ARD lets move mouse, but not click on external displays powered by USB3 display link hub. Internal display still works

displaymouseremote desktop

I've got a mid 2012 Macbook Pro (host computer, running 10.12.6, ARD 3.9.4) im connecting to via Apple Remote Desktop (ARD). My client computer is a late 2012 Macbook pro (client computer, running 10.10.5, ARD 3.9)

I used to have 1x external display attached to this host computer, and ARD was able to move between both screens and i could control (move and click mouse, type etc) on both screens.

The user of the host computer needed a second external display so i ordered a Startech USB3 dock (this model) which as i understand uses Display Link's technology to have 3x additional displays, of which im using 2x (one 1 hdmi, the other display port).

See setup diagram below.

Now when i connect to the host computer the 3 displays (1x internal, 2x external) show up. The internal display works fine i can control and see everything. On the 2x external displays i can see everything and move the mouse, but can't click or type anywhere.

When the sit at the host computer physically i can use the mouse to move and click as expected and the keyboard works fine.

Any ideas why im having issues with ARD on these 2 external displays that are connected through the dock ? I would have thought that if it wasn't going to work it would either a) not show the external screens in ARD at all. or b) not allow me to move the mouse.

computer and monitor setup diagram

Best Answer

Ive been following this up more with Display Link and they have informed me that currently Apple Remote Desktop does not fully work with Display Link screens in OSX 10.12.x

UPDATE Nov 17 : As of recently this seems to work, not sure if Apple or Display Link updated their drivers, but it just started working.