0

I have a USB-C docking station and I have a (mini) computer without a (compatible) USB-C port. However I would like to plug this computer to my docking station. I'm therefore looking for a "USB-C hub counterpart" that I can plug to my computer's HDMI, USB and LAN ports having a USB-C female port I can plug my USB-C docking station in. In my naive thinking this solution was straight forward, Google couldn't find any such "counter hub", however.

Do such solutions exist? If yes, what are they called? Or would this work as I expect?

Spock
  • 109
  • 3
    USB-C really needs USB-C. Although there are plug adapters (violates the standards and are risky) the additional features/components/connections in a typical USB-C docking station, other than the USB ports, won't work. – ChanganAuto Dec 05 '21 at 16:22
  • Not sure, if I understood your comment correctly. I am looking for an adapter that "merges" HDMI, USB and LAN into a female USB-C/Thunderbold port so the USB-C docking station has a "real" USB-C counterpart. – Spock Dec 05 '21 at 18:17
  • If you have an USB-C docking station it needs to be connected to an USB-C port, that's the point. You can but really shouldn't use a plug adapter (USB-C to USB-A) but then only the hub's additional USB ports will work. – ChanganAuto Dec 05 '21 at 18:20
  • I fear you misunderstood me. I do not try to connect the docking station directly to my computer knowing this would not work. I look for an intermediate adapter having a full female USB-C port with short HDMI, USB and LAN cables that shall be connected to the HDMI, USB and LAN ports of my computer. – Spock Dec 05 '21 at 18:54
  • No, there's nothing that transforms a standard USB-A into an USB-C with Thunderbolt. I'm afraid you're the one not understanding that what you're asking for is an adapter and those surely exist (lots of them at Amazon and even more at Aliexpress) but, again, they don't work for the purpose. (...) – ChanganAuto Dec 05 '21 at 19:04
  • (...) What you commented lastly is nonsense. You fail to understand your USB-C dock isn't passive, it has chips inside for video output, ethernet, etc. It's not just a passtrough for homologous devices already in the PC (e.g. the Ethernet connection in the dock is independent of the integrated Ethernet; as a matter of fact such docks are typically used with laptops that no longer have integrated LAN). – ChanganAuto Dec 05 '21 at 19:05
  • PS - I also answered correctly your other question. You need to improve your knowledge about hardware, it seems. Please either accept it (the answer to your other question) instead of your or at least upvote it to dilute the problem of having accepted your own wrong answer, for the benefit of the users searching for similar questions. – ChanganAuto Dec 05 '21 at 19:20
  • I'm very sorry @ChanganAuto, I never stated my asked solution should be passive. By the way, if my knowledge about hardware would not need any improve, I would not ask questions here. I thought, that's was this site is all about? I'm sorry to say, but your comments here and answer on my other question seem a bit snotty. And downvoting my answer (that is simply a quote of my dealer) and demanding to upvote yours in the same breath is at least... uncommon. Thank you. – Spock Dec 05 '21 at 20:14
  • I didn't demand, I asked please and for the sake of other users, mostly. Re: the other question the answer you gave and accepted is obviously wrong. If you want to make the site useful for everybody you change your accepted answer (not uncommon, I did it once); if you don't just keep things as they are, anyone with a modicum of knowledge about the hardware in question immediately detects which one is correct. OTOH someone might eventually buy that miniPC expecting to use a NVMe drive and that will be entirely on you. Now, about this one and the clarification comments (no answer here) (...) – ChanganAuto Dec 05 '21 at 20:23
  • (...) What exactly are you expecting your supposed device/connector to do if not passive? What do you expect to achieve by having female short HDMI, USB and LAN cables that shall be connected to the HDMI, USB and LAN ports converging to a female USB-C port? What "activity" are expecting from such contraption? Supposedly this is where your docking station enters the picture, or what? or why? As an extension? That's not how it works. – ChanganAuto Dec 05 '21 at 20:27
  • I am looking for an adapter that "merges" HDMI, USB and LAN into a female USB-C/Thunderbold port so the USB-C docking station has a "real" USB-C counterpart. In a nutshell, there's no such device and it doesn't make sense, at all. If you want to use any USB-C dock that isn't just an USB hub you need an USB-C port of the earliest generation supporting all the required devices/protocols, end of story. You can't add a true USB-C port to a miniPC that hasn't one. – ChanganAuto Dec 05 '21 at 20:34

0 Answers0