Workstation set up for both Thunderbolt and non-Thunderbolt laptops

[msbdev]

Hey everyone, sorry if this is in the wrong place. Couldn't really figure out a category.

 

Here's my situation:

I have two laptops, one with Thunderbolt (personal) and one without (work). I would like the same desk set up to work for both, allowing my personal to get the benefit of the external GPU yet still allow my work laptop to function with the mouse, keyboard, and other USB devices.  The work laptop does have USB C and my monitor has USB C video (and can auto switch) so my main challenge is the USB devices.  Preferably, I could do this with the same USB C cable for both machines, but if I need to have different cables for each, that's fine too.

 

My two thoughts were if I could find a USB C dock that could pass thru the signal from the eGPU, that might work. (Not sure if that's possible) Or if I could get a USB C hub, plug in the USB devices into a USB switcher that automatically switches, and then plug one of the leads into the eGPU and the other into the USB C dock. But I've only found switchers that require a button press.

 

Does anyone have any thoughts or ideas? Thanks in advance.

 

Personal Laptop: Razer Blade Stealth 13 (MX150 model, has Thunderbolt)

Work Laptop: Surface Book 2 (No Thunderbolt)

eGPU: Razer Core X Chroma

Monitor: Razer Raptor 27

[Senzelian]

At this point it's easier to just always have your Blade connected via thunderbolt and simply RDP into your work laptop.

 

The only other way I see you could achieve this, is to throw the Display Port signal of your GPU back over Thunderbolt to your Blade, and then use its second Thunderbolt 3 Port as a displayport output, if it has a second port. Not sure if that would even work and if it works, it would lower performance, but there's no other way I think. And then of course you'd simply connect mouse and keyboard to your monitor.

[msbdev]

5 minutes ago, Senzelian said:

At this point it's easier to just always have your Blade connected via thunderbolt and simply RDP into your work laptop.

 

The only other way I see you could achieve this, is to throw the Display Port signal of your GPU back over Thunderbolt to your Blade, and then use its second Thunderbolt 3 Port as a displayport output, if it has a second port. Not sure if that would even work and if it works, it would lower performance, but there's no other way I think.

That is a good idea, but unfortunately the nature of my job makes it difficult to achieve this over the network. I'm already using a VPN to go from work laptop to work network, which would mean putting my personal on the VPN in order to RDP, which would be discouraged. As for the second idea, only one of the Blade's ports is actually Thunderbolt.  (A fact which is very annoying since it's on the far side from my eGPU)

 

I wish there was a device that would detect for a Thunderbolt connection, and route the signal to one device if found, and another if not. I'm sure no such thing exists, though.

[Senzelian]

34 minutes ago, msbdev said:

That is a good idea, but unfortunately the nature of my job makes it difficult to achieve this over the network. I'm already using a VPN to go from work laptop to work network, which would mean putting my personal on the VPN in order to RDP, which would be discouraged.

No, you wouldn't put your personal computer into the VPN.

I do the exact same for when I'm working from home.

 

Your work laptop would be in two networks, but your personal computer can't access your work network. If you're working from home with your work laptop, then that laptop is already in your own network, which would be the much more security sensitive "issue" here.

[msbdev]

22 hours ago, Senzelian said:

No, you wouldn't put your personal computer into the VPN.

I do the exact same for when I'm working from home.

 

Your work laptop would be in two networks, but your personal computer can't access your work network. If you're working from home with your work laptop, then that laptop is already in your own network, which would be the much more security sensitive "issue" here.

Ah I see what you mean. I'll give it a shot.

 

In the mean time, my prayers might have been answered. CalDigit just announced this new dock which is both Thunderbolt and non-Thunderbolt compatible with multiple passthrough TB/USBC ports.

 

https://www.caldigit.com/thunderbolt-4-element-hub/

[Senzelian]

5 hours ago, msbdev said:

Ah I see what you mean. I'll give it a shot.

 

In the mean time, my prayers might have been answered. CalDigit just announced this new dock which is both Thunderbolt and non-Thunderbolt compatible with multiple passthrough TB/USBC ports.

 

https://www.caldigit.com/thunderbolt-4-element-hub/

Nice! I might need a new one aswell. This could come in handy!