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I have a Dell XPS13 (9333, Intel HD graphics 4400), running Ubuntu 14.04 and connected to a Dell monitor U2412M via VGA to mini DP. What I would like to do is to connect to another monitor (same make and model). Since I already have a Dell dockstation, using it would be my preferred method.

According to this answer to a very similar question, upgrading the kernel to 3.17 should work for me. The main difference from that question is that the OP's latop has an Intel HD Graphics 4600.

After upgrading and rebooting, I tried to do a dry-run by connecting a single monitor to the dockstation. Sadly, the external monitor was not recognized either connecting via VGA or DVI, which leads to assume that connecting two monitors, one via dock station and one via VGA to mini DP, will not work.

I am doing something wrong here? How could I connect 2 external monitor to my computer?

Community
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fridaymeetssunday
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3 Answers3

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I assume, you connect the dockingstation to the laptop via USB, right?

Then the used technology would be DisplayLink which is unfortunately not supported on Linux (or just experimental on ArchLinux). As far as I know there are just driver for Windows and Mac OS.

I stumbled accross the same problem when trying to use this Dell USB 3.0 Adapter. What you can do to connect multiple monitors, according to the links you already posted, is to use MST/DaisyChaining. Therefore you need a monitor with an Displayport output. But check the specs of your graphics card if it supports MST before.

lumen
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  • Cheers @lumen. You are correct: the dockingstation is connected to the laptop via usb, and the current monitor is connected directly to the laptop's miniDP slot. And the monitors do not have Displayport output, so I guess I am out of luck. – fridaymeetssunday Apr 28 '15 at 11:43
  • What you can also use theoretical, is a MST Hub, like this. But I'm afraid I can't tell you if it actually works (or without problems). – lumen Apr 28 '15 at 11:56
  • I double checked and my monitors, do have a DisplarPort output. I guess I will try DaisyChaining. – fridaymeetssunday Apr 28 '15 at 12:24
  • Please share your experience here as I'm (and perhaps more people are) interessted in this kind of setup as well. – lumen Apr 28 '15 at 12:51
  • Quick update @lumen, I have bought a StarTech multistream hub connect the miniDP from the laptop to the 2 displays (via DP). It worked once, that is the 3 monitor (2 external+laptop) where recognized which the right resolution, but this is definitely not stable nor have I been have to reproduce it since. I have tried unplugging, and turning everything on and off and sometimes it recognizes the monitors, but there is not image in one of them. So there is hope. – fridaymeetssunday Jun 01 '15 at 07:01
  • @fridaymeetssunday I'm a bit disappointed to hear to hear that. Too bad. Which kernel you had installed when trying it? – lumen Jun 02 '15 at 18:58
  • 3.17.0-031700-generic, which I believe is the latest. I still randomly try to plug the damn thing in the hope of hitting the sweet someday. Also, at some point someone will come up with a kernel fix for this (I hope sooner rather than later). – fridaymeetssunday Jun 03 '15 at 09:06
  • @fridaymeetssunday The current stable kernel is 4.0.4 which you can see and download at kernel.org. Maybe worth a try. – lumen Jun 03 '15 at 11:03
  • Cheers @lumen. For some reason I thought 3.17 this was the latest (I installed it less than 3 weeks ago). I will try it this weekend and report back. – fridaymeetssunday Jun 03 '15 at 11:33
  • the latest kernel, 4.0, did not solve the problem, and in the process broke a fair few things - touchpad got jumpy, computer got slow, sound echo in youtube videos. Reverted to 3.17. Sigh. – fridaymeetssunday Jun 05 '15 at 07:56
  • @fridaymeetssunday I'm sorry to hear that. What a shame. – lumen Jun 05 '15 at 07:58
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Use a Port Replicator.

I use Ubuntu 15.04 on Toshiba Z30 Ultrabook with Toshiba Hi-speed port replicator (slightly different to docking station but similar functionality) to connect to two external monitors (one with via VGA and HDMI on port replicator) and everything works fine :)

It supports hot Docking/undocking out of the box and three displays (including laptop in-build one) works smoothly.

FYI, I tried to use Targus docking station with this laptop initially but no luck. I think docking stations have propitiatory connectors and stuff, hence less support for Linux.

Pradeeper
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Update 04.12.2016

Using Ubuntu 16.04 with the latest DisplayLinkDrivers and the issues are now gone. Two external monitors are now possible without much fuss in my set-up.

I am now in a position to answer this: - DisplayLink is now supported for Linux which makes thinks much easier.

Current working* set-up:

  • Ubuntu 14.04
  • Linux kernel 3.19.0-43
  • DisplayLink drivers v1.0.335
  • Dell USB 3.0-Dockingstation D3100​
  • 2 external monitors Dell UltraSharp U2412M
  • No changes where made to the

One monitor is connected directly to the laptop with a mini Display port to VGA adaptor; the other to the docking station via a DVI cable. Each external monitor plus the laptop monitor works independently.

*Issues: - mouse pointer flickering in the laptop and one of the external monitors. Not too disturbing most of the time but it gets annoying sometimes. - Sometimes when connecting the end monitor (DVI, from dock) is not recognized. Disconnecting both monitors and attaching in the order DVI -> DP, will solve the issue. - Newer kernels (and updates to 3.19) appear to make the flickering issue much worst, to the point where the pointer disappears in those monitors.

If someone comes up with a solution for the flickering I will accept that answer instead.

fridaymeetssunday
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