A docking station allows users to connect multiple peripherals to their laptop, providing extra functionality and flexibility. It can be useful for accessing older printers and using a larger keyboard or monitor. It essentially turns a laptop into a desktop computer temporarily.
A docking station is a bridge to the past for many newer computers, but users may find they need one even if they have the latest model. It is a device that a person can plug into a laptop to get extra functionality, such as access to printers, mice, scanners, full-sized monitors and keyboards, and external hard drives. All these peripherals can be plugged into the dock, and then when the user plugs in the laptop, they can access all those peripherals without having to plug each one into the computer. This can be especially useful if your laptop has minimal USB or FireWire® ports.
Most newer laptops have more than enough USB or Firewire® ports for casual use, although some users find they want access to a desktop monitor while using the laptop. Sometimes, it’s even easier to type on a larger keyboard. In any of these cases, it is usually possible for the user to connect the monitor or keyboard directly to the laptop. However, having everything connected to one central device can provide more flexibility, especially if the laptop is often used on the go.
One case where this is particularly useful is when a person wants to connect a newer laptop to an older printer. Even the recent past printers normally have serial port connectors, which are extremely rare on most laptops. You can purchase an adapter for this, but docking stations often include this type of port.
Essentially, using a docking station converts a laptop into a desktop computer, even for a short period of time. A user can plug all of his peripherals into this machine so they are easy to access and then unplug the computer itself when on the go, rather than having to unplug each individual item. Especially when a combination of newer and older technology is used, this often allows everything to work together more easily.
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