Connecting Thunderbolt 2 Macbook Pro and USB-C Windows Laptop to Docking Station

[gozi3232]

Hi there,

I am hoping someone could let me know how I can connect a windows laptop that has a USB-C port and a 2015 Macbook Pro that has a Thunderbolt 2 port to a docking station. Like many of us that work from home, I would like to connect all my peripheral devices (HDMI monitor, USB keyboard and mouse, e-thernet cable, etc.) to a dock so that I can easily swap out the computer (windows for work vs. Mac for personal) connected to the dock.

Here’s what I’ve tried so far that didn’t work completely:

USB-C Docking Station successfully connected to my windows laptop.
I connected my 2015 MacBook Pro to the dock using an Apple Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter and an Apple Thunderbolt 2 cable but the dock is not recognized. Nothing connected to the dock is working on my Macbook, not even the keyboard.

Has anyone tried what I am trying to achieve? Is there a specific type of dock or adapter that I should try instead? I bought the cable and adapter from Amazon.

Thank you for your time, and I appreciate any helpful guidance on this topic.

 

[Juicy Box]

Are you using a power supply for the dock?

I am using a TB3 dock on my Late 2012 iMac with only TB1.

 

[velocityg4]

That dock requires USB alt mode for video. Which your MBP does not support. Nor will the Thunderbolt port work as it is a USB dock and Thunderbolt 2 is not integrated with USB like Thunderbolt 3. The Thunderbolt 3 adapter just lets you connect to Thunderbolt 3 devices.

You'll need a regular USB 3.0 dock. Then you can switch the plug from one computer to another. Instead of passing through video it'll just have a very low end video card in it for video. The USB 5 Gbps bandwidth will be shared with all devices including video. So, video may be a bit choppy and there may be some input lag.

A lot of them have little or no Mac support. Most likely due to lack of graphics drivers. This is the only one I found which specifically lists compatibility with 10.14 or higher. So you have to at least be on Mojave. There are older models for older macOS. This appears to use a more recent Displaylink graphics. So, it's probably the one I'd use.

Kensington USB 3.0 Dual Display Docking Station for Windows, MacBooks, and Surface (K33972US)

Make your laptop MacBook Surface Laptop and Surface Go tablet Ultra productive with the Kensington SD3500v USB 3 0 Universal docking station! Ultra book's and other super slim laptop computers are reliant on sleek good looks but often lack enough ports for connectivity As a result you are constan...

www.amazon.com

I'm not sure if you can use a KVM switch to switch between laptops on the dock. But you can try. Rather than having to plug/unplug all the time.

USB 3.0 Switch Selector,ABLEWE KVM Switcher Adapter 4 Port USB Peripheral Switcher Box Hub for Mouse, Keyboard, Scanner, Printer, PCs with One-Button Switch and 2 Pack USB Cable

All ABLEWE product comes with one-year warranty and free lifetime technical support. This ABLEWE USB switch is an excellent choice to expand your laptop’s USB 3.0 port into four, allows 2 computers to share 4 USB Devices, can easily switch between 2 Computers via a push button with LED ind...

www.amazon.com

I don't know of any dock which supports two computer inputs. You have to physically switch. Either by plugging/unplugging into each computer or via a KVM switch.

 

[rex4mac]

All the docking stations ( no matter the brand and model made) are not designed for sharing but connected to a dedicated/assigned system one at a time.

Since the 2015 MacBook Pro has equipped with mini DP (Thunderbolt 2), HDMI and USB ports already, you actuary don't need any docking station to provide enough I/O outputs to a KVM switch.

And same as your Dell laptop, it has equipped with type-C, HDMI and USB ports already. It does not require to have a docking station to provide I/O for a KVM switch.

The cables or adapters you need will be depending on what monitor and how many monitors you want to be shared with both Mac and Dell laptops.

The brand and model of the monitor(s) is very important for selecting the correct KVM switch solution.