Docking station question

[Billmanweh]

I'm thinking about getting rid of my desktop computer and just using a docking station for when I want to plug in my T60 and use my desk.

Just wondering what my options are...

[Harryc]

Advanced Dock
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... 61232.html

Advanced Mini Dock
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... 61297.html

Essential Port Replicator
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... 61200.html

[Yacek]

Advanced Mini would be my choice.... I've been working for two years with such configuration. No problems.

[Billmanweh]

Advanced Mini would be my choice.... I've been working for two years with such configuration. No problems.

Can you just leave your monitor, keyboard, mouse, etc plugged in to the docking station?

[Harryc]

Sure, that is the best way to use it.

[sarbin]

exactly what i do!
have some family set up the same way, too.

[Billmanweh]

I guess ebay is probably the best place to find one?

[ThinkPadophile]

Which one is right for you depends on how you plan to use it. There are three reasons to consider the Advanced Dock:

1. It has an Ultrabay Enhanced that you can use for various expansion purposes. I have an Advanced Dock, and I use the Ultrabay Enhanced for my backup hard drive.

2. It has the six-in-one media card reader, which can be useful with digital photography.

3. It has the half-size PCI expresscard slot, which gives additional expansion capability. Some use it for a graphics card to drive multiple monitors.

I use feature 1 every day; have only used feature 2 once that I can recall, and have never used feature 3.

The downsides of the Advanced Dock are that they take up more desktop landscape, and their internal fans can be noisy.

[Bigdaddychud]

I have the Adv. Dock and if I was going to do it again, I would do the Adv. Mini Dock. I had planned to use the dock and all it features but I really have only used the card reader on occasion. Mine has not had any problems with the fans being noisy, but I am having some issues with the USB ports. Overall I love using a dock and would hate to not have one.

R.