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Rajder

1 Rookie

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6 Posts

1488

September 8th, 2022 06:00

U3821DW, with network switch

What a surprise it was for me to find out that Dell U3821DW has not only KVM switch, but KVMN (keyboard, video, mouse, network).

I have a scenario where desktop PC is connected to the monitor with DP cable and USB-B, desktop PC has it's own network cable from router. Mouse and keyboard are connected directly to the monitor along with separate network cable router. Notebook is connected to the monitor only via USB-C cable. This one cable provides video, USB, network and electricity.

I was looking forward to have laptop  connected just with one cable - thus the monitor will work like a docking station for laptop and have the KVM switch functionality to switch between laptop and desktop PC.

But Dell in their wisdom installed in their monitor not the KVM switch, but KVMN - meaning that when you switch in between the sources, it not only switches the keyboard, video and mouse sources, but also network.

Why? Why would anybody want to start a download of some file from the internet on PC#1, switch the source to PC#2 to continue other work and have that download interrupted or canceled on PC#1?

Dell, please make amends to network switch in next firmware update. Network connectivity should not be switched in between the video input sources! Or at least give a user an option to change the behavior:

Option 1: switch network to active source PC

Option 2: stick/pair the network to a specific source

Btw. I haven't seen any mention of network switch functionality for this monitor anywhere - but please feel free to correct me.

Having the monitor for only 3 days so far, I am pretty satisfied with it.

4 people also have this problem

Rajder

1 Rookie

 • 

6 Posts

December 22nd, 2023 13:23

I have this U3821DW for a few months, but I cannot fully use it's KVM/docking station functionality, because Ethernet connectivity is dropping.

I am using the U3821DW as docking station for my Dell laptop. A mouse, keyboard, Ethernet are connected to the U3821DW. Laptop is then connected only with one USB-C cable to the U3821DW.

I also have desktop PC connected to the U3821DW via DP cable for video input and USB-B for mouse and keyboard. Desktop PC has it's own Ethernet cable.

The problem is when I switch the U3821DW source from USB-C (Dell laptop) to USB-B (desktop PC), network connectivity drops on my Dell laptop.

Please help me to solve the issue and prevent the network connection to drop.

(edited)

DELL-Chris M

Community Manager

 • 

56.9K Posts

12-01-2023 05:00 AM

To receive assistance from Dell support, click the "Get help now" icon on the right to start a live chat session. Provide to them the private Monitor Service Tag, 20 digit serial number, and all of your troubleshooting.

KVMN was never added to the monitor hardware or the DDM. All we and you can do is keep checking the U3821DW drivers page to see if a firmware update is ever released and a new update to DDM.

Change this setting on both PC's and then retest =

* Open the Device Manager
* Navigate to Network Adapters
* Double click on Realtek USB GbE Family Controller
* Click the Advanced tab
* Scroll down the list under Property and highlight Idle Power Saving
* Click the drop down box under Value and select Disabled from the list
* Click Apply- OK
* Close the Device Manager
* Restart the PC

(edited)


DELL-Chris M
#IWork4Dell
FAQ Customer Care, Out of warranty repair, Find your Service Tag, Get a copy of your Dell invoice

Rajder

1 Rookie

 • 

6 Posts

12-01-2023 06:00 AM

Hello Chris. Thank you for looking into the issue.

Idle Power Saving was already disabled on the Dell laptop. I don't have such option on the desktop PC. The problem is that after I switch to the desktop input on the monitor, on the Dell laptop I see that Realtek USB GbE Family Controller changes it's state to Disabled and then disappears completely. When I switch the input to desktop PC, Realtek USB GbE Family Controller appears on the desktop PC. As desktop PC is already connected via dedicated network cable, I get second IP address from my router on desktop PC for Realtek USB GbE Family Controller.

 

The monitor doesn't have KVM switch, but KVMN (keyboard, video, mouse, network). This feature is not advertised anywhere and makes the network port on the monitor unusable when you are using the KVM switch. How can I change the settings of the monitor so the network port will be assigned exclusively to USB-C and it will not switch between USB-C and USB-B?

Thank you.

(edited)

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