Anyone else notice any issues with their TS3+ connected to the new M1 based Macs? My Air is connected and the Display, Mouse, Keyboard, Audio all seem to be working fine but the Ethernet connection through the TS3+ is not. In the Network control panel it shows the Thunderbolt bridge as inactive. That appears to be the only issue so far.
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MacBook Air M1 and Caldigit TS3+
- Thread starter Ocnetgeek
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Gnattu
macrumors 65816
The Thunderbolt bridge is not the NIC in the dock, Thunderbolt can be used as a peer to peer NIC directly. When you connect two Thunderbolt-powered computers they can create an ethernet lan through the Thunderbolts bus, that's the meaning of "Thunderbolt bridge".
The NIC in dock should appear as something called "Thunderbolt Ethernet Slot"
The NIC in dock should appear as something called "Thunderbolt Ethernet Slot"
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On the Mac the Thunderbolt Bridge is the only thing that is showing up in the Network Settings for Thunderbolt.
Gnattu
macrumors 65816
Can you open System Information and see if your NIC is listed under Ethernet Cards??
chrfr
macrumors G5
Big Sur did some strange things with the network port name on my Intel Macs. I think on my system it showed as a bluetooth network initially.
Did you try to add the network interface in System Preferences by clicking the "+" button? Also I don't know if this is related, but my Dell Thunderbolt Dock has a built in NIC. When connected, my M1 MBA saw the NIC but had it disabled. I had to unuplug the USB-C cable and plug it back in and then it enabled it.
Gnattu
macrumors 65816
It's normal, if my guess was right, one of en3 or en4 might be the nic in the dock.
Gnattu
macrumors 65816
Oh, I think you have entered the wrong tab.
It's the Ethernet Cards tab under "hardware", so it should not include virtual interfaces.
Quackers
macrumors 68000
I have a TS3 + arriving tomorrow and a M1 MBA arriving in 3 weeks or so.
I notice on their website that a firmware upgrade is available (to 44.1) and (it says) should be run to increase its output to 87W and to sort out some USB-C compatibilities with monitors.
However, the small print says that the upgrade should only be run for use with Intel-based Macs.
Does this seem odd?
I'd better not run it then 🙂 (when it arrives).
Also have you installed the Caldigit software that runs in the menu bar? Or is it not really needed?
Many thanks.
I notice on their website that a firmware upgrade is available (to 44.1) and (it says) should be run to increase its output to 87W and to sort out some USB-C compatibilities with monitors.
However, the small print says that the upgrade should only be run for use with Intel-based Macs.
Does this seem odd?
I'd better not run it then 🙂 (when it arrives).
Also have you installed the Caldigit software that runs in the menu bar? Or is it not really needed?
Many thanks.
I think they mean that the firmware update utility only runs on Intel macs currently.
I used my work Windows laptop to update my TS3+ to 44.1 and it's fine with my M1. I primarily use a QHD monitor via displayport, so haven't seen any USBC issues.
The utility I believe is to make it easier to unmount whatever drives you have attached to the TS3+ before undocking. Since I don't keep stuff attached I've never added the utility.
Quackers
macrumors 68000
Thanks very much deeddawg.
That makes sense re: the Intel stuff. Sadly I can't connect it to my rMBP as have no adapters (and no USBC ports).
Can it connect to a laptop another way at all?
Presumably the TS3 and any drives attached also appear on the desktop as normal, so are ejectable from there?
Does it always charge the laptop? Can it be connected without charging?
Many thanks 🙂
@Quackers you're welcome.
Pretty sure it has to connect to a thunderbolt3 laptop - doesn't work with my rMB12 which is just USBC and not TB3.
Given that 44.1 released nearly a year ago, are you anticipating your newly purchased TS3+ not coming with that firmware revision? (I've had my TS3+ a couple years, and hadn't seen the firmware update until recently... was working fine so hadn't gone looking for such either)
Yes, attached drives (and SD card) behave as normal; I just eject in the usual manner when I use them.
Yes, it always charges the laptop - haven't tried it without its power supply attached. Shouldn't be an issue with Big Sur / current macs and the optimized charging.
Pretty sure it has to connect to a thunderbolt3 laptop - doesn't work with my rMB12 which is just USBC and not TB3.
Given that 44.1 released nearly a year ago, are you anticipating your newly purchased TS3+ not coming with that firmware revision? (I've had my TS3+ a couple years, and hadn't seen the firmware update until recently... was working fine so hadn't gone looking for such either)
Yes, attached drives (and SD card) behave as normal; I just eject in the usual manner when I use them.
Yes, it always charges the laptop - haven't tried it without its power supply attached. Shouldn't be an issue with Big Sur / current macs and the optimized charging.
Quackers
macrumors 68000
Thanks again @deeddawg
I only mentioned the firmware upgrade because I spotted it on their website. However, if it's a year old I would expect it to have been implemented by now 🙂
Unless Apple have had it in stock for a loooooooooooong time 😁
Once everything arrives I'll just plug things in and use as normal.
Many thanks!
Quackers
macrumors 68000
I've wondered about that too after reading stuff.
Have you seen this from the Caldigit TS 3+ support page?
About half way down the page headed "setting up a network connection" then "Mac"
https://www.caldigit.com/ts3-plus-support/
Have you seen this from the Caldigit TS 3+ support page?
About half way down the page headed "setting up a network connection" then "Mac"
https://www.caldigit.com/ts3-plus-support/
aiba
macrumors newbie
Yeah, I saw that but I couldn't get those instructions to work. In network settings, it just says "Thunderbolt Bridge: not connected" no matter what I add.
I haven't tried a firmware update. Is there a way to know what the current firmware version is?
Quackers
macrumors 68000
Yep, I'd have the same difficulty too 🙂 I'm not a network officianado.
The firmware update is to version 44.1 but their website says it's only for Intel-based computers (so may not work on M1's). I propose to leave it as is when my TS3and my M1 MBA arrive.
I don't know what the older version is but it is visible somewhere. It'll be in system information under hardware I think.
I too see thunderbolt bridge but I don't know what that is. We need an expert. Maybe you have to add another ethernet item like that article says but I'm really not sure.
aiba
macrumors newbie
aiba
macrumors newbie
joelb727
macrumors regular
I too bought the ts3+ with my m1 mba. Ethernet is working for me (I didn't do anything other than plug it in and ensure that it is getting ethernet through tb). Although not related, I did download and am using the docking station utility.
Both tb ports are working.
Both tb ports are working.
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aiba
macrumors newbie
Interesting! On the CalDigit download page for the docking utility, it says "macOS Drivers (For Intel-based Macs only; not Apple M1-based Macs):". But maybe it's worth a try anyway.