U2412M, USB ports, power?

Question

My U2412M monitor is not supplying power to the USB ports when on.  I never tried before today. Does there have to be an upstream USB connection before power is supplied? If so, does USB power come from the upstream connection, or from the monitor? If not, should resetting the monitor fix this? or is there some way to turn it on? or is the monitor defective?   Thanks!

pbfoo · Accepted Answer

'supplying the power' is not the same as 'enabling the downstream ports for the operating system to use'. The monitor provides power to the monitor USB hub and ports. The USB upstream cable allows the usage of the monitor USB ports to the operating system. Exactly. That is why 'supplying the power' is up for grabs, because power is not supplied until the upstream cable is connected to something that, apparently, does NOT supply the power, which is counter-intuitive. It's also a bad design, because there is no reason to connect to the computer if the only thing you need is power. That is, unless the computer is supplying the power.

DELL-Alasdair R · Answer

Hi pbfoo, Yes, you need to use the USB upstream cable as shown in the User's Guide.

pbfoo · Answer

Thanks, but you did not answer question #2.

DELL-Chris M · Answer

The ONLY time that the four USB downstream ports have power is when the USB upstream cable is connecting the monitor USB upstream port to a USB port on the computer.

So...have you connected the USB upstream cable to the monitor USB upstream port, the other end to the computer USB port, and THEN tested the four USB downstream ports?

pbfoo · Answer

Thanks.

To answer your question, after I read previous responses, yes, I connected the upstream cable, and this results in the USB ports having power. So, there is no defect.

However, so far no one has answered my question #2 as to whether it is the monitor or the upstream port on my computer that is supplying the power. If the latter, then I need to interpose a powered hub so that it's the hub that gets fried, not my computer's USB interface, if there is an overload.

DELL-Chris M · Answer

'supplying the power' is not the same as 'enabling the downstream ports for the operating system to use'. The monitor provides power to the monitor USB hub and ports. The USB upstream cable allows the usage of the monitor USB ports to the operating system.

arttuk · Answer

This system lost my message, but: I have a Dell monitos, that supplies power without connected to pc usb. By default it stops while monitor goes to standby, but I found a setting to keep power flowing to usb, so no need to constantly wake up computer. ;)

DELL-Chris M · Answer

arttuk,

* What specific Dell monitor models?
* Are you saying that the Dell monitor USB downstream ports are functional and seen by the Windows operating system WITHOUT the monitor USB upstream cable connected?

Monitors

Was this post helpful?