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TB15 Dock Linux Support
Today I received the new TB15 dock. I'm disappointed to find it doesn't work on Linux, unlike the WD15, with which some Linux users have had some success.
My experience thus far:
- XPS 15 9550. Windows edition wiped with only Ubuntu installed.
- Ubuntu 15.10, Kernel 4.3.3
- Connecting the dock *does* charge the computer (yay!) but when restarting, BIOS gives a warning saying it's only charging at 60W instead of the recommended 130W. I have the 230W power brick attached to the dock, so I'm not sure if that message is accurate.
- Unfortunately, other than charging, the dock doesn't seem to do anything. No USB replication, headphones, ethernet, or any of the monitor ports work. Indeed, nothing is seen by the system at all. I'm a bit surprised as I expected firmware level support for the dock, such that at least the USB ports would work within even BIOS screens.
- Other USB-C adapters I've had great luck with: VGA, DisplayPort, and Ethernet dongles all work flawlessly.
- The one function that does work is the power button on the top of the dock. Pushing this button prompts Ubuntu to Sleep/Restart/Shutdown, as though I'd pressed the power key on the laptop.
What has been others' experiences with this dock and Linux?
UPDATE (July 26, 2016): Multiple users (including myself) have confirmed that the TB15 dock is now *mostly* working in Linux, including display ports, USB, and ethernet (with caveats). The key change seems to be upgrading the BIOS using "Dell XPS 15 9550 A10 System BIOS". For more info see this comment: http://en.community.dell.com/techcenter/os-applications/f/4613/p/19678284/20922879#20922879
aappddeevv
66 Posts
0
July 5th, 2016 11:00
greyltc
15 Posts
0
July 5th, 2016 12:00
Hmm, maybe the key fixes are only in my (9550) BIOS update. Below is the description from the support site for the update. Note there are a bunch of lines specific to the TB15.
Dell XPS 15 9550 A10 System BIOS
Fixes & Enhancements
2.Fixed LCD flickering when in lowest brightness
3.Fixed After McAfee encrypted, the PCIE NVMe SSD \ SATA SSD can't boot to OS issue
4.Fixed Wake on WLAN takes a long time with Intel 1830/1820A Wireless card
5.Fixed USB audio/mouse may be lag while connected to Dell Thunderbolt Dock (TB15) and Dell Dock (WD15)
6.Support for Windows 10 Enterprise features
7.Fixed incorrect Thunderbolt security level reading from Driver
8.Fixed Touchpad may be lost after Dell Thunderbolt Dock (TB15) device connected
9. Add passthrough MAC address shows on BIOS Setup feature.
10.Fixed System will become shut-down with connected to Dell Thunderbolt Dock (TB15) after S4 Resume.
roan.util
16 Posts
0
July 5th, 2016 12:00
Dell XPS 13 9350 System BIOS
Fixes & Enhancements
2.Added Support for Pre-OS MAC Address pass-through support for Dell Docks and specific Dell LAN Dongles. Display of MAC Address pass-through value in BIOS Setup.
3.Improved Type-C device performance and stability
greyltc
15 Posts
0
July 5th, 2016 12:00
I want to be very clear about exactly what I did to get my TB15 dock working with my XPS 15 (9550) under Linux.
I had all previous thunderbolt & BIOS firmware/software updates applied before I did this stuff. Here goes:
1) Remove power from your dock and unplug it from your laptop
2) Boot into windows
3) Apply power to your dock
4) Plug your dock into your laptop
5) Run the following two updaters twice each (if possible), restarting in between each
BIOS to 01.02.10 (A10): link
The dock’s USB chipset firmware to Version 1.11.23, A00: link
<ADMIN NOTE: Broken link has been removed from this post by Dell>
6) Reboot again and hit F2 to enter BIOS
7) In the BIOS --> System Configuration --> USB/Thunderbolt Configuration
- Make sure all Enable checkboxes are ticked
- Set “Security level – No security”
I did this because in my previous BIOS version I could never get this setting to "stick." It "sticks" now with the latest update.
8) Finish booting into windows
9) Shut off your laptop
10) Unplug your dock and remove power from it
11) Boot your laptop into Linux
12) Apply power to your dock
13) plug your dock into your laptop
aappddeevv
66 Posts
0
July 5th, 2016 12:00
j0d1
21 Posts
0
July 5th, 2016 19:00
@greyltc: thanks a lot for the steps. I was missing the 7) Security level - No security.
Now I have a nearly fully-functional dock under linux:
* Ehternet is working
* HDMI is working
* USB ports (webcam, microphone, external hard drive, keyboard, mouse, ...) are working
* Audio is still not working. I tried to select the sound card with alsamixer but I receive: "cannot load mixer controls: Invalid argument". The hardware seems detected but it seems like I'm missing additional drivers.
* I can hotplug the dock
* Sometimes, I loose the HDMI connection for 3-4 seconds. It happens when I access the webcam/microphone peripherals. Its not a big issue though.
elvismdev
9 Posts
0
July 5th, 2016 19:00
Is this working in the Dell XPS 9350?
j0d1
21 Posts
0
July 5th, 2016 21:00
I don't know, I'm on the 9550.
lefrog.ca
7 Posts
0
July 5th, 2016 21:00
Whooo!!! Same here. The BIOS update did the trick. I don't have Windows anymore on my XPS 9550 so I didn't do the USB firmare update. Only the BIOS update and now network, usb port, hdmi AND sound+mic are working on the dock!!!
Note I also set Security level - No Security on USB Type-C in BIOS option.
They only thing is my Bamboo tablet doesn't work on the 2 USB 2 port in the back as well as the non-powershare one on the front... which is no big deal since I can still plug it on the USB 3 port in the back.
Also not working is keyboard sound volume control. I need to adjust volume through GUI when using sound through the dock. Works fine when plugged directly to laptop. No big deal again. Volume key are working. After rebooting my keyboard was in that annoying "function" lock mode.
Dell... Thank you very much for the effort in making the TB15 docking station working :)
Having sound, ethernet and video was the big reason for buying this dock station. Thank you very much again :)
PS. I'm using stock Ubuntu 16.04 4.4.0-28-generic kernel on XPS 15 9550
jjviii
7 Posts
0
July 6th, 2016 18:00
Is there any way to update the BIOS without windoz. I only have Ubuntu 16.04.
Also, has anyone tried this on a Dell 7710?
Thanks
j0d1
21 Posts
0
July 6th, 2016 18:00
I used the dock on Windows and Linux for a day.
On Windows: I played a videogame (so work-intensive I guess?) and:
* I received a blue screen of death.
* The HDMI and network connection get lost (I feels like the dock is resetting itself under heavy workload).
* The device is kinda hot.
* Bottom line: it is not usable for me on Windows.
On Linux:
* Still no sound (tried updating some drivers but I did not spend much time on that issue)
* The HDMI connection get lost (always recoverable) every 30 minutes, for 5-10 seconds. Sometimes its worst (every 2 mins)
On both Windows and Linux:
* When I unplug the dock, I must "replug it ... unplug it ... replug it", to make it work again. Then I must wait 10-20 seconds for every peripherals to register.
elvismdev
9 Posts
0
July 6th, 2016 22:00
@DELL-Jared D, do this last BIOS update (1.4.4) on the Dell XPS 9350 also fixes the TB15 working with all correctly under this laptop with Ubuntu 16.04 and kernel 4.4.0-28-generic ?
Also, updating the firmware in the TB15 is a must for this fixes to apply? If so, how do we owners of the latest Dell XPS Developer Edition will update the TB15 firmware if we don't have/use Windows in the laptop, only Ubuntu? Using Windows from a VM will work?
Thanks
DELL-Jared D
350 Posts
0
July 6th, 2016 22:00
I'd need to check why LVFS hasn't been updated with the new BIOS yet, but in the meantime, one of the supported BIOS update methods is to put the BIOS update Windows executable on a FAT32 formatted USB stick (or on the EFI System Partition) and boot into the BIOS update boot option (using F12 at POST).
roan.util
16 Posts
0
July 8th, 2016 21:00
For the 9350:
I just got in a TB15 today. So I can't say how it would have worked for me before the latest firmware/bios/driver updates. However, it seems to work well under Linux so far. Everything works except the ethernet may be skipping out after a minute or two. Also, I've only tested it with one monitor so far.
As noted above for the 9550, you can't boot with the dock plugged in. And, you need to cycle the power on the dock between uses. I haven't had a chance to thoroughly test, but it seems fine so far.
I'll post again with an update as I figure more out.
Ubuntu 16.04 kernel 4.6.3
aappddeevv
66 Posts
0
July 9th, 2016 05:00
I have the TB15 dock working with the xps 13 9350 now under f24 4.7rc5 but I had to start it without the dock on, after a power unplug, plug the dock in for power, power on the xps w/o the dock, plug in the dock, put it to sleep then wake it. Then it worked.
I'll keep working on the sequence.
This is good news though...I just need to remember the sequence.