Travel Docking Station for Laptops - HDMI or VGA - USB 3.0

Questions & Answers

How do I uninstall my USB video adapter in Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10, or Windows 11?
To uninstall the USB video adapter, disconnect the adapter from the computer, uninstall the DisplayLink Graphics Software, and restart the computer when prompted. Explanation: Before uninstalling the software, disconnect the USB video adapter from the computer. To remove the DisplayLink software: Open Control Panel . Select Programs and Features or Uninstall a Program . Locate DisplayLink Graphics in the list of installed programs. Right-click DisplayLink Graphics and select Uninstall . Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the removal process. Restart the computer when prompted.

Why did the software not install properly in macOS High Sierra (10.13) or later?
Starting in High Sierra 10.13, macOS enforces stricter security policies than previous revisions. As a result of these changes, software packages, like those used in this installation, will need to be allowed within the macOS Security and Privacy settings, immediately after the software has been installed, in order for the device to operate. To allow the software, follow these steps after you've completed installation on your Mac: Open System Preferences . Open Security & Privacy . Click the Allow button near the bottom of the General tab. Note: The option to allow the software will be available within the Security & Privacy settings for 30 minutes. If the software is not allowed within that time frame, the software must be reinstalled in order for macOS to grant the opportunity to allow it again.

How do I install my USB laptop docking station in Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10, or Windows 11? (.exe method)
To install your USB laptop docking station, download the latest DisplayLink driver package from StarTech.com, install the software before connecting the docking station, restart the computer if prompted, and then connect the docking station. Explanation: Do not connect the USB laptop docking station to your computer until after the DisplayLink software has been installed. Before installing the docking station, ensure that Windows is fully updated with the latest security updates and feature updates available for your operating system. To install the docking station: Download the latest DisplayLink driver package from the StarTech.com Drivers & Downloads page. Extract the downloaded ZIP file (such as DisplayLink.zip or DisplayLinkDock.zip ). Open the folder for your version of Windows, if applicable. Right-click Setup.exe and select Run as administrator . Follow the on-screen instructions to install the DisplayLink software. Restart the computer if prompted. Connect your monitors to the docking station. After Windows has restarted, connect the docking station to the computer. Windows will automatically complete the device installation. Notes: If Run as administrator is unavailable, ensure that you are launching Setup.exe from the extracted folder rather than directly from the ZIP file. Driver installation may take several seconds to complete. During installation, the displays may flicker or temporarily go blank. This is normal. Once installation is complete, Windows will detect the connected displays and they can be configured through the Windows display settings.

How do I install my USB laptop docking station in Windows XP? (.exe method)
Note: Do not physically connect the USB laptop docking station to your computer until instructed to (Step 6). Log in to the computer as the local administrator. Download the latest drivers from the StarTech.com website ( http://www.startech.com/Support ). You can find the part number and product ID on the product’s packaging. Note : Windows typically saves the files to the Downloads folder associated with your user account (for example, C:Users your_name Downloads. Once the download is complete, extract the files from the zip file. (Right-click the DisplayLink.zip file, select Extract All and follow the on-screen instructions.) Select the appropriate folder for your operating system. Double-click Setup.exe . Follow the on-screen prompts to install the device drivers and software. Restart the computer either when prompted, or when the installer disappears. Once Windows has restarted, connect the USB laptop docking station to your computer. Your computer will automatically complete the driver installation. Note: Installation may take several seconds to complete. During the installation your display may flicker. This is normal. Once the installation has completed you will see your Windows desktop extended to the additional monitor.

How do I install my laptop docking station in Mac OSX 10.8.x - 10.12.x?
Note: Do not physically connect the laptop docking station to your computer until instructed to (Step 7). Download the latest drivers from the StarTech.com website ( http://www.startech.com/Support ). You can find the part number and product ID on the product’s packaging. Note : Mac OS X will typically save the files to the Downloads folder that is associated with your user account (for example, hard_drive_name Users your_name Downloads). Double-click the DisplayLink.zip file. Double-click the MAC OS folder. Double-click the appropriate folder for your operating system. Double-click the DisplayLink Installer 75598.dmg file. Follow the prompts to install the new drivers. Restart the computer when prompted. Once Mac OS X has restarted, connect the laptop docking station to your computer. Note: Installation might take several seconds to complete. During the installation your display might flicker; this is normal. Once the installation has completed you will see your Macintosh desktop extended to any connected monitors.

Why are my extended displays black when I use a MacBook laptop with my DisplayLink adapter/docking station?
DisplayLink powered USB video adapters and docking stations are not compatible with any MacBook running macOS 10.13.4 - 10.13.6. If a system has updated to macOS 10.13.4, 10.13.5, or 10.13.6, upgrading to macOS 10.14 (Mojave) is an option for users to restore DisplayLink functionality. At this time, the DisplayLink compatibility issue also affects any 2018 MacBook Pro laptops with an Intel Coffee Lake CPU running macOS 10.14. Please see the DisplayLink site for a driver download workaround. This workaround will force AirPlay to extend or mirror one USB display. For alternative product recommendations including our catalog of Thunderbolt™ products, connect with our Technical Advisory team at the bottom of our Support page .

Some graphics are not rendered correctly on the USB connected display when using Microsoft Office applications or web browsers. How do I fix this?
If hardware acceleration is enabled on any of your software applications, it can result in poor resource management and limit the performance of your video device. If you experience this problem, you should disable hardware acceleration in the program(s) that were impacted. To disable hardware acceleration in common applications and operating systems, complete one of the following series of steps, depending on what software application(s) or operating system that you are running. Chromium-Based Microsoft Edge: Click the Options icon (it has three dots on it). Click Settings . Click System . Uncheck Use hardware acceleration when available . Internet Explorer 9 and later Note: Earlier versions of Internet Explorer do not use hardware acceleration. Click the Start button. Open Control Panel . Click Network and Internet . Click Internet Options . Click the Advanced tab. Browse to the Accelerated graphics screen. Select the Use software rendering instead of GPU rendering check box. Click Apply . Restart your computer. Mozilla Firefox Open Firefox. Press the Alt key. Click Tools and Options . Click the Advanced icon. Click the General tab. Under Browsing , clear the Use hardware acceleration when available check box. Click the OK button. Restart your web browser. Google Chrome Open Google Chrome. Click the Options icon (it has three horizontal lines on it). Click Settings . Click Show advanced settings . Scroll to the bottom of the screen and clear the Use hardware acceleration when available check box. Restart your web browser. Microsoft Office 2013 / 2010 Open any program in Microsoft Office (for example, Microsoft Word). Click the File tab. In the menu on the left side of the screen, click Options . Click Advanced . Under Display , select the Disable hardware graphics acceleration check box. Close and restart all of the Microsoft Office programs that you had open. Windows 10 / 8 Press the Windows key + X . Click Control Panel . Click Personalization . Select a high-contrast theme. Windows 7 / Vista Click the Start button. Click Control Panel . Click Personalization . Select a non-Aero theme. Ideally, you should select a basic and high-contrast theme. Windows XP Click the Start button. Open the Control Panel . Select Display . Click the Settings tab. Click Advanced . Click the Troubleshooting tab. Move the Hardware Acceleration slider to None . Restart your computer.

Why do I lose my additional monitor(s) when my computer wakes up from sleep mode in Windows?
If the display connected through your USB display adapter does not wake up after your computer has been in extended hibernation, it is likely that Windows has automatically turned off the USB Root hub to save power. The steps below outline how to configure the USB root hub to stay on during hibernation, to prevent this from happening. Windows 8 / 10 On your keyboard, press the Windows key + X and select Control Panel . Click Hardware and Sound , then click Power Options . Click Change plan settings for the plan you want to change. Click Change advanced power settings . Click the plus sign (+) next to “USB settings” and “USB selective suspend setting” to expand the options and change the setting to Disabled . Click OK to apply the setting. Note : You may need to disconnect and re-connect your USB display adapter after applying these settings to re-establish the connection. Windows 7 / Vista Click the Start button and select Control Panel . Click Hardware and Sound , then click Power Options . Click Change plan settings for the plan you want to change. Click Change advanced power settings . Click the plus sign (+) next to “USB settings” and “USB selective suspend setting” to expand the options and change the setting to Disabled . Click OK to apply the setting. Note : You may need to disconnect and re-connect your USB display adapter after applying these settings to re-establish the connection. Windows XP On your desktop, right-click the My Computer icon and select Properties . Click the Device Manager tab. Expand Universal Serial Bus controllers by clicking the arrow to the left of it. Right-click the first USB Root Hub device and select Properties . Click the Power Management tab. Clear the box next to Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power . Click OK to apply the setting. Repeat steps 4-7 for any remaining devices in the Universal Serial Bus Controllers section with “ Root Hub ” in the name. Note : You may need to disconnect and re-connect your USB display adapter after applying these settings to re-establish the connection.

I am having issues with my new network interface card (NIC) and my on-board NIC is still enabled. What do I do in Windows?
Sometimes an on-board network interface card (NIC) conflicts with a new NIC. In these cases it is best to disable the on-board NIC. The best way to disable your on-board NIC is to go into your BIOS and disable it there if possible. To do this, consult your motherboard manual. You can also disable any NIC in Windows. Here is how you do this: First click Start , or, in Windows 10 and 8, hold down the Windows key and press X . Then click Control Panel . Windows 10 Click Network and Internet . Click Network and Sharing Center . On the left, click Change adapter settings . Right-click the NIC that you would like to disable and select Disable . Windows 8 Click Network and Sharing Center . On the left, click Change adapter settings . Right-click the NIC that you would like to disable and select Disable . Windows 7 Click Network and Internet . Click Network and Sharing Center . On the left, click Change adapter settings . Right-click the NIC that you would like to disable and select Disable . Windows Vista Click Network and Sharing Center . On the left, click Manage network connections . Right-click the NIC that you would like to disable and select Disable . Windows XP Click Network Connections . Right-click the NIC that you would like to disable and select Disable .

Why do I have speed or connectivity issues?
If you are experiencing speed or connectivity issues, it is best to set a specific speed at half or full duplex in your settings. You can set your network adapter to perform at a certain speed, but the device that the adapter is connected to (whether it is a router, switch, or computer) must also be able to perform at the same speed. Note : You must log in as the local administrator before you continue. To open Device Manager: Press Windows key + R . Type devmgmt.msc . Click OK . Open the Networking adapters section. Right-click the network adapter that you want to change and select Properties . Click the Advanced tab. Scroll down to Speed & Duplex . By default, it is set to Auto-Negotiate . Select any of the speeds that you see in the list. Click OK and restart your computer.

Everything is hooked up but nothing is working. What should I do?
When you troubleshoot issues with a laptop docking station, there are some quick tests that you can complete to rule out potential problems. You can test to make sure that the following components are working correctly and are not the source of the issue: Video cables Video source Video destination Laptop docking station USB peripherals Ethernet connection To test your setup components, try the following: Use the video cables, video source, video destination, laptop docking station, USB peripherals, and Ethernet connection in another setup to see if the problem is with the components or the setup. Use a different video cable, video source, video destination, laptop docking station, USB peripherals, and Ethernet connection setup to see if the problem persists. Ideally, you should test a component that you know works in another setup. When you test your cables, it is recommended that you do the following: Test each cable individually. Use short cables when you are testing. When you test the video cables, video source, video destination, and laptop docking station it is recommended that you do the following: Press the Windows key + R , type devmgmt.msc , and press Enter to open Device Manager. If you do not see the USB video adapter in Device Manager, refer to the following FAQ: https://www.startech.com/en-us/faq/usb-cannot-detect-windows . If the device is listed with an error, reinstall the drivers following the instructions on the website. Check to see if your video card drivers are current. You can check what video card you have in Device Manager under Display adapters . It is recommended that you go directly to the video card manufacturer's website to check for the latest drivers. Check to see if the monitor is being detected by Windows. For more information about testing the USB peripherals and the laptop docking station, visit www.startech.com/faq/usb_hubs_general_troubleshooting . When you test Ethernet and the laptop docking station, refer to the following FAQ: http://www.startech.com/faq/network_adapters_general_troubleshooting . When you test sound and the laptop docking station, refer to the following FAQ: http://www.startech.com/faq/sound_cards_general_troubleshooting .

I'm having problems with my web browser, Microsoft Office, or other Windows applications; what do I do?
If hardware acceleration is enabled on any of your software applications, it can result in poor resource management and limit the performance of your video device. If you experience this problem, you should disable hardware acceleration in the program(s) that were impacted. To disable hardware acceleration in common applications and operating systems, complete one of the following series of steps, depending on what software application(s) or operating system that you are running. Internet Explorer 9 and later Note: Earlier versions of Internet Explorer do not use hardware acceleration. Click the Start button. Open Control Panel . Click Network and Internet . Click Internet Options . Click the Advanced tab. Browse to the Accelerated graphics screen. Select the Use software rendering instead of GPU rendering check box. Click Apply . Restart your computer. Mozilla Firefox Open Firefox. Press the Alt key. Click Tools and Options . Click the Advanced icon. Click the General tab. Under Browsing , clear the Use hardware acceleration when available check box. Click the OK button. Restart your web browser. Google Chrome Open Google Chrome. Click the Options icon (it has three horizontal lines on it). Click Settings . Click Show advanced settings . Scroll to the bottom of the screen and clear the Use hardware acceleration when available check box. Restart your web browser. Microsoft Office 2013 / 2010 Open any program in Microsoft Office (for example, Microsoft Word). Click the File tab. In the menu on the left side of the screen, click Options . Click Advanced . Under Display , select the Disable hardware graphics acceleration check box. Close and restart all of the Microsoft Office programs that you had open. Windows 10 / 8 Press the Windows key + X . Click Control Panel . Click Personalization . Select a high-contrast theme. Windows 7 / Vista Click the Start button. Click Control Panel . Click Personalization . Select a non-Aero theme. Ideally, you should select a basic and high-contrast theme. Windows XP Click the Start button. Open the Control Panel . Select Display . Click the Settings tab. Click Advanced . Click the Troubleshooting tab. Move the Hardware Acceleration slider to None . Restart your computer.

Can I use my network card for a Preboot Execution Environment (PXE)?
StarTech.com does not support a Preboot Execution Environment (PXE) as this requires third-party software. However, our devices can be used as long as the following conditions are met: The BIOS must support PXE. The BIOS must see the card. The environment must have drivers for the chipset used in the card. If using a USB networking card, the environment must have support for USB devices as well.

How do I confirm that Windows detects my USB device?
To confirm that Windows detects your USB device, complete the following: Press the Windows key+ R , type devmgmt.msc , and press Enter . In Device Manager , under the appropriate heading, confirm that your expansion card is listed and that there isn't an exclamation mark next to it. For example, a USB controller card would be under Universal Serial Bus controllers . Your USB device is listed according to the name of the chipset. To determine the name of the chipset of your USB device, navigate to www.StarTech.com and look on the Technical Specifications tab for your product.

How can I check if my USB device is properly detected by Mac OS?
To confirm that the Mac OS detects your USB device, complete the following: Click the Apple icon. Click About This Mac . Click More Info or System Report . Under the appropriate heading, confirm that your USB device is listed and that there isn't an error. For example, a network card would be under Ethernet Cards . You may need to refresh the System Information page after you plug in your device. To do so, press Command + R with the System Information page open. Your USB device is listed according to the name of the chipset. To determine the name of the chipset of your USB device, navigate to www.StarTech.com and look on the Technical Specifications tab for your product.

Can this laptop docking station charge a connected laptop?
No, this laptop docking station does not support charging a connected laptop computer. Explanation: This docking station does not provide power delivery or laptop charging functionality through the host connection. A separate power adapter connected directly to the laptop is required to charge the laptop while using this docking station. Laptop charging support varies by docking station model and depends on features such as USB Power Delivery (USB PD) or Thunderbolt charging support. For a list of StarTech.com laptop docking stations that support charging connected laptops, refer to the related FAQ: https://www.startech.com/faq/laptop-docking-stations-will-charge-laptop .