Please Help: a VGA, DisplayPort, HDMI, USB-C, 2-laptop, docking nightmare!

themusicflows · Nov 24, 2021

I'm having a real hard time figuring out a set-up that works for me. So here's the details:

I have a company-issued laptop, an HP Elitebook 840 G3 (link to specs), and a personal laptop (a Dell).

I have a home desk set-up using a USB-C docking station connected to the following:

Monitor #1 (HDMI, VGA, and DVI inputs)
Monitor #2 (VGA and DVI inputs)
Speakers (3.5mm audio)
Webcam (USB-A)
Wireless keyboard-mouse combo (USB-A)
Ethernet
Power

This setup works PERFECTLY with my newer Dell personal laptop. Plug the USB-C cord into the laptop, and EVERYTHING functions as expected.

The issue is the HP company laptop. The USB-C port on the HP apparently does not support power input or display output.
When I plug in the USB-C, the following works:

Ethernet connection, Keyboard+Mouse, Webcam.

The following do nothing, and are not discoverable devices when I tried to troubleshoot:

Speakers, Monitor #1, Monitor #2. And, of course, the laptop isn't charging.

The company HP has an "Ultraslim" docking station with a specialty docking station slot that I use at work, which works great.
I am looking for a way to get this laptop to display on my dual monitors, be connected to the ethernet, and have functioning peripherals, WITHOUT unplugging all of those items from my USB-C docking station and plugging them directly into the laptop. I don't care too much about power - I can use battery or plug into the wall.

I've seem some threads mention the Huawei VR Glass Cable, but to plug that into the male USB-C, I'd need a Female USB-Cx2 connector, which seems like it probably isn't going to work. And I don't want to spend $$$ on this specialty cable for it to not work. If it actually works, I'm 100% okay with that cost. (Of course, if there is a better, cheaper way, I'm down for that too!

The other option I considered was to get a docking station like the one at work that is designed for this laptop, But then I'd need to get "splitters" for pretty much everything (webcam, VGA, HDMI, audio), and I don't know what I would do about the Keyboard+Mouse as there is only 1 dongle.

Does anyone see a simple solution that I'm missing? Or a more complex one that you could explain to me?
One limitation to be aware of is that due to company security policies, I can't install any drivers or .exe programs.

Your help and suggestions are SOOO appreciated.

Hopefully the image below will help explain my current set-up as well:

noiseboy72 · Nov 24, 2021

Yep, in essence your work laptop doesn't support video over USB 3. The later generations - G6 and G8 do, so your best route is to dump your coffee into this laptop and plead for an upgrade.

You could use a KVM switch, but this could be expensive as you need to switch 2 monitors as well as other peripherals.

EndlessWaves · Nov 24, 2021

I'm not sure why the sound output isn't working, it might be grabbing it from the DisplayPort Audio rather than just being a USB soundcard.

You can buy external graphics devices that connect via USB using tech like DisplayLink, instead of the current setup which is using the DP Alt mode functionality of the type C connector. If you connect the monitors to them and then connect them to the dock (potentially via a hub if you lack ports) then they should work with both laptops.

I don't know how much support for them windows has by default though, so the potential risk there is that they don't work due to the company security restrictions.

They're also may not be quite as smooth as the current setup as they tend to be a bit bandwidth limited - although with two connected to one USB port alongside fairly low bandwidth devices I'd expect it to be reasonable.

I believe you can also get docks that operate both ways so you can have the best experience with your home laptop and still have the office one work, and it'd also be more compact. Likely more expensive though.

The Huawei widget might work. I'd be more suspicious of weird incompatibilities, timing issues and so on, changing the plug shouldn't be a big deal.