A docking station is a bridge to the past for many newer computers, but users may find that they need one even if they have the latest model. It is a device that a person can plug a laptop into to gain additional features such as access to full-size printers, mice, scanners, monitors and keyboards, and external hard drives. All of these peripherals can be plugged into the cradle and then when the user plugs in the laptop, they can access all of these peripherals without having to plug each one into the computer. This can be especially helpful if your laptop has a minimal number of USB or Firewire® ports.
Docking stations, which can be built into computers or added as accessories, allow you to connect additional devices to a computer.
Most newer laptops have more than enough USB or Firewire® ports for occasional use, although some users find they want access to a desktop monitor while using their laptop. Sometimes a larger keyboard is also easier to type on. In each of these cases, it is usually possible for the user to connect the monitor or keyboard directly to the laptop. However, having everything connected to a central device can provide more flexibility, especially if the laptop is frequently used on the go.
One example where this is particularly useful is when a person wants to connect a newer laptop to an older printer. Even printers from the recent past often have serial port connectors, which are extremely rare on most laptops. In this case, you can purchase an adapter, but docking stations often include this type of port.
Basically, using a docking station turns a laptop into a desktop, even for a short period of time. A user can connect all of their peripheral devices to this machine for easy access and then simply unplug the computer when on the go, instead of having to unplug each individual item. Especially when using a mix of newer and older technology, this often allows everything to work together more easily.
