Anybody ever encounter this problem?

The extended monitor's screen (secondary) froze with the last image from the Inspiron 15R. A brief message appeared on the laptop screen indicating that the system had lost contact with XBox "something or other." The Screen Resolution window could not detect the external monitor—either connected as DVI-to-VGA or DVI-to-DVI. I cycled on and off both the laptop and the monitor several times. Finally, I noticed no connection to the internet at the laptop—the browser did not connect. I checked all connections to the Docking Station.

Then, I started moving connections from the Docking Station to relevant ports on the laptop. Every "lost" connection started to work as I proceeded (i.e., the internet, the external monitor—DVI-to-VGA and DVI-to-DVI). Next, I re-connected the ethernet cable to the docking station. It still did not work.

Finally, I disconnected the power cable from the Docking Station and re-connected it. That restored all "missing"" functions.

Apparently, the Super Speed USB 3.0 Docking Station can lose its way spontaneously. Not having a reset or on/off switch, the only remedy seems to be to remove then restore power.