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Build a connection worksheet for a Dell U3415W workspace
Map video, USB devices and audio as separate connection paths before buying cables or moving two computers onto an older ultrawide display.
By Office Home Supply editorial · Updated 2026-10-11 · 3 minute read
Draw the actual connection paths
A monitor connection plan is more useful when it describes each signal separately. Put the computer at the left of a sheet and the display at the right. Add one row for the picture, another for USB peripherals and another for audio. Write the exact monitor model at the top. This worksheet uses Dell's U3415W manual as a concrete example; another display with a similar name may have different ports or switching behavior.
Read the input and output labels
Dell identifies HDMI, DisplayPort input and Mini DisplayPort input on the U3415W, alongside a separate DisplayPort output used for supported multi-stream arrangements. These are different roles. A cable fitting a socket does not make an output into the computer's input. Note the actual printed port label and its manual diagram. Take a private reference photograph of the labels when access is awkward, and keep the diagram with the cable list.
Write the computer's available video output beside the intended display input. Then specify the complete cable or adapter path, including the direction of any adapter. Check the computer or adapter documentation for the proposed resolution and refresh configuration. The monitor's published maximum preset does not establish that every computer, dock and adapter combination can deliver it. Treat an unconfirmed intermediate device as an open question rather than silently omitting it from the drawing.
Give USB its own row
The U3415W manual describes USB upstream connections to computers and downstream connections to peripherals. The upstream link is separate from the video cable. List the keyboard, mouse receiver and any other intended downstream device, then draw their path back to the computer through the chosen upstream port. Do not buy a video cable expecting it to provide that separate USB connection.
For two computers, record both video input selections and the USB selection associated with each one. Dell documents switching these assignments through the monitor's controls. Read the complete model instructions before changing them. Its manual cautions against changing upstream ports while connected USB storage is in use. Plan any device switching around the applicable operating-system and device instructions, rather than treating a USB drive like an ordinary keyboard.
Make the purchasing list testable
For each item, use columns for the two endpoints, protocol, required direction, proposed part and unresolved question. Include existing cables so that replacement purchases solve an identified gap. Measure the installed route with allowance for the documented display movement; avoid drawing a straight-line distance that ignores the stand or desk edge. Do not infer cable length, package contents or current software support from a product photograph.
Check the finished arrangement by task
After a documented setup, check picture, keyboard, mouse and permitted audio separately on each computer. Record which input and upstream assignment were active. A working picture alone is not proof that USB switching works. Save the finished diagram, exact parts and open questions for the next equipment change. This is original connection planning, not a hands-on U3415W test or a promise of compatibility with an unverified dock.
Sources & further reading
Original planning analysis based on the cited specifications. We do not claim hands-on testing. Confirm manufacturer compatibility and follow the supplied instructions.