Hey guys, I have a 19" LG L1920P monitor and was wondering why nothing happens at all when I plug a USB device into either of the ports in the back of the monitor. Do I need to configure something from system prefs? I'm confused. Thanks!
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
How Do I Use The USB Ports On My Monitor?
- Thread starter Afro1989
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
If USB downlink is in it should be plug and play. I don't know that monitor and if it doesn't have USB downlink, I don't see how anything plugged in would work.
OK...dumb question. You have connected the upstream USB port on the monitor to a USB port on your computer, right?
Afro1989 said:
normally your monitor will come with a USB cord so that the computer will recognize the other USB ports. Otherwise the USB ports on the monitor will be useless
one end should be your basic USB end that plugs into the computer and the other side will be more square like in shape
Afro1989 said:
Because your monitor is stupid, it doesn't know what to do with USB, it needs the computer to tell it what to do.
Take a look at your monitor's cable that goes to the computer to display video. Are there usb plugs on the end too? If so, plug them (or it) into your computer, and now your monitor has two powered USB ports to interact with devices and hubs.
Thanks so much for clearing that up! It seems kind of pointless having two USB ports on the monitor if I am going to have to use one up and only have one USB port open. 
Afro1989 said:Thanks so much for clearing that up! It seems kind of pointless having two USB ports on the monitor if I am going to have to use one up and only have one USB port open.
To clarify, you will still have two available USB ports on the monitor. You will be using up one USB port on your computer.
Check out page A18 of the manual (PDF).
exact monitor that my sister has...
it should have came with a USB cable, the square ended plug is for the port on the back of the monitor, once that is connected to one of the ports on your computer you technically gain one USB port because you'll have two on the monitor and one on your mac still no?
it should have came with a USB cable, the square ended plug is for the port on the back of the monitor, once that is connected to one of the ports on your computer you technically gain one USB port because you'll have two on the monitor and one on your mac still no?
Afro1989 said:Thanks so much for clearing that up! It seems kind of pointless having two USB ports on the monitor if I am going to have to use one up and only have one USB port open.
Its just a USB hub on the monitor. As with any hub, you lose one port. Like a 4 port hub really only gets you 3 ports.