Laptop and PC dual setup
Laptop and PC dual setup
Hi!
I need some guidance on setting up a dual PC system with your Lenovo Ideapad 5 and a Dell Ultrasharp U2412M monitor. You have a USB-C port on the laptop and HDMI output, but the Dell only supports DisplayPort input. I also need an Ethernet connection since I don’t want to depend on WiFi. I’m trying to find a reliable way to connect both machines. I’ve considered KVM docking stations and a newer Dell Ultrasharp U2722DE model that includes KVM and Ethernet, but both seem to have issues based on what I’ve read. My current setup has KVM built in, but I can’t test it because of the missing DisplayPort output. I want to use the laptop as the main workstation and the PC for storage, gaming, and as a standalone device when I’m away. The peripherals include a USB video camera and a Focusrite external sound card.
Thanks in advance!
These are the connections available on your present monitor;
1 Digital Visual Interface connectors (DVI-D) with HDCP
1 DisplayPort(DP)
1 Video Graphics Array (VGA)
You might need to use an adapter to link the laptop to both the monitor and the desktop, switching between display sources, but you'll require two sets of peripherals for each system.
Your current Ultrasharp model likely includes a KVM,
though the present monitor lacks one, and Dell has never offered such a product.
Thanks for the reply!
My Dell Ultrasharp has USB connections in and out, and online users have reported using it as a KVM solution. It seems the monitor can switch peripherals when the video input changes from DVI to DisplayPort. I'm trying to discover how to try this out. Unfortunately, having two sets of keyboard and mouse isn't working for me. From what I've learned, some mice and keyboards also offer built-in control for multiple computers. I'll need to explore this further.
The USB ports on a monitor do not turn it into a KVM switch. Even though my Dell U2311H and HP LA2306x have KVMs, they lack them.
The USB devices won't move when video inputs are changed. The monitor includes an internal USB hub that connects to a computer. To fix this, connect the items you wish to swap to the monitor and then transfer the USB cable between the two computers so they can be recognized.