Is a port replicator and a Docking Station the same thing?

I'm a little confused about the difference between a port replicator and a docking station? What is different?

I want to hook up my desktop monitor and keyboard to the notebook. If I have to unplug them from the CPU, what's the different between plugging the cables into the notebook itself or the replicator/docking station. Or does this allow some kind of split so I don't have to disconnect from the CPU?

Thank you! Lisa

 

Docking stations usually provide all the ports and AC to a notebook, and usually the term is synonymous with port replicator.

BTW, not all laptops will support docking stations. Business ones do (and some consumer), but if you don't have a specific port for a dock you're going to have to look at ether a USB or ExpressCard54 docking station. Here's a USB dock.

What laptop do you have?

 

Some docking stations(port replicators) are very useful. You can even get some of the Dell ones that you can put a graphics card in it to support more external monitors. If your looking for a nice laptop with great docking options I'd go with a Latitude.

 

I think the terminology has shifted somewhat. Back in '99 I had a Dell business laptop that came with a port replicator. It would be called a docking station today since the laptop was designed to slide right into the connectors of the replicator.

Generally I see the term port replicator being used to today to describe a USB device that has the same input/output ports, but generally these are more universal since they connect by USB rather than specialized "port".

The advantage of either is that you can have your keyboard, mouse, printer, and monitor permanently plugged into the docking station/port replicator and then you either slide the notebook into the docking station or plug in a single USB connection.

A cheap alternative is a USB hub. Plug all your USB accessories into it and it works like a port replicator only cheaper. If you go with an external monitor, you'll still have to do that manually though.

 

Ah...OK. So, I have to disconnect from the CPU either way. I have to check if I have a direct connection for my monitor on the notebook. I just replaced my former notebook with a Lenovo T60. I wasn't sure which accessory I was looking for...and didn't want to be sold by the online staff...so I thought asking here would be more productive.

I have an old, slow desktop, so I guess moving everything to the notebook and getting the replicator/docking station wouldn't be too bad. My monitor went on the desktop, so I got a flat panel, and my eyes are used to the big-ness. It's quite a shock to the ole peepers to switch from that to the higher resolution of the T60 with the tiny letters. Nice to see a whole spreadsheet though.

Thanks for all of your input! Lisa

 

T60s are nice . If you're talking about the monitor there--most docking stations and port replicators have some sort of output port (usually VGA) for external monitors. So you would only have to dock/undock or plug/unplug the USB.

And your notebook will definitely have a monitor out--likely VGA as well.

I meant that if you took the cheaper route of a USB hub, you'd still have to connect/disconnect your external monitor manually every time.

 

True, but I don't know of those graphics cards become the primary GPU (which would hurt).

The better replicators have both DVI and VGA. There are DVI dongles out there that allow you to attach two monitors to one port, thus the max number of monitors you can have is four (including notebook monitor here). VGA does not have enough bandwidth to allow two VGA monitors under most circumstances.