DP 1.4 KVM with Thunderbolt Docks

Hardware
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I currently have Level1Tech’s DP 1.4 KVM 4-Port for a single monitor.

My current use case involves the following setup:

  • MacBook Pro 13" (Intel 2020) → Thunderbolt Dock → KVM
  • Windows 10 PC with GTX 3080 → KVM
  • KVM → AW3821DW Monitor

and I have recently encountered an issue with this setup. The thunderbolt in question are CalDigit’s TS3+ and OWC’s Thunderbolt 4 Dock. I have encountered issues with the both of them when connected via thunderbolt pass-thru ports.

Whenever I switch over to my Windows 10 PC for an extended period of time, my MacBook Pro will lose its internet. I believe this may be because my MacBook Pro enters sleep. I also believe that this happens because there’s a possibility of the absence of an EDID emulator which may be important to run the MacBook Pro in clamshell mode.

My questions are as follows:

  • Does anyone work using a similar setup?
  • If I am considering getting the DP repeater, will this solve my problem?
2

It is almost always the thunderbolt cable.

I have had several reports of the setup working with the TS3+ dock, but also a couple reports of it not working. One user reported success after swapping TB cables.

The KVM doesn’t have a repeater in it. So each component can work fine individually but because it doesn’t have a repeater you’re effectively combining multiple cables and testing them at once. Two cables that are “fine” combined together may not be fine. Such is life with digital signals.

The repeater does prevent the mac from “noticing” the display is unplugged.

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