Question Help with Dell monitor with KVM switch

Coup27

Platinum Member
Jul 17, 2010
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Hi,

I need a bit of help with a Dell monitor I am looking at buying. I now WFH permanently, I need a bigger screen, and I'd like to streamline my personal PC and my work laptop setup.

I'm considering buying the Dell C3422WE monitor which has a built in webcam, speakers and a KVM switch. My personal PC is quite old (Haswell era) but is still adequate but doesn't have any USB-C ports on the motherboard. My work laptop is a Dell Latitude 5510 which has a "USB Type C™ 3.2 Gen 2 with Power Delivery & DisplayPort (Optional Thunderbolt™ 3)" port. The monitor has a "USB-C upstream/DisplayPort port", and this is where I need the help.

I've read online that a single USB-C to DisplayPort cable from the laptop to the monitor will output the display and receive the keyboard and mouse signals from the monitor. It can also charge the laptop as well. Does the cable I buy need to be Thunderbolt as well? If I went for that cable, would I still be able to share the keyboard and mouse with my personal PC by connecting a regular USB cable between my PC and the monitor? If I connected my LAN into the monitor, does the network connection get shared over USB between both devices? I'm presuming the webcam would work on both devices via the USB?

Thanks for any help.
 

Coup27

Platinum Member
Jul 17, 2010
2,140
3
81
I think I have just answered my own questions. I have found this connection diagram a reviewer has done. So from the laptop it is just USB-C to USB-C and that it is.

Regarding the sharing of the LAN over USB, if both machines were on and I was using the laptop, would the network remain alive on my personal PC?
 

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_Rick_

Diamond Member
Apr 20, 2012
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I'm using the Dell 40" screen - and no, network gets routed along with all of the USB ports to the selected host.
This is a bit of a bummer, as it kicks me out of the VPN every time I switch input.

Also, I often run into issues with Thunderbolt 3, if I try to use the third USB port for a webcam: None of the USB devices will work properly, presumably due to bandwidth issues.
Of course, the high bandwidth of the 5120x2160 screen may make this more of an issue, with this particular screen.

You will need a Thunderbolt active cable, I believe, there was one packaged with my screen. Without Thunderbolt active on the host side, only DP was carried over the usb-c port, no actual USB.