Windows 10 Will Native Support For Wired Docking And Wireless Docking

Docking plays an important role by enabling portability and productivity through quickly, seamlessly, and more securely connecting the peripherals a user needs to accomplish a task. To enable fast, seamless connections between desktops and mobile devices to external equipment, Windows 10 Technical Preview supports single cable docking and wireless docking. At WinHEC, Microsoft provided the guidance to create great hardware that lights up the Windows 10 docking user experience. They detailed docking technologies such as WiGig, Miracast, USB type-C, and guidance for solutions with custom docking connectors.

A well-featured dock is the “touchdown” point providing a workplace or desktop environment for the mobile device.

Wired Docking:

A wired docking configuration uses a single connection to a dock. The connection is either through a cable or a device to an adjacent dock attachment. The dock provides ports for input devices, such as mice and keyboards, and for output devices like displays and printers. Better docking equipment provides a power connection, for both use and charging of the device, and a wired network connection.

Wired docking features to consider:

• Use of a single cable from the device to the dock
• Support for phone, tablet and laptops
• Wired or wireless mouse and keyboard input
• Multiple connections on the dock
• Monitor outputs using HDMI or DisplayPort or both
• A power connection to the device
• An Ethernet port

Wireless docking

Like a wired dock, a wireless dock has ports for input and output peripherals. The connection to the device is wireless only. The dock does not provide power or a wired network connection to the device.

Wireless docking features to consider:

• A wireless connection from the device to the dock
• Support for phone, tablet and laptops
• Wired or wireless mouse and keyboard input
• Monitor outputs using HDMI, DisplayPort, or both

Wireless dock discovery

Windows 10 Technical Preview will discover, pair, connect, and manage docks.

Recommendations:

• Include Miracast extensions in receiver firmware.
• Support WSB and MA-USB.
• Support WiGig for enterprise class docking equipment.

Source: Microsoft