Thunderbolt ExpressCard Adaptor for ExpressCard-8360

[Cranky]

Correct. That's the small black box behind the ExpressCard adapter in the picture a few posts back.

[Steve_Midwest]

Has anyone got this to work on Windowss 10?  I have the ExpressCard 8360, Sonnet ExpressCard Pro Thunderbolt Adapter and StarTech Thunderbolt3 to Thunderbolt Adapter.  And a Dell Precision 7710 with a Thunderbolt 3 port.  But the Dell does not see the anything Thunderbolt.  Working with Dell support and they want me to try other Thunderbolt devices but i don't have any to try.  So I'm stuck.

[NickNZ]

Hi

from...

https://www.startech.com/nz/Cables/thunderbolt-3-cables/thunderbolt-3-usb-c-thunderbolt-adapter~TBT3...

Special Notes / Requirements:

This adapter is compatible with Thunderbolt™ displays only. It will not work with Mini DisplayPort (mDP) or DisplayPort (DP) monitors.

Any host system that doesn’t provide the full 15W of bus power won’t work with this device. Consult the manufacturer of your host system to determine how much bus power your host system provides.

Else I can't help you sorry. Good luck with your adapters....

Nick

[Steve_Midwest]

Yeah I read that about what StarTech says but realized they are just talking about displays since the other end of that StarTech adapter is Thunderbolt 1/2 which is the mini display port connector.

Power would be a concern.  I'm asking Dell what the Intel Thunderbolt 3 chipset is on the 7710 since all my Linux Live analysis on this laptop doesn't seem to show anything Thunderbolt either.

Thanks.

[petti]

Are you really sure your laptop is supporting thunderbolt? The Precision laptops have a USB-C connector which must support thunderbolt. But not all Dell CPU configurations are supporting thunderbolt. I blundered into the same trap. I was configuring with a Dell sales man a Precision 3520 with an Intel Core i7-7820HQ because I need to connect a 1033 PXI chassis. Finally we changed the CPU to an i7-7700HQ. As it arrived I couldn't set anything on thunderbolt inside the BIOS because everything was greyed out. The support explained to me that in this case the laptop doesn't support thunderbold. I would need the i7-7820HQ for that. The sales guy didn't know that and couldn't warn me. My laptop will be exchanged now.

If you enter the bios, are you able you set thunderbolt settings? Otherwise your laptop does not support it.

Patrick

[NickNZ]

Hi Patrick 

wow - did some googling and found this rather good article. 

http://blog.fosketts.net/2016/10/29/total-nightmare-usb-c-thunderbolt-3/

Seems USB Type C cables and ports both have to be chosen carefully. E.g. passive (20GB/s) vs active cables (40GB/s) and I bet the cost will be significantly different too. As you found out USB-C port != Thunderbolt compatibility. 

I guess NI can make a buck selling NI branded USB Type C cables as well... so at least we know that the cable should work... I would also consider a means to tie the cable to the PXI chassis so it can't be "borrowed" (ie lost) to charge someone's phone.... 

Nick

[Steve_Midwest]

After working on this issue with a Dell 7710 for some time here is what I figured out.  If the WLAN is disabled in the BIOS, the Thunderbolt 3 will not work.  Bluetooth and WWAN/GPS does not matter.  If the WLAN is disabled, you won't ever get Thunderbolt to show up.  Dell should know about this now because of me working with them.

We normally turn WLAN (WiFi) off in the BIOS at our facility.  But I never thought WLAN and Thunderbolt would be somehow connected.  Here is how I figured it out.  We had an HP laptop from another group that needed reimaging to Windows 10.  I noticed it had Thunderbolt 2 which is the mini Display Port connector.  So I thought... hey, I could see if my Sonnet ExpressCard to Thunderbolt device might work with it.  And it did!  So I took screen shots of it and of the Dell 7710, mostly of the device manager by connection display stuff.  That excited Dell enough that they wanted to replaced the motherboard.  So a tech came out with new motherboard and I/O board.  I watched the replacement process and noticed a module.  I inquired and the tech said it was the WiFi module.  I said that it was bought without WiFi.  Of course he said it's there anyway.  That just stuck out in my mind.

Okay so the boards were replaced and I tested... Thunderbolt 3 worked!  How can that be?  So I have two of these laptops that were bought together so I started comparing everything methodically.  And the final determination was that if WLAN is turned off in the BIOS, then Thunderbolt 3 will not do anything, won't show up, no nothing as if it doesn't exist.  Turn WLAN ON in the BIOS, Thunderbolt 3 works beautifully!  BIOS versions did not matter.

So my Sonnet ExpressCard to Thunderbolt Adapter connected to a StarTech Thunderbolt to Thunderbolt 3 Adapter connected to the Thunderbolt 3 port on the Dell Precision 7710 using a StarTech Thunderbolt 3 cable works very well.  Perhaps in a future BIOS update Dell will fix this issue but I don't know.  The latest BIOS 1.10.7 was released Mar 9, 2017 but looking at the fixes I'm not sure this issue would have been fixed.  I would have to try it out and see.  Hope this helps someone out there.

I told Dell all about this as it is somewhat important.  In a secure facility, they want you to demonstrate the WiFi (WLAN) is turned off in the BIOS.  Otherwise I have to Disable it in Device Manager and I don't know if that is acceptable yet.  Disabling WiFi in Device Manager allows the Thunderbolt 3 to still work.

[KeaneSenses]

Hi all,

In case you missed the NIWeek keynote from Tuesday, we announced the PXIe-8301 Remote Control Module, which enables Thunderbolt 3 control of PXI Express chassis! It will be available later this summer - for a bit more info, check out this white paper:

http://www.ni.com/white-paper/53757/en/

[AnalogKid2DigitalMan]

Looks like the 8301 is released

http://www.ni.com/sic/configurator/configure.action?sfId=NI&wcs_l=en-us&wcs_k=pxi-remote-control-mod...

=AK2DM

[KeaneSenses]

Yes, the PXIe-8301 is orderable! Please note that we are working to resolve a web issue regarding the card’s displayed accessories. The applicable part numbers for order include:

• PXIe-8301: 785679-01
• Active Thunderbolt 3 Cable: 785607-02
• Passive Thunderbolt 3 Cable: 785608-02