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dukee101

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jan 17, 2009
294
147
I'm using a VAVA USB-C Docking Station to expand ports on my new M1 MBP, but the ethernet port is not working (despite all other ports working). The ethernet port does work however when I connect this dock to my 16" MBP, so it's definitely an M1 incompatibility of some kind.

Is there anything I can do to get this to work? Are M1 Macs incompatible with certain hubs/docks in ways that right now aren't fully documented/known? Do Thunderbolt docks have the same issue?
 

jrpowell

macrumors newbie
Dec 20, 2020
1
1
I have this dock I use with a M1 mini and the Ethernet port works OOB.

Screen Shot 2020-12-20 at 5.15.03 AM.png
 
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Mcdevidr

macrumors 6502a
Nov 27, 2013
793
368
I had my dock plugged into a windows machine then switched to my air and it wouldn’t work. Even renewing didn’t help. What I did was unplug everything including the router. Then made sure when I turned the router on the first thing I plugged in was the Mac through Ethernet. Then It worked.
 

dukee101

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jan 17, 2009
294
147
Mine works, I think I read something about renewing the lease if it doesn't work??
I tried that but it didn't work. I also tried manually assigning an IP, but that didn't work either.
What I did was unplug everything including the router. Then made sure when I turned the router on the first thing I plugged in was the Mac through Ethernet. Then It worked.
Interesting solution. Not sure it would work in my case because the hub and port work so readily with my other Mac. I suspect a stronger incompatibility here.
 

Mcdevidr

macrumors 6502a
Nov 27, 2013
793
368
I tried that but it didn't work. I also tried manually assigning an IP, but that didn't work either.

Interesting solution. Not sure it would work in my case because the hub and port work so readily with my other Mac. I suspect a stronger incompatibility here.

I read about it somewhere else and it worked for me. My problem was that the Mac couldnt find an ip or some crap. I looked up the solution and that’s what it was and it worked. It’s worth a try. Everything else i plugged in worked though it was just the Mac that couldn’t find an IP. Now i can interchange it though and it works fine.
 

gank41

macrumors 601
Mar 25, 2008
4,348
5,018
Make sure that the Dock is listed at the top under Network Preferences, and then renew DHCP, reboot.
 

snakes-

macrumors 6502
Jul 27, 2011
357
140
I use a small satechi c2 in one hub. This works fine for me and shows me the full 1000baseT lan.
 

trulsdd

macrumors newbie
May 8, 2014
11
36
I hope you wont't mind me hijacking this thread instead of making a new one, but I've also got a question about the Satechi USB-C-hub. I can't seem to get my M1 MBA to recognise my Touch T7 through it. Anyone else struggling with this? Now I have to disconnect my screen via USB-C to connect my T7, and it really Fs up my workflow.
 

09872738

Cancelled
Feb 12, 2005
1,270
2,125
I also experienced the OPs issues: no Ethernet using a dock. What's more: the MBP (M1, 16G) failed to wake up the monitor (4k, attached via dock's HDMI port) when waked up from sleep.

I tried again today, the issue with ethernet is gone. Not sure why, my assumption is that the 11.1 update fixed it. Dunno about the display wakeup yet
 

gank41

macrumors 601
Mar 25, 2008
4,348
5,018
I also experienced the OPs issues: no Ethernet using a dock. What's more: the MBP (M1, 16G) failed to wake up the monitor (4k, attached via dock's HDMI port) when waked up from sleep.

I tried again today, the issue with ethernet is gone. Not sure why, my assumption is that the 11.1 update fixed it. Dunno about the display wakeup yet
The Wake from Sleep issue I’m also having. There’s another thread in the forum regarding that. Supposedly 11.1 was supposed to have corrected that, but not for me. Also doesn’t seem to matter what type of monitor you’ve got.

As for the Ethernet/Dock issue, Check in System Preferences/Network and make sure that the Dock is listed at the top (You can adjust the order) and make sure to renew your DHCP once your do that, and then reboot.
 

cakeloverpro

macrumors member
Dec 2, 2020
43
43
Caldigit TS3 works great as a docking station for a macbook m1. Occasional, external screen issue, but it is resolved by simple unplugging and plugging. It doesnt happen enough for me to care, takes 3 seconds to fix.
 
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4sallypat

macrumors 601
Sep 16, 2016
4,034
3,782
So Calif
Q:
My M1 Mini Ethernet is connected thru the back of my 27" Thunderbolt display - I noticed it does not say "Display Ethernet" like it used on my old Mini, instead it says "Ethernet Adaptor (en4)"

Anyone know why??
Screen Shot 2020-12-22 at 7.18.47 AM.png
 

Crz10

macrumors member
Dec 3, 2020
71
81
Update: I got a CalDigit TS3+ instead, restarted my Mac, and it worked perfectly. I'll be returning the VAVA soon.
Great to hear. I also have the VAVA dock which worked perfectly with my intel pc, but I'm too chicken to even try it with the M1. I don't want to upset it lol
 
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dukee101

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jan 17, 2009
294
147
Great to hear. I also have the VAVA dock which worked perfectly with my intel pc, but I'm too chicken to even try it with the M1. I don't want to upset it lol
I have a few VAVA hubs at home and they're generally really good, and certainly work quite well with Intel Macs. It could've been the case that restarting and plugging/unplugging cables in the right order may've made this work. But I think I was looking for an excuse to buy a CalDigit TS3+ 🙃 -- I'm super happy with mine right now. Price dropped to $220 on Amazon so I pounced on it. (Still at that price btw if anyone's interested)

I tried all of the following with the VAVA docking station but it did not resolve the issue for me:
  • renew DHCP lease
  • assign manual IP address with DHCP
  • change network interface order ("Set Service Order")
  • clear DNS cache
 

09872738

Cancelled
Feb 12, 2005
1,270
2,125
The Wake from Sleep issue I’m also having. There’s another thread in the forum regarding that. Supposedly 11.1 was supposed to have corrected that, but not for me. Also doesn’t seem to matter what type of monitor you’ve got.

As for the Ethernet/Dock issue, Check in System Preferences/Network and make sure that the Dock is listed at the top (You can adjust the order) and make sure to renew your DHCP once your do that, and then reboot.
Thx for trying to help. Luckily the ethernet issue is solved. The adapter wasn‘t even recognized, so it wasn‘t listed at all in system preferences.

The display wake from sleep issue is gone gone as well.

I’ll keep an eye on that...
 

gank41

macrumors 601
Mar 25, 2008
4,348
5,018
Thx for trying to help. Luckily the ethernet issue is solved. The adapter wasn‘t even recognized, so it wasn‘t listed at all in system preferences.

The display wake from sleep issue is gone gone as well.

I’ll keep an eye on that...
FWIW I’ve had to completely reboot and remove power to my Dock what seems like every couple too tree days. Definitely something going on.
 

09872738

Cancelled
Feb 12, 2005
1,270
2,125
FWIW I’ve had to completely reboot and remove power to my Dock what seems like every couple too tree days. Definitely something going on.
Indeed. The external display sometimes wakes from sleep, sometimes it doesn‘t. At least ethernet is functional now
 

ReflectedReality

macrumors newbie
May 9, 2021
1
0
Just one thing I have noticed. I have a couple of hubs and If I plug the power into either of them the ethernet stops working. I only figured it out because I have two of them
 
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