Thunderbolt 2 Port Accessory Help Needed

[jparker402]

I have a 2015 MacBook Air which has a Thunderbolt 2 port. I would like an adapter to use in that port into which I could plug at least one if not two USB 3 devices, specifically my HP printer (which has its own power) and a Logitech mouse receiver thingie. I have checked Amazon and this forum but am not smart enough to understand what the more technical language is telling me.

I would also like to know if this adapter that would go into the Thunderbolt 2 port would also transfer power to drive the device I plug in. I might plug in my WD My Passport backup drive to it.

I am also looking to perhaps get a new MacBook Air that would have Thunderbolt 3 ports. It would be nice if this adapter would also work in the Thunderbolt 3 port, though somehow I doubt that it would.

 

[chrfr]

I have a 2015 MacBook Air which has a Thunderbolt 2 port. I would like an adapter to use in that port into which I could plug at least one if not two USB 3 devices, specifically my HP printer (which has its own power) and a Logitech mouse receiver thingie. I have checked Amazon and this forum but am not smart enough to understand what the more technical language is telling me.

I would also like to know if this adapter that would go into the Thunderbolt 2 port would also transfer power to drive the device I plug in. I might plug in my WD My Passport backup drive to it.

I am also looking to perhaps get a new MacBook Air that would have Thunderbolt 3 ports. It would be nice if this adapter would also work in the Thunderbolt 3 port, though somehow I doubt that it would.

Thunderbolt to USB 3 adapters are very expensive. For the printer and mouse receiver, you'd save a lot of money just getting a USB hub, and you won't lose any performance.

 

[jparker402]

Thank you. Appreciate the advice. Only reason for talking about the TB2 port is that it currently free. But a few more question about a hub, then. If I want it to "power" thumb drives and my external hard drive, does it necessarily have to be a powered hub? Currently my computer powers both kinds of devices, but if I were to get a hub, the hub would connect with my computer and all the accessories would get plugged into the hub. I don't know what that would create in the way of a power requirement for that one computer port that the hub would connect to. As to features, I know that when I disconnect a thumb drive from the computer port, I am suppose to eject it through Finder before I disconnect it. What do I do if I have a hub and want to remove, say, two thumb drives? Do they individually show up in Finder regardless of the kind of the hub? Does only the hub show up and you then have to eject the whole hub? I see that one some hubs the individual ports have an on/off feature. Don't know if that is important or not. So many questions!!!

 

[saulinpa]

If you are moving to a new laptop then wait as long as you can as connecting TB2 to anything is costly. On the other hand there are lots of cheap USB-C hubs. Most are powered from the laptop but still have plenty of power for any attached USB device.

Each USB thumb drive needs ejected individually. OWC docks like https://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/TCDK5PRG/ have software that you can eject all attached devices at the same time. There is probably other software that does the same for any hardware.

 

[jparker402]

If you are moving to a new laptop then wait as long as you can as connecting TB2 to anything is costly. On the other hand there are lots of cheap USB-C hubs. Most are powered from the laptop but still have plenty of power for any attached USB device.

Each USB thumb drive needs ejected individually. OWC docks like https://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/TCDK5PRG/ have software that you can eject all attached devices at the same time. There is probably other software that does the same for any hardware.

Thank you for the info!

 

[Fishrrman]

If you're going to have much stuff plugged into it, get a POWERED hub...!

 

[jparker402]

Okay, I still need help! I have hunted high and low, and cannot find adapters for Thunderbolt 2. Saulinpa above mentioned that USB C hubs are not as expensive; perhaps he means that they may work. Does a USB C fit into the Thunderbolt 2 port? And work? My latest/newest hunt is for some sort of adapter for my 2015 MacBook Air to connect with a plain, old Samsung tv. Not having any particular luck there either! Beginning to think that Thunderbolt 3 came out and all manufacturers dropped anything related to Thunderbolt 2.

Edit: Think what I really need is for someone to educate me on ports. Just searching older posts, discovered that something called a mini display port adapter to HDMI would solve my problem finding something to connect to my old tv. How does a "mini display port" equate to a Thunderbolt 2 port?

 

[chrfr]

How does a "mini display port" equate to a Thunderbolt 2 port?

Mini DisplayPort is the same shape as Thunderbolt 1 and 2. If you’re just trying to connect some USB devices, get yourself an inexpensive USB hub and ignore the Thunderbolt port.
If you want to also connect a TV to use it as a display, get a Mini DisplayPort to HDMI adapter and use an HDMI cable.

 

[saulinpa]

Yes, manufacturers did drop TB2. Supposedly back in stock in July but don't really believe it: https://www.amazon.com/OWC-OWCTB2DOCK12P-Thunderbolt-2-Dock/dp/B00UUCQVBK https://www.amazon.com/Elgato-Thunderbolt-Dock-Ethernet-aluminum/dp/B00PAPMSLE Buy used on eBay.

Option for most any TB3 dock if you buy Apple's TB2-TB3 adapter and a TB2 cable.

USB C doesn't work with TB2 - that was only if you got your new laptop.

 

[jparker402]

Yes, manufacturers did drop TB2. Supposedly back in stock in July but don't really believe it: https://www.amazon.com/OWC-OWCTB2DOCK12P-Thunderbolt-2-Dock/dp/B00UUCQVBK https://www.amazon.com/Elgato-Thunderbolt-Dock-Ethernet-aluminum/dp/B00PAPMSLE Buy used on eBay.

Option for most any TB3 dock if you buy Apple's TB2-TB3 adapter and a TB2 cable.

USB C doesn't work with TB2 - that was only if you got your new laptop.

Yee cats!! That dock is half the price of a MacBook Air!!!

 

[chrfr]

Yee cats!! That dock is half the price of a MacBook Air!!!

Once again: you only need an inexpensive USB hub. Ignore Thunderbolt.

 

[Fishrrman]

"If I want it to "power" thumb drives and my external hard drive, does it necessarily have to be a powered hub?"

Yes.
Try to power too many devices with only the laptop's built-in "bus power", and items will start "dropping out" or the Mac may toss up an error message and disable the port altogether.

Solution:
Get a POWERED USB3 hub with it's own power supply block.

"I know that when I disconnect a thumb drive from the computer port, I am suppose to eject it through Finder before I disconnect it."

You use the same "dismounting routine" with a hub that you use when the device is plugged directly into the Mac.

I concur with chrfr's advice in the reply above this one.
Forget about trying to connect your USB stuff to the thunderbolt port.
All the "solutions" are on the expensive side - not worth bothering.
Get a powered USB hub and be done with it.

 

[justashooter]

Your MB Air has 2 USB3 ports, get yourself a powered USB3 hub. Drives attached to the hub are treated as individual devices and you eject them individually if you need to remove them from the hub. Thumb drives, 2.5 inch drive enclosures, SSD drive enclosures, will be powered through the USB3. If your drives are 3.5 inch drives in enclosures, they will have their own power supply. If your TV has an HDMI connection get a mini displayport to HDMI dongle. The thunderbolt 2 port on the MB Air is also a minidisplay port.

 

[steve1960]

I have to say a powered hub is probably the right way to go you may want to hang other stuff off it in the future. I only have TB2 but I bought a powered Belkin hub. Only the mag port power and one TB cable attached to the laptop everything else hung off the hub. Printer, external CD drive, USB drives, TB backup external raid box. It's clean and simple and works out of the box.

 

[jparker402]

Thanks all! Think I got it!!