Connecting Thunderbolt 3 Docking Station to Windows Desktop via Optical Thunderbolt Cable
In this article, we will discuss how to connect a Thunderbolt 3 docking station to a Windows 10 Pro 64-bit gaming desktop behind a physical firewall, and transfer two monitors and USB signals through the concrete wall.
What is Thunderbolt 3?
Thunderbolt 3 is a high-speed interface that combines PCI Express and DisplayPort into a single cable. It provides data transfer speeds of up to 40 Gbps, which is twice as fast as USB 3.1 and four times as fast as USB 3.0. Thunderbolt 3 also supports up to two 4K displays or one 5K display, making it an ideal choice for high-performance computing and multimedia applications.
What is a Thunderbolt 3 Docking Station?
A Thunderbolt 3 docking station is a device that allows you to connect multiple peripherals to your computer using a single Thunderbolt 3 cable. It typically includes several USB ports, a DisplayPort or HDMI port, and sometimes an Ethernet port, audio jacks, and other connectors. Thunderbolt 3 docking stations are available in various form factors, including boxes, dongles, and hubs.
What is an Optical Thunderbolt Cable?
An optical Thunderbolt cable is a type of Thunderbolt cable that uses optical fibers instead of copper wires to transmit data. This allows the cable to be longer than a standard Thunderbolt cable (up to 100 meters or 328 feet) and more resistant to electromagnetic interference (EMI) and radio frequency interference (RFI). Optical Thunderbolt cables are also thinner and lighter than copper cables, making them easier to handle and install.
Connecting a Thunderbolt 3 Docking Station to a Windows Desktop via an Optical Thunderbolt Cable
To connect a Thunderbolt 3 docking station to a Windows desktop via an optical Thunderbolt cable, you will need the following components:
- A Windows 10 Pro 64-bit gaming desktop with a Thunderbolt 3 port
- A Thunderbolt 3 docking station with a Thunderbolt 3 port
- An optical Thunderbolt cable with Thunderbolt 3 connectors
- Two monitors with DisplayPort or HDMI inputs
- A USB device (optional)
Follow these steps to connect your Thunderbolt 3 docking station to your Windows desktop via an optical Thunderbolt cable:
- Connect the optical Thunderbolt cable to the Thunderbolt 3 port on your Windows desktop and the Thunderbolt 3 port on your Thunderbolt 3 docking station.
- Connect the first monitor to the DisplayPort or HDMI port on your Thunderbolt 3 docking station using a DisplayPort or HDMI cable.
- Connect the second monitor to the DisplayPort or HDMI port on your Thunderbolt 3 docking station using a DisplayPort or HDMI cable.
- Connect any USB devices to the USB ports on your Thunderbolt 3 docking station.
- Power on your Windows desktop and Thunderbolt 3 docking station.
- Press the Windows key + P on your keyboard to open the Project menu.
- Select the Extend option to extend your desktop to the two monitors.
Advantages of Using an Optical Thunderbolt Cable
Using an optical Thunderbolt cable to connect your Thunderbolt 3 docking station to your Windows desktop has several advantages over using a copper Thunderbolt cable:
- Longer cable length: An optical Thunderbolt cable can be up to 100 meters (328 feet) long, while a copper Thunderbolt cable can only be up to 2 meters (6.6 feet) long.
- Immunity to EMI and RFI: An optical Thunderbolt cable is less susceptible to electromagnetic interference (EMI) and radio frequency interference (RFI) than a copper Thunderbolt cable.
- Thinner and lighter: An optical Thunderbolt cable is thinner and lighter than a copper Thunderbolt cable, making it easier to handle and install.
- Higher bandwidth: An optical Thunderbolt cable can support up to 40 Gbps of data transfer, while a copper Thunderbolt cable can only support up to 20 Gbps.
In this article, we have discussed how to connect a Thunderbolt 3 docking station to a Windows 10 Pro 64-bit gaming desktop behind a physical firewall using an optical Thunderbolt cable. We have covered the key concepts of Thunderbolt 3, Thunderbolt 3 docking stations, and optical Thunderbolt cables, and provided detailed instructions on how to connect your Thunderbolt 3 docking station to your Windows desktop via an optical Thunderbolt cable. We have also highlighted the advantages of using an optical Thunderbolt cable over a copper Thunderbolt cable.
References
- Thunderbolt Technology Developer Guide
- Thunderbolt 3 Specification
- ClearCurve Active Optical Cable for Thunderbolt
// Sample code for connecting a Thunderbolt 3 docking station to a Windows desktop via an optical Thunderbolt cable
using System;
using System.Diagnostics;
using System.Linq;
using System.Windows.Forms;
namespace Thunderbolt3DockingStation
{
class Program
{
static void Main(string[] args)
{
// Connect the optical Thunderbolt cable to the Thunderbolt 3 ports
ConnectOpticalThunderboltCable();
// Connect the first monitor to the DisplayPort or HDMI port on the docking station
ConnectMonitor1();
// Connect the second monitor to the DisplayPort or HDMI port on the docking station
ConnectMonitor2();
// Connect any USB devices to the docking station
ConnectUsbDevices();
// Extend the desktop to the two monitors
ExtendDesktop();
}
static void ConnectOpticalThunderboltCable()
{
// Connect the optical Thunderbolt cable to the Thunderbolt 3 port on the Windows desktop
var desktopPort = ThunderboltPort.GetPorts().FirstOrDefault(p => p.Name == "Thunderbolt 3 Port");
if (desktopPort != null)
{
desktopPort.ConnectDevice("Optical Thunderbolt Cable");
}
// Connect the optical Thunderbolt cable to the Thunderbolt 3 port on the docking station
var dockingStationPort = ThunderboltPort.GetPorts().FirstOrDefault(p => p.Name == "Thunderbolt 3 Port on Docking Station");
if (dockingStationPort != null)
{
dockingStationPort.ConnectDevice("Optical Thunderbolt Cable");
}
}
static void ConnectMonitor1()
{
// Connect the first monitor to the DisplayPort or HDMI port on the docking station
var displayPort = DisplayPort.GetPorts().FirstOrDefault(p => p.Name == "DisplayPort on Docking Station 1");
if (displayPort != null)
{
var monitor = Monitor.GetMonitors().FirstOrDefault(m => m.Name == "Monitor 1");
if (monitor != null)
{
displayPort.ConnectMonitor(monitor);
}
}
}
static void ConnectMonitor2()
{
// Connect the second monitor to the DisplayPort or HDMI port on the docking station
var displayPort = DisplayPort.GetPorts().FirstOrDefault(p => p.Name == "DisplayPort on Docking Station 2");
if (displayPort != null)
{
var monitor = Monitor.GetMonitors().FirstOrDefault(m => m.Name == "Monitor 2");
if (monitor != null)
{
displayPort.ConnectMonitor(monitor);
}
}
}
static void ConnectUsbDevices()
{
// Connect any USB devices to the docking station
var usbPort = UsbPort.GetPorts().FirstOrDefault(p => p.Name == "USB Port on Docking Station");
if (usbPort != null)
{
var usbDevice = UsbDevice.GetDevices().FirstOrDefault(d => d.Name == "USB Device");
if (usbDevice != null)
{
usbPort.ConnectDevice(usbDevice);
}
}
}
static void ExtendDesktop()
{
// Extend the desktop to the two monitors
var primaryMonitor = Monitor.GetMonitors().FirstOrDefault(m => m.IsPrimary);
var secondaryMonitor = Monitor.GetMonitors().Except(new[] { primaryMonitor }).FirstOrDefault();
if (primaryMonitor != null && secondaryMonitor != null)
{
Screen.AllScreens.ToList().ForEach(s => s.Primary = s == primaryMonitor);
Screen.PrimaryScreen = primaryMonitor;
primaryMonitor.WorkingArea = new System.Drawing.Rectangle(0, 0, primaryMonitor.Width, primaryMonitor.Height);
secondaryMonitor.WorkingArea = new System.Drawing.Rectangle(primaryMonitor.Width, 0, secondaryMonitor.Width, secondaryMonitor.Height);
}
}
}
}