Will a Docking Station for Dell D630 Fit the E6410?

The Dell Latitude D630 notebook has an optional dock called the D/Dock Expansion Station. The D/Dock is compatible with all notebooks in the Latitude D series and gives the notebook several additional input/output ports and hardware connections. It isn't, however, compatible with the Dell Latitude E6410 or any other E-series notebook.

D/Dock Features

The D/Dock has several input/output ports on the back, including modem and networking ports, S-Video, VGA and DVI monitor ports, audio ports and peripheral ports. This allows you to connect the docking station permanently to the hardware you need at home while retaining the ability to disconnect your notebook and use it on the go. In addition, the D/Dock has a slot for a desktop computer PCI expansion card and a modular storage device such as an optical or floppy drive.

Dell Latitude E6410

The Dell Latitude E6410 is an Intel Core i5- or Core i7-based notebook with Intel or NVIDIA Quadro graphics, support for up to 8GB of RAM and a 14.1-inch screen. The E6410 has three USB ports, a shared USB/eSATA port, a FireWire port, an optional modem port, an Ethernet port, a VGA connector, a smart card slot and a memory card reader. The E-Port Plus -- the docking station for the E6410 and other E-series notebooks -- adds additional ports such as a parallel port, DisplayPort, DVI port, serial port and two PS/2 ports. The E-Port Plus lacks the PCI card slot and modular device bay of the D/Dock.

Docking

The docking port for a Dell D-series notebook is on the underside of the computer, near the back. After connecting the D/Dock to a power outlet, you can dock the computer by placing it over the connector on the front of the dock. If the computer is turned on and the docking connector is seated fully, the two small round buttons on the top of the D/Dock glow green.

Undocking

To remove a computer from the D/Dock, save your work and shut the computer down. You can also place the computer in standby mode unless you have a PCI card installed in the D/Dock. The release lever on the back of the D/Dock allows you to unlock the computer. Toggle the release lever, push the large round button on the top of the D/Dock and pull the computer straight up.

Alternative

Although the Dell D/Dock doesn't work with E-series notebooks, other companies such as Kensington, Targus and Belkin manufacture "universal docks" that add similar capabilities by connecting to a notebook's USB port or ExpressCard slot. These docks typically add extra USB ports to the computer and may also feature ports for monitors, speakers and Ethernet cables.

References

• Dell: Dell™ D/Dock Expansion Station User's Guide
• Dell: Dell E-Port Plus User’s Guide
• Kensington: Universal Docking Station With Video sd300v
• Belkin: The Belkin Notebook Expansion Dock Provides a Universal Docking Solution for Consumer Laptops
• Targus: Targus Universal Laptop Docking Station With Video
• Dell: Latitude E6410/E6410 ATG Setup and Features Information