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There's something I don't understand: does switching between laptop and pc with that hub require unplugging one usb c cable from the back of the hub and pluggin

There's something I don't understand: does switching between laptop and pc with that hub require unplugging one usb c cable from the back of the hub and plugging the other one in? I'm very interested in a similar setup. So far I don't think I've figured out an elegant solution. My current solution is to have both devices plugged into the monitor, and use a usb hub to share the peripherals, manually moving the cable to the hub between devices.

horsawlarway 6y ago
I had the same problem earlier this year - I settled on a similar approach, but I use a usb switch so I don't have to unplug/replug anything on swap. Here's the exact model I ended up getting (I'm not affiliated in any way) https://www.amazon.com/UGREEN-Selector-Computers-Peripheral-Switcher/dp/B01N6GD9JO https://www.amazon.com/UGREEN-Selector-Computers-Peripheral-... Now I can plug my laptop into my dock, and just press a button to switch all my usb devices between machines. It's actually a really nice workflow, nice enough that sometimes I'll leave the desktop up on my second monitor playing music or videos when I'm doing heavy processing on my work laptop, and just occasionally switch my mouse/keyboard between them with a button press.
xondono 6y ago
I do something similar, but I got a $20 usb3.1 switch on Amazon and taped that to the back of my monitor. When I want to switch, I just change the input on the monitor and press the button behind it. It’s not the 1-click solution that I wanted, but it’s close enough and cheap. Switching USB ports is cheap, switching video signals isn’t.
- iamacyborg 6y ago
  You can buy cheap Displayport switches that work just like the usb one you have.
  - xondono 6y ago
    That’s the plan once I upgrade. For now I’m still using my 2015 mbp, so it’s displayport from my desktop and HDMI from the laptop. Finding a cheap switch capable of doing both is not that easy
- Davertron 6y ago
  You might want to check this out then: https://haim.dev/posts/2020-07-28-dual-monitor-kvm/ https://haim.dev/posts/2020-07-28-dual-monitor-kvm/ That was on HN earlier this year. Basically it's software that you run and set up to detect when certain peripherals connect/disconnect and have it switch the input on the monitor automatically. I've been using it and, while not always perfect, it actually works pretty well, especially considering the price. If you don't always want the monitor to switch inputs (sometimes I just want to quickly switch my keyboard/mouse to my laptop to do something but don't want to switch monitor inputs) you can also just set up shortcuts or scripts (I created an Alfred workflow, for example) and use something like https://github.com/kfix/ddcctl https://github.com/kfix/ddcctl to switch monitor inputs.

horsawlarway 6y ago

I had the same problem earlier this year - I settled on a similar approach, but I use a usb switch so I don't have to unplug/replug anything on swap. Here's the exact model I ended up getting (I'm not affiliated in any way) https://www.amazon.com/UGREEN-Selector-Computers-Peripheral-Switcher/dp/B01N6GD9JO https://www.amazon.com/UGREEN-Selector-Computers-Peripheral-... Now I can plug my laptop into my dock, and just press a button to switch all my usb devices between machines. It's actually a really nice workflow, nice enough that sometimes I'll leave the desktop up on my second monitor playing music or videos when I'm doing heavy processing on my work laptop, and just occasionally switch my mouse/keyboard between them with a button press.

xondono 6y ago

I do something similar, but I got a $20 usb3.1 switch on Amazon and taped that to the back of my monitor. When I want to switch, I just change the input on the monitor and press the button behind it. It’s not the 1-click solution that I wanted, but it’s close enough and cheap. Switching USB ports is cheap, switching video signals isn’t.

iamacyborg 6y ago
You can buy cheap Displayport switches that work just like the usb one you have.
- xondono 6y ago
  That’s the plan once I upgrade. For now I’m still using my 2015 mbp, so it’s displayport from my desktop and HDMI from the laptop. Finding a cheap switch capable of doing both is not that easy
Davertron 6y ago
You might want to check this out then: https://haim.dev/posts/2020-07-28-dual-monitor-kvm/ https://haim.dev/posts/2020-07-28-dual-monitor-kvm/ That was on HN earlier this year. Basically it's software that you run and set up to detect when certain peripherals connect/disconnect and have it switch the input on the monitor automatically. I've been using it and, while not always perfect, it actually works pretty well, especially considering the price. If you don't always want the monitor to switch inputs (sometimes I just want to quickly switch my keyboard/mouse to my laptop to do something but don't want to switch monitor inputs) you can also just set up shortcuts or scripts (I created an Alfred workflow, for example) and use something like https://github.com/kfix/ddcctl https://github.com/kfix/ddcctl to switch monitor inputs.