C ports.
Most features of the dock are available when connected to a USB-A port on a laptop, however the following specific features are not supported by USB-A connections and will not be available:
- Laptop charging. USB-A connections do not support USB Power Delivery passthrough charging.
- HDMI 1 and DisplayPort video outputs. The dock supports a maximum of two monitors when connected to a USB-A port on a laptop; only the HDMI 2 and 3 (DisplayLink driven) video outputs are able to operate over a USB-A connection.
Charging
Can I charge my computer with this dock?
The DV4 docking station can charge computers and mobile devices that support USB-C Power Delivery (USB PD) charging when a USB PD power adapter is connected to the dock (not included - available separately).
The device supports all USB PD 2.0/3.0/3.1 power adapters and will accept up to 100W of power. Note that the dock reserves 15W from power adapters to power itself and peripheral devices connected to the ports on the hub so it is best to use a USB PD power adapter that is at least 15W larger than the power adapter that was supplied with the computer. Using a 100W USB PD power adapter such as the DCG1X100 100W Rapid Power GaN Charger is recommended to ensure that enough power is available to charge any laptop that may be connected to the dock at the time of purchase or in the future.
The maximum wattage that this hub can provide to charge a computer is 85W when a 100W power adapter is connected (15W is reserved for the hub and connected peripheral devices). This is sufficient for most laptops, but a small number of larger, high performance laptops may not charge at the highest speed possible and a separate power adapter may need to be connected to those laptops when used with this docking station.
If the computer shows a message indicating that it is not receiving enough power from the device, increase the size (Wattage) of the connected power adapter or connect the power adapter directly to the computer.
In order to charge a connected computer the dock must be connected to a USB-C port on the computer that is compatible with USB PD charging using the USB-C cable supplied with the dock.
To check if a port is USB-C PD compatible, look for a battery icon, or consult the user manual or manufacturer's website for more information. All Thunderbolt 3 and 4 ports are USB-C PD compatible.
My computer is plugged in, why isn't it charging?
The following are required for a laptop connected to this docking station to charge:
- An external USB-C Power Delivery (USB PD) power adapter plugged into the PD input port on the DV4. A 100W power adapter is recommended.
- The computer must be connected to the dock with the USB-C cable that was supplied with the dock.
- The dock must be connected to a USB-C port on the computer that supports USB-C Power Delivery charging.
To check if a laptop port supports USB PD charging look for a battery icon or consult the user manual or manufacturer's website for more information. All Thunderbolt 3 and 4 ports are USB PD compatible.
NOTE: The dock may consume up to 15W from the external power adapter. Ensure that the any external power adapter used has sufficient power to pass onto the laptop.
Computer Systems
