U3818DW, Apple, USB Type-C, signal search issue

According to the online article, you can prevent this issue by setting the Windows laptop operating system power save option to "Turn off the display" to "Never" and activate the "Put the computer to sleep" to the "desired time" to enter sleep. I do not know if the Apple has the same options.

It is odd that the issue did not present itself for three months. Did the Apple OS have updates just prior to the issue appearing? There is no way Dell could know this. Assuming that you did not test the Latitude 5580 during that three month period? We cannot know of a possible "future" firmware. Like you, we simply go to the U3818DW driver page and check. Once installed, you cannot "backflash" to an older firmware revision. All you can do is initiate an exchange. There is a remote chance that the refurbished exchange replacement could have the older firmware. If the replacement works better, send the original back to Dell. If not, send the replacement back to Dell.

Hi

I also recently bought the U3818DW and I'm experiencing similar USB-C search issues. I normally have (or would have) two devices connected to the screen. One MacBook Pro over mDP. This connection works flawless and the MacBook Pro sleeps as it should. Nothing special. 

However, this go haywire if I have another MacBook Pro connected to the USB Type-C port of the display at the same time. In the on screen menu I can select mDP and my MacBook Pro is wired to the screen. Everything good. However, the screen seems to be actively looking for a device on the USB Type-C port (which is a sleeping MacBook), and wakes it up. At this point in time the connection of the MacBook Pro is separated and the display doesn't show a signal anymore since the MacBook is in sleep mode (however, the MacBook makes a quick sound indicating that the USB Type-C port was "plugged in" and that it is charging now). 

From my point of view this clearly is an issue with the monitor firmware and it would be appropriate if Dell would look into it. Especially since this also happens with PCs. Setting weird sleep settings in Windows is a workaround but not a solution. I would be glad to give more details if this help solve the issue. Please contact me should you have any detailed questions.

The ongoing (U3818DW, USB Type-C search) investigation will only include Dell PCs using the validated Windows operating systems. You can see here that the proprietary Apple hardware, operating system, and drivers were never tested/validated by Dell. All drivers and firmware are written with Windows OS in mind. One thing users can try is to disable DDC/CI in the Menu OSD (On Screen Display) -Others section.

As has been written above, the issue also happens with PCs running Windows. It would be nice if at least someone in engineering would look into the issue since it could also affect your systems. You could then still say that the issue is not present and that it is a problem specific to our systems. However, from what I have read in multiple forums, the issue is widespread.

For our PC hardware and the supported Windows operating system, I have escalated the issue. All Apple issues should be posted on the Apple Forum to get assistance from other Apple users.

Great news! Thanks! Does this mean that engineers are looking into the issue for your hardware/PCs? This would be fine for me since I'm quite sure that if they find and cure the bug, it would also affect the operation with Macs. Is there some way that one could get notified if a new firmware would be released?

That would be awesome... thanks!

Do you have any news on their testing or if a new firmware is in the works?

There will not be a newer firmware than M3B103 to address this specific issue because the Displays Team verified that firmware M3B103 fixed the issue when connected to our labs Latitude 5580 =
Windows 10 1083, Build 17134.376
PC BIOS 1.2.0
Intel HD 630 driver 24.20.100.623

Latitude 5580 TB3/USB Type-C --> U3818DW USB Type-C to USB Type-C cable --> U3818DW USB Type-C port

You must replicate the issue on a non-Apple Windows PC running Windows 10. Then post the following data =
Windows PC model
Windows OS
PC BIOS version
GPU and GPU driver version
U3818DW non-private 20 digit S/N, A0x number

Hi I know this is not the solution you are looking for but i use this

https://www.uptab.com/uptab-usb-c-type-c-to-mini-displayport-adapter-4k-60hz-silver/

converter to use the mini-displayport for video and use the usb-c to connect to the usb-hub. 

The pros of this is that i get all bandwith on the usb-c for data. for example i connect a 

https://www.linksys.com/us/p/P-USB3GIG/ network adapter on the back so when i change line in (computer) i get r45 connection as well. (for you info i you by this and use the latest version of mac OS don't try to install the drivers it will crash you os.) it's works perfect without driver installation.

Yes i know this is not what you want but its work and no more cuts out.

Regards Joacim   

Hi Joacim

Thanks for the suggestion. However, like this the "sexyness" of having one cable coming from the monitor that transfers display signal, data and charges the laptop is somehow gone. 

I don't suppose I can plug in the usb-c from the monitor to the proposed adapter as well as a display port cable and have the usb-c cable therefore power the adapter (and charging the laptop) as well as transfer usb data from and to the laptop through the adapter. Or would this work??

PS: I still find it very irritating from Dell that this issue is not being resolved with a small firmware update. This is not customer (who invested in their hardware!!) friendly and I know that they say that they will only support their hardware being used with their other hardware. This kind of narrow-minded thinking is an example that will inevitably cause big troubles for a company.

I just want to add that I am having this same issue as another anecdotal case. I have the M3B103 firmware installed. 

PC connected via DP, MacBook Pro connected via USB-C (charging port). 

Just neverending cyclying of Seach, find, wake and sleep.  This is a really annoying issue that effectivly makes the usb-c port unusable.  This is present when you have just one computer, but its even worse if yo have two workstations connected.  If I try to work off of the HDMI connector on a second workstation it will wake and auto connect to the usb-c workstation when I am in the middle of working on the other device.  Real shame becasue this is otherwise a really great display.  I dont understand how you can test on ONE specific configuration and decalre it not an issue, when mulitple users continue to have a problem with this port.

Same issue here with 12" Macbook 2017. So basically Dell is saying I shouldn't buy their monitors to use with Apple devices?