Dell Hub Monitor Ports and Connections Setup
- What is a Hub Monitor?
- Ports and Slots Diagram
- Cables
- Connecting Two Monitors (Daisy-Chaining)
- Connecting a Single Hub Monitor
- Connecting Apple (Mac) Laptops
- Related Documents
What is a Hub Monitor?
The term "hub monitor" is somewhat misleading because in the past many monitors acted as USB hubs (meaning that they could provide additional USB ports if connected properly).
For the purpose of this article, hub monitors are defined by us as monitors which contain the features of a dock within their structures. These features include ports for Ethernet, USB, DisplayPort, HDMI, and sometimes more, including power to the laptop via a single USB-C connection.
Ports and Slots Diagram
1. Security lock slot
2. Power connector
3. HDMI port (in)
4. DisplayPort (in)
5. Stand lock feature
6. USB-C upstream port (connect this one to the laptop)
7. DisplayPort (out)
8. USB-C upstream port (data only)
9. Super speed USB 10 Gbps Type-A downstream ports
10. Audio line-out port
11. Ethernet port
12. Super speed USB 10 Gbps Type-A downstream port with power charging
13. USB-C downstream port (10Gbps, 15W)
Identifying ports
DisplayPort (in) icon
DisplayPort (out) icon
Cables
- USB-C Cable
Used to connect from your hub/main monitor's USB-C upstream port to your laptop's USB-C power port.
- DisplayPort Cable
Used to connect the DisplayPort (out) from your hub monitor to the DisplayPort (in) when daisy-chaining two external monitors.
- USB-C to USB-A Cable
Optional: Used to connect from a USB-A downstream port of your main/hub monitor to the USB-C upstream port on the second monitor.
This will enable the USB ports on the second monitor to be used to connect additional USB devices.
- USB-A to USB-B Cable
Optional: Some monitors still use these ports to connect from a USB-A downstream port of your main/hub monitor to the USB-B upstream port on the second monitor.
This will enable the USB ports on the second monitor to be used to connect additional USB devices.
Connecting Two Monitors (Daisy-Chaining)
We are using a Dell U2722DE Hub Monitor in this example. The ports should be very similar in Dell's other hub monitors, as well as standard (non-hub) monitors of a similar date of manufacture. If you have any questions just contact the Research IT help desk for assistance.
Using the port numbers from the port diagram above, make the following connections in order to use two external monitors with your Dell laptop. This style of connection is called "daisy-chaining".
Monitor A is a hub monitor, while monitor B can be either a hub or regular (non-hub) monitor.
- Connect a power cable to port 2 on both monitor A and monitor B.
- Connect a USB-C cable from the laptop to port 6 on monitor A.
NOTE: This port is also labeled "90W", indicating how much power it can supply to an attached laptop. - Connect a DisplayPort cable from port 7 of monitor A to port 4 of monitor B.
- Connect a USB-C to USB-A cable from port 8 on monitor A to port 9 on monitor B (if you wish to use the USB downstream ports on monitor B)
- Connect an Ethernet cable to port 11 on monitor A (optional)
Connecting a Single Hub Monitor
This is similar to connecting two monitors, but much less complicated.
Again using the port numbers from the port diagram above, make the following connections in order to use a single Dell hub monitor with your Dell laptop.
- Connect a power cable to port 2 on the monitor.
- Connect a USB-C cable from the laptop to port 6 on the monitor.
NOTE: This port is also labeled "90W", indicating how much power it can supply to an attached laptop. - Connect an Ethernet cable to port 11 (optional)
Connecting Apple (Mac) Laptops
- Single Hub Monitor
Connecting a single hub monitor is the same for Macs as it is for Dell laptops assuming that the Mac has at least one USB-C/Thunderbolt port. This should cover any Mac manufactured from 2016 to the present.
- Dual Hub Monitors
There are no Apple laptops capable of DisplayPort "daisy chaining" because Apple does not allow this feature. To further complicate matters, only MacBook Pro laptops with Apple M series processors which are Pro, Max, or Ultra will allow native support for dual external displays**, meaning that users would need a special type of adapter to make the second monitor function properly.
Mac users will need to connect both monitors directly and independently to their laptops, or please contact the WCER Research IT help desk for the latest adapter or cable recommendations to fit their particular device.
**RECENT NEWS: The latest 2024 MacBook Air laptops do support two external displays (although not via daisy-chaining).
Please read this Apple Support document for more information— https://support.apple.com/en-us/117373