To enable the USB hub functionality on your monitor, you need to establish a specific connection between your computer and the monitor using a USB cable.
Activating the Monitor's USB Ports
Your monitor's built-in USB ports function as a hub, allowing you to connect peripherals like keyboards, mice, or webcams directly to the monitor, using it as a convenient pass-through. However, these ports are not active just by connecting the video cable (HDMI, DisplayPort, etc.).
The key step is to connect a USB cable from your computer to the monitor.
According to the provided information:
- To use a monitor's USB hub, the ports must be activated first.
- This activation is done by connecting a USB A to B cable from the computer to the monitor, alongside the already connected HDMI, DP, VGA, or DVI cable.
Essentially, the USB A to B cable acts as the data uplink from your computer to the monitor's hub, allowing the computer to communicate with devices plugged into the monitor's USB ports.
The Necessary Connection
Here's how to make the connection:
- Ensure Video Cable is Connected: Make sure your main video cable (like HDMI or DisplayPort) is already connected from your graphics card or motherboard to your monitor.
- Locate the USB Ports: Find the USB ports on both your computer and your monitor.
- On your computer, you'll typically use a standard rectangular USB Type-A port (the most common type).
- On your monitor, look for a square or rectangular USB Type-B port. This is often labelled or located near the video input ports. It might look like a slightly larger, square version of a standard USB-A port or a smaller, rectangular one resembling a USB 3.0 Micro-B connector (less common on monitors, but possible). The most common is the USB-B square connector.
- Connect the Cable: Use a USB Type-A to USB Type-B cable to connect the USB-A port on your computer to the USB-B port on your monitor.
- Verify Connection: Once this cable is connected, the USB ports on your monitor should become active and usable for connecting other USB devices.
Cable Type Table
| End 1 (Computer) | End 2 (Monitor) | Cable Type | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| USB Type-A | USB Type-B | USB A to B (Data Uplink) | Activates USB hub |
| HDMI | HDMI | HDMI Cable | Video/Audio |
| DisplayPort | DisplayPort | DisplayPort Cable | Video/Audio |
| VGA | VGA | VGA Cable | Video Only |
| DVI | DVI | DVI Cable | Video Only |
Note: The exact USB-B connector type on the monitor can vary (e.g., standard USB-B, USB 3.0 Micro-B, or newer USB-C if supported for data uplink), but the principle of needing a dedicated data cable from the PC remains the same.
Once the USB uplink cable is connected, devices plugged into the monitor's downstream USB ports should be recognized by your computer just as if they were plugged directly into your PC's ports. This is how you enable and utilize the convenient USB hub feature built into many monitors.
