[SOLVED] Can this laptop dock serve as a USB-C dock to switch between two machines?

[Rocetmal]

I got a new job and will be working from home more. However, my home office space is currently pretty small, so I'd like to make the most of the space by sharing monitor, keyboard, mouse, etc. My initial thought was KVMs are unreliable, but a USB-C dock would allow for me to plug everything into the dock and use the one USB-C cable to switch between work and personal machines.

My work PC is a laptop and they sent this dock with it (ThinkPad Ultra Docking Station).

Would the docking station that my laptop will plug into, linked above, serve this purpose if I simply get a USB-C to USB-C connector cable to hook it into my personal machine? I'm totally new to this kind of tech so any considerations are welcome.

If it matters, here is the motherboard for my personal machine. ASRock Fatal1ty B450 Gaming-ITX/ac

 

[COLGeek]

I do not believe that you can use the dock as a surrogate KVM. The device isn't designed to attach to more than one system.

I suppose you could try just moving the USB-C cable from one system to the other, as needed, though. Have you tried doing so?

 

[hang-the-9]

You want to use the dock and move the usb c cable back and forth? May work but keep in mind you will be using the video card in the dock vs your actual system unless you also move the video cable back and forth. Plus you have the dock it seems, plug it in and see how it works.

 

[Rocetmal]

You want to use the dock and move the usb c cable back and forth? May work but keep in mind you will be using the video card in the dock vs your actual system unless you also move the video cable back and forth. Plus you have the dock it seems, plug it in and see how it works.

Yes. I have a work laptop and a personal desktop. Due to space constraints, I want them to share monitors, keyboard, mouse, etc and just have something that allows me to switch between machines without having to unplug 2 DP cables and 3-4 USBs each time I want to swap. One friend of mine said a KVM would accomplish this. Another friend said KVMs are expensive and unreliable, and the best way to do it would be a USB-C dock/hub where all I'd need to do is move the USB-C cable from the dock/hub to my laptop during the day, and then simply unplug the dock/hub from the laptop and plug it into the desktop in the evenings. So moving 1 cable instead of 5-6. Since my work laptop comes with this ThinkPad dock, I was wondering if that would serve the purpose of needing to buy a separate USB-C dock/hub.

Does that make sense and clarify my situation?

 

[hang-the-9]

Yes. I have a work laptop and a personal desktop. Due to space constraints, I want them to share monitors, keyboard, mouse, etc and just have something that allows me to switch between machines without having to unplug 2 DP cables and 3-4 USBs each time I want to swap. One friend of mine said a KVM would accomplish this. Another friend said KVMs are expensive and unreliable, and the best way to do it would be a USB-C dock/hub where all I'd need to do is move the USB-C cable from the dock/hub to my laptop during the day, and then simply unplug the dock/hub from the laptop and plug it into the desktop in the evenings. So moving 1 cable instead of 5-6. Since my work laptop comes with this ThinkPad dock, I was wondering if that would serve the purpose of needing to buy a separate USB-C dock/hub.

Does that make sense and clarify my situation?

OK, so you have the computer, the dock and the laptop. Hook them up and see if it works with how you want it.

A KVM would do it but good quality ones are expensive, especially for display port. This is probably the cheapest one https://www.monoprice.com/product?p...Q1twiKoWbt005cBN3gxD0BFO818hdNZxoCWH4QAvD_BwE