Docking station

In computing, a docking station, port replicator (hub), or dock provides a simplified way to plug-in a mobile device, such as connect common peripherals to a laptop, or charge a smartphone. Because a wide range of dockable devices—from mobile phones to wireless mouse—have different connectors, power signaling, and uses, docks are unstandardized and are therefore often designed for a specific type of device.^{[citation needed]}

A dock can allow some laptop computers to become a substitute for a desktop computer, without sacrificing the mobile computing functionality of the machine. Portable computers can dock and undock hot, cold or standby, depending on the abilities of the system. In a cold dock or undock, one completely shuts the computer down before docking/undocking. In a hot dock or undock, the computer remains running when docked/undocked. Standby docking or undocking, an intermediate style used in some designs, allows the computer to be docked/undocked while powered on, but requires that it be placed into a sleep mode prior to docking/undocking.

Docking stations can be broadly split up into five basic varieties.

This type of dock provides some sort of hardware expansion for the device docked to it, such as an external storage drive, a GPU, or a liquid cooling radiator.

Port replicators (sometimes referred to as passthroughs) are functionally and logically identical to a bundle of extension cables, except that they are plugged in and unplugged together through the device. Some also include electrical adaptors to change from one pinout to another (e.g., Micro-DVI to normal DVI connector.) Often Bus-Powered and small form factor, they functionally duplicate ports from the device to easily access more of the existing ports like: SD cards, peripherals, audio jacks, etc. as well as external display(s).

A breakout dock is conceptually a breakout box in the form of a dock. It is an extension to a typical port replicator in that it not only replicates existing ports already on the computer, but also offers additional ports. Modern computers most often accomplish this by using a special, often proprietary, connector that consolidates the signals from many concealed traces from onboard external buses into one connector. As such, the dock can offer a greater number of ports than is physically present on the computer. This allows the basic unit to have fewer physical ports while still allowing users a way to access to the full range of features of its motherboard.

Most companies that produce laptops with such breakout ports also offer simpler adapters that grant access to one or two of the buses consolidated in them at a time.

Similar to a breakout device, some docking stations produce multiple connections from one port, only instead of extracting them from internal chipsets, they create them inside the dock using converters. They are functionally identical to a hub with various converters plugged in. Often using proprietary connections and usually meant to be permanently installed, these self-powered docks are intended for specific models of notebooks and would require upgrading at the same time as the notebook. Often, OEM docks contain a wired internet connection, dual displays, and a range of USB and Audio connections.