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Two 4k external monitors through a docking station - Why is this seemingly effortless for Windows but basically impossible for Linux? (feddit.dk)
submitted 3 weeks ago by [email protected] to c/linux
53 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

I've ran into this situation multiple times at my current and previous jobs. I really want to avoid Windows and use something better, but I can't live without two external monitors.

On Windows, it "just works". I don't have to do anything.

On Linux (I tried Linux Mint today) it doesn't work. First, it only connected one of the monitors, the other one did not register. Then I switched to a different cable from the computer to the docking station and it connected both screens - however, they were locked to 30fps. I could not make them work at 60fps (and this is a major dealbreaker, I cannot live with 30fps).

This isn't really a tech support question, I'm more trying to understand what fundamentally causes this situation. Why is Linux still struggling with pretty basic functionality that Windows does with zero setup? Is it the vendor of the laptop and docking station that aren't properly supporting Linux? Or is it some other problem?

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[–] dustyData 20 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (7 children)

Dock firmware. If changing the cable did something, chances are the chips on the dock are not working nicely with the OS. It is a hit or a miss for what I've researched on it. What you have to know is that a Usb-C cable is only the physical shape of the port, what that port can do depends on ancillary chips implementing the protocols, and the protocol has to be supported on both sides of the connection. So, something on your current driver configuration is not talking with the dock. Maybe try running a newer kernel and see if that helps.

Also, the 30fps lock might be due to X11. I've not tried Wayland but this is one of the points the evangelists like to ramble about. Something, something, if both monitors are not equal and connected through the same protocol it doesn't work, just use Wayland or whatever.

For what is worth, lots of people do complain online about docks not working with Windows and some even stop working after a few months, those things are fickle as hell.

[–] pennomi 5 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Yeah, if you’re running monitors with two different refresh rates, you’ll have a hard time in X11. I haven’t tried it in Wayland but I’ve heard it’s better.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago

So much better!

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