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Laptop Docking Station - guide to building home mobile systemA Laptop mobile system is all about convenience, portability and cool accessories! Your mobile system will function like a desktop PC but still have the portability of your laptop computer. You'll make your friends jealous! The laptop mobile system is built around the Laptop Docking Station... Let me show you how you can put it together for very little money, using a cheap laptop docking station! But first ... Benefits of a mobile system built around laptop docking station?
Laptop Docking Station - A docking station is practically a box with an opening on one side and bunch of computer ports on the opposite side. Though, you may get a laptop docking station that looks like the one on the picture below - more of plastic pad that you place your laptop on.
If you will be using a laptop as your primary computer, you should definitely consider a laptop docking station. You'll be able to connect all these devices to your laptop. Plus, theirs even room for the digital camera! This is all possible through the laptop docking station. What would it take to set up a docking station?
Is there a docking station for every laptop?No, for each brand, only some laptop models have the laptop docking station produced for them. These laptops would have a special docking port (usually on the bottom or on the back) that is provided to dock to the station. Check to see if your laptop has it. Also, when getting a docking station you need to make sure that it is designed for your laptop brand and model. How to connect your laptop to the docking station?First, you need to get a laptop docking station that is designed specifically for your laptop model. If you buy the right station then it's easy - a one step locking mechanism locks the laptop into the docking station - just slide the laptop into the dock or place it on top of it, depending on the kind of station. How much does a docking station cost? I'll show you how to get one very cheap on Ebay! Getting a cheap laptop docking station on EbayPurchase your laptop computer first. (Many models from IBM, Dell, Toshiba and Compaq have built-in docking port.) Then go to Ebay.com or Half.com and search for 'docking station'. When the list of laptop docking stations comes up scroll down to find the one that is advertised for your laptop model. While brand name manufactures sell them for $150 to $300, you'll find them for $15 to $35 on Ebay. Try to get one that comes with a Monitor Stand, for convenience. If you get one without the monitor stand then you can buy one from the manufacturer or from a discount online warehouse. Another option is to get a cheap computer desk designed specifically for laptop mobile stations. Here are some examples of laptop docking stations recently sold on Ebay:
Setting your laptop 'shot-down on close' optionThe trick is that your laptop should still be on and running when docked into a laptop docking station. Since it will be closed in that position, you will need to change its system settings to 'do not shut down on cover close'. This way whenever you'll close your laptop all the devices plugged into the docking station will still be running. Just turn it on and then close the cover and snap it into the docking station. This setting can be changed through the Control Panel. Docking devices into portsHere is an example of how IBM's docking station is set up. This docking station is for the 390x IBM laptop series and has all these ports (back view):
Thus, this laptop docking station lets you plug in your monitor, printer, mouse, keyboard, high speed Internet connection, speakers, microphone, USB device (joystick, handheld, digital camera etc.) into your laptop and once you have plugged them in you will never have to unplug them again. It also has two NIC card slots to install a 10/100 Ethernet card and/or a wireless Internet or 56K modem card. You set your laptop on the docking station and use it like you would a desktop. If you have to take your laptop with you, you simply press a button and undock without having to reboot. When you get back home, you can dock and browse the Internet using a 17 inch monitor and a more comfortable keyboard and mouse. It is truly one of those conveniences that once you've experienced, you will never change. (The flat panel monitor is recommended - you can place it on the monitor stand or just close by. And remember, the laptop can be closed, so its cover is out of your way) In addition, this docking station has the following great features (and most other stations have them too):
Now, after you've got a cheap laptop and cheap laptop docking station, you could get the rest of your home mobile system: Getting a cheap flat panel monitor Getting cheap computer speakers The End: Enjoy your mobility with laptop docking station! Contact Us: infogate@comcast.net |
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When a laptop computer is
plugged into the docking station it essentially functions like a desktop PC. The laptop docking station typically
has a monitor, keyboard, mouse, USB ports, ports for headphones, speakers, drive bays for CD-ROM, DVD, hard
drives, backup drives, and its own power supply. Docking stations can also include a Network Interface Card (NIC)
to connect to the Internet or to a network. The monitor can be placed on top of the docking station. A flat monitor would be the best choice.
VGA (Monitor)