I have a Framework 13" with the i7 processor, have an external keyboard, mouse, video camera and power supply connected to a USB port extender and from there to one USB-C port on the computer, then have 2 DP ports connected to 2 other ports leaving one unused.
The machine would work just fine with the setup mentioned above but from time to time it would lose both mouse and keyboard, everything else keeps working, only a reboot would bring the external devices back, I removed one of the DP trying to see if the motherboard was unable to deliver enough power for the devices, but it does not help, actually today has happened 5 times already.
Search no further my friend. Here is your problem! USB cables and extenders especially need to be quality products, else they will not match the USB specification or exceed it enough so that it enough so that it can actually handle power delivery.
The problem is not your USB extender’s drivers, nor linux but the extender itself. Sometimes extenders can disconnect easily when you move the computer/cable but they usually only do for a split second. In this case it looks like yours has either:
A bad capacitor that leaks and causes unstable power delivery inside your extender / the power brick of your extender causing a power circuit failure after a certain amount of use because of the heat building up
An insufficient power delivery system for what you have connected on it, connect less things, switch your keyboard to a true usb A port as it usually consumes the most power. If you have RGB, switch all your RGB peripherals to USB A.
I recommend you investigate and maybe try a USB extender from ugreen, they are not cheap but I have personally tested them on the 11th gen framework 13 i5 and they work great. There is also a page for USB extenders tested by the community here: USB-C/Thunderbolt Dock Megathread - #47 by JP_Powers
However, its weird that a reboot makes it go away if unplug/replug the USB extender doesn’t work.
Don’t forget to like and mark solved if I helped.
Agree with @Adr on this one, USB extenders as well as a number of docking stations, just has this issues of randomly disconnecting, invest on a well known brand of usb hub.
I have 3 extenders of the same type that I’ve got in different batches, tested 3 different kinds of extenders, and only attach a keyboard, mouse, network cable and webcam (hardly ever used), on other PCs I have an additional HDMI monitor, I haven’t had an issue with these PCs (not framework).
Additionally, the PC has trouble recognizing the external monitors (directly attached) when it comes out of power-save mode.
I’ve removed 1 display port connector and the usb hub, right now I have a Samsung LC49G97TSSNXDC with 2 display ports and 1 HDMI, for work reasons, I use the 2 display ports side by side so I can better manage the screen zones in my monitor but the machine really struggles to wake the monitors after it goes in the screensaver.
I have not had any issues since I use only 1 DP as an external monitor, it is rather inconvenient but beats the heck out of rebooting the machine every so often.
Problematic configuration:
Connected to usb-c port on the back-left → USB Hub with power supply, mouse,
keyboard and ethernet cable.
Connected to usb-c the front-left → DP#1 of monitor at 2560x1440@60Hz
Connected to usb-c back-right DP port 2 of monitor at 2560x1440@60Hz
Connected to usb-c front right SideTrack external monitor at 1920x1080@60Hz
Working configuration:
back left: Power supply
front left: SideTrack monitor
back right: DP Samsung monitor at 5120x1440@60Hz
front right: USB keyboard
As I mentioned before, not ideal but beats suddenly interrupted by a lack of response on the external keyboard & mouse.
I ordered a USB-c hub from ugreen($$$), it is supposed to arrive today. Let’s see if it can handle the working configuration I want.
well, sad to report the Ugreen Revodock 209 9-in-1 4k HDMI Universal docking station, while looking very promising, the Display ports were not even recognized by my laptop.
Never happened to me! Are you sure your machine is up to date?
apt update && apt upgrade
Also, if you can update to ubuntu 24.02 it will probably solve the DP not working on the ugreen adapter as it’s probably a driver problem (your kernel is too old and the adapter was made after the kernel). Also, try to power the ugreen adapter when using it! Displays are intensive power-wise. Else, well return the ugreen…