Wow, okay… so I can corraborate your experience. Exact same thing - ethernet interface is missing in both Win 11 and Fedora when I leave the dock plugged in and do a cold boot. Comes back if I unplug/replug while OS is up and running.
Same for the 2nd external monitor (the one that is detected as “unknown”). So it’s not just the Ethernet that doesn’t get detected on boot. It’s the 2nd “unknown” monitor to (on both Win 11 and Fedora). After cycling the plug, both the Ethernet and monitor shows up.
The montior still has that “unknown” issue in Fedora so I can’t change the resolution from 640x480. In Windows, cycling the plug makes the monitor come up and show up fine (1080P at 75 Hz).
My main ext monitor is always fine no matter what (2K @ 165 Hz). I also use my built-in display so I get a total of 3 monitors (except in Fedora, because the 2nd ext monitor isn’t really usable so i just disable it Settings).
The monitor issue seems like a software issue since it works fine in Windows, but not Fedora. The NIC and monitor being missing on cold boot may be a issue with CalDigit since it affects both OSes.
I do wonder if this is an issue with USB4/TB4 docks in general on the FW16 and not just CalDigit. Maybe someone with an eGPU dock or similar that uses actual USB4 could give it a test, like in your case an extra display from one of the USB4 ports on the TS4. USB and DP ports work fine even when its not detected as a USB4 hub because I assume those use regular USB and DP-Alt Mode.
I just tested it with another USB-C cable like I said yesterday. I have one from a Plugable dock and surprisingly after trying 3 times, the dock always got recognized correctly and ethernet works on boot. I’ll keep using this cable and do more tests, but it might be an issue with the cable that comes with the CalDigit for some reason.
It is more likely bugs / complications with AMD’s USB4 implementation. The BIOS should be able to manage USB4 connections, so that it can boot from USB3 and PCIe devices behind USB4/TB3. And the OS has to take them over at some point. If you reconnect the dock, you do it when the OS is in full control and manages all parts of the connection.
I think this would be best compared to a Intel equivalent host certified for TB4. It would fit with AMD having other bugs with the USB4 implementation still. Not surprising, given how complicated it is and how new AMD is to the game.
With passive HDMI adapters, one of my screens was stuck in 640x480 and as unknown. With active HDMI adapters it worked better, and then switching to DP for both worked best.
I own a Sonnettech Echo 20 Thunderbolt 4 SuperDock and use it with my FW16 for over half a year now.
It works without drivers, but I found some weird things. First of all, I use it mainly under Linux Mint (currently 21.3), but it also works under Windows 11.
The HDMI-Port is something that isn’t working for me under Linux. However, I use a USB-C to DisplayPort Adapter to my Eizo Monitors. The bigger one (27" 2560x1440) daisy chains to the other one (24" 1920x1200) without any problems, so I don’t need two display outputs on the Dock.
The Docking station looses it’s USB connections (like mouse, keyboard and audio, not the DisplayPort signal though) quite often when connected to the left USB 4 Port (Nr. 1 on the Expansion Card Slot functionality drawing from FW), however works perfect on the right USB 4 slot (Nr. 4 in the drawing).
Sometimes, the Laptop won’t start charging after plugging it to the dock. In this case, a simple replug is needed and it will draw around 96W.
So, besides all the weirdness: It is a great dock with all the ports I need. The Price is very high, but it was the only dock available in Germany at the time of buying with all I need (especially 10G USB ports for my USB to SATA adapters and 80W+ Charging). I recently even tested the m.2 slot and it works fine, even though it’s maximum throughput is limited to around 840 MB/s.
I use it to turn my old desktop PC into a big dock with a bunch of HDDs, an optical drive and some front USB-Ports. The only thing I couldn’t get to work is the Power Button LED of the case. It probably died because of a wrong wiring during installation…
I’ve noticed issues rebooting windows if dock (Lenovo Universal TB4) is connected and lid closed. Seems rebooting is robust only with lid open and dock removed. Anyone else?
Hi all, hoping I can get some help on a small issue I have.
I have the Framework 13 with i7-1280P processor, and a Dell WD16TB docking station.
The experience of using it is almost completely flawless. The only relatively minor issue I run into is that the USB ports do not function if I plug the dock in while the computer is at the lock screen.
As soon as I login to the device, going forward the USB ports function fine including if the the device returns to the lock screen (while still plugged in). At worst this is a minor inconvenience as I have to use the internal keyboard to sign in, but I usually have it closed when using a dock.
I figured it was worth asking about in case anyone else had run into the same issue.
I have updated the framework to the 3.08 bios, as well as updated the docking station to the latest firmware as of January of this year.
Which OS? Any log messages? Does a USB keyboard work if you plug directly in this scenario instead of via the dock? My first thought is that this sounds like a software security lockout to prevent evil maid attack if it happens only when the device is locked.
Just wanted to update this thread with my setup and results:
Framework 13 AMD running Ubuntu 22.04 (previous laptop was a Surface Laptop Studio 1 running W11)
Kensington 5700T Thunderbolt 4 dock
2 Samsung C49’s at 5120x1440, using DP to TB4 cables.
I got it working somehow, but I don’t understand the results myself:=
Connecting the TB4 Dock to either USB4 ports (1 or 3) only worked if there was no display connected to the dock. When connecting a display to the dock, laptop screen starts flickering. External monitor lights up if something is connected but no display. Eventually the monitor turns off because no source.
Connecting a monitor to a USB4 port works fine.
Connecting the TB4 Dock to a USB3.2 port (4) works fine even with 1 external monitor connected to the dock. If I connect a 2nd monitor to the dock, only the first one works. I can however connect the 2nd monitor to a USB4 port. When I disable the laptop screen, I can run both at 5120x1440, 60hz.
So working setup:
TB4 dock with 1 external monitor connected to the dock → USB3.2 (port 4)
2nd external monitor → USB4 (port 1 or 3)
I don’t understand why the dock works fine over USB3.2 but not USB4. Anyone has any ideas?
I’m testing a Ugreen Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station(13-in-1) and i’m having huge issue with the bandwidth under Fedora 40 on my intel 13 framework 13.
I have 2 4k 60hz display connected to that docs, 1 work but you can’t bring the other one up to anything over 420p before it stop showing up.
I managed to have a dual 1440p 60hz at best, but couldn’t get a dual 4K 30hz for example…
I don’t understand how TB4 on intel can be less capable than USBC on AMD… Before i submit this an a dock issue, anything i should try ?
This dock work well on my work issued Thinkpad l15 with an AMD CPU, but it then most likely work on a usbc + DP link…
This sounds simply like Windows Kernel DMA protection is doing its job.
With TB3, all USB devices connect actually through a PCIe-USB3 controller in the TB controller.
For security reasons, Windows will only allow PCIe devices it cannot otherwise secure on the bus to work, if the user is signed in. This is to prevent “drive-by” attacks of somebody unauthorized plugging in an external PCIe device that could compromise your device without you knowing.
It would not be a problem with USB4/TB4 docks, because there USB3 is supported directly and does not necessitate PCIe working.
TB4 even mandates that Kernel DMA protection works.
I am unsure if its just Intels TB3 controllers that cannot be protected by lesser means or if Windows does not support this for any PCIe USB controller. But my Titan Ridge TB3 controller is affected the same.
Edit: actually, Microsoft says the USB3 drivers support DMA remapping and should thus be excluded. My TB3 USB3 controller even reports as supporting it. Yet it does not work. Maybe Windows broke this at some point?
Unfortunately the AMD chips just have worse compatibility than the Intel chips currently, and you’re rolling the dice depending on what dock and monitor you’re using. I would recommend against AMD for anyone who needs to use external monitors at this point.
I had a Pluggable TBT4-UDZ dock that worked fine with the 11th Gen Intel Framework. But didn’t work at all with the 7840u Framework. So I bought a Caldigit TS4 dock, which works with my Alienware monitor on the 7480u Framework, but has the EDID issue with my BenQ monitors.
Both docks work perfectly with both monitors on other systems. It’s just the combination of AMD 7000 on Linux that is problematic.
So the fix is in some kind of binary blob? I was hoping someone in the community could provide a fix (reverse engineer perhaps). Don’t mind my wishful/hopeful thinking. I’m someone who doesn’t know anything about coding or development, Maybe even someone in RedHat since they have more resources.
If it’s an AMD driver bug which is my current theory (though I don’t have expertise in this area), the fix would be in an updated driver which would get merged into the kernel. Then you’d get it when your distro ships the new kernel, or you manually update it.
But the bug report is 7 months old at this point, and there’s no indication yet that it’s being worked on. So any timeline for that happening is completely unknown.
