MultiPoint Server Station Types

Every MultiPoint Server system must have a primary station and one or more standard stations. Primary stations and standard stations are usually established immediately after you install MultiPoint Server. The primary station is the first station that becomes active when the MultiPoint Server is turned on and displays the BIOS and operating system startup screens. It also displays the MultiPoint Server Mode Selection screen, which is used for maintenance purposes.

The monitor of the primary station must be connected directly to a video port on the computer that is running MultiPoint Server, for example, by a DVI or VGA cable. In contrast, standard stations can have monitors connected either directly to the video ports on the computer or through multifunction devices that include video connections.

If more than one monitor is connected directly to the computer that is running MultiPoint Server, only one of these monitors is used as the primary station. We recommend that you connect only the primary station to the computer that is running MultiPoint Server during the initial deployment. Connect other standard stations to the computer after the initial deployment is completed.

If more than one monitor is connected directly to the computer, you can determine which monitor is connected to the primary station by completing the following procedure.

To determine which monitor is connected to the primary station

1. Turn on all monitors that are connected directly to the computer.

2. Start the computer and look at each monitor to see which one displays the MultiPoint Server desktop. This is the primary station.

The following illustration shows a MultiPoint Server system with a primary station and two additional stations. In this example, the primary station’s monitor is connected directly to the computer that is running MultiPoint Server by a DVI cable, and the primary station’s hub is a standard USB 2.0 hub. The standard stations are using multifunction USB hubs, and the monitors, keyboards, and mice are connected to the multifunction USB hubs.

For information about how to set up a standard station using a USB hub, see Set Up MultiPoint Server Stations with USB Station Hubs.

For information about how to set up a standard station using a multifunction hub, see Set Up MultiPoint Server Stations with Multifunction Station Hubs.