USB-C/USB3/Ethernet dongle and the Pixel C

[Graham Thomas]

There's an interesting review of a dongle that improves connectivity for the Pixel C on Android Central (via ethernet and USB connections), here:

The Pixel C is almost a laptop with this USB-C dongle | Android Central

In the review, everything just works. For me and at least one other Pixel C owner, however, it doesn't work at all. The device receives power from the Pixel C, but there's no connectivity either via an ethernet cable (which I tested on my netbook and was fine then) or when a flash drive is plugged into a USB port.

Any ideas as to why it should all work for the reviewer but not for us? I don't use the keyboard and the reviewer does, but I don't see why that should make a difference.

 

[Golfdriver97]

Perhaps you have to allow for file transfers for the dongle to work?

 

[Graham Thomas]

How would I do that? I've looked round all the settings I can find and I can't see anything that would either allow or forbid file transfers. ES File Explorer doesn't help. Looking round the net I can find lots of advice involving OTG cables, and I'm wondering whether the device I've bought just doesn't fit the bill - though I thought I'd read somewhere that the latest versions of Android (and I'm using 7.1.1 on the Pixel C) don't need these any more. But if it doesn't, why does (apparently) the same device just work for the reviewer? He doesn't mention the need to change any settings.

I've seen that Android should offer a set of options when a USB device is connected, but my Pixel offers only one 'option' - to provide power to the device. There's nothing about transferring files.

 

[Rabid Rotty]

I just received the same Anker hub as mentioned here The Pixel C is almost a laptop with this USB-C dongle | Android Central and cannot get the ethernet to work, there is no such settings. I am wondering if the Author used an OTG adapter.

 

[Graham Thomas]

Do the USB connectors work for you - e.g. with a flash drive? They don't for me.

That may be a good thought about the OTG adapter. It would be a bit of a kludge, but if it works then that would be good. But then why did Andrew Martonik not mention this? Can you get a USB-C to USB-C OTG adapter? (Yes, I know - I should go and find out.)

 

[pjwk81]

I bought an Aukey one (can't buy the Anker here) and the USB ports work.