How the nSynC-Staging Adapter Can Stage 4 Devices at Once

LAVA has unveiled a new special project – the nSynC-Staging adapter. It allows you to charge and update up to four compatible USB-C mobile devices at the same time. This article will explain the purpose of the nSynC-Staging adapter.

As the name suggests, this adapter is designed to be used for mobile device staging. When tablets or smartphones are bought in bulk for kiosks and other applications, they may need specific software installed for the implementation to work properly. Often third parties will provide this device staging service to ensure all the right apps have been installed and the OS is up-to-date.

If this staging is done over Wi-Fi, it can be a slow process. If you have too many devices trying to connect to the network over Wi-Fi, there will be congestion and the connection will be slow. This is a major concern if you are sharing the same network connection with other parts of your business. The entire company’s network could slow down and become unusable.

A common solution is to take a regular OTG adapter with an Ethernet port and connect the mobile devices straight to the network via a higher speed wired connection. However, powering the devices becomes an issue. In OTG mode, the tablet powers itself and the adapter from its own battery, thus draining it. In large or complex staging operations, devices could potentially run out of power mid-setup. The customer also might need the devices to be fully charged upon arrival.  This requires the additional step of charging the devices after staging is complete.

The nSynC-Staging adapter solves this issue. It features a 10/100-capable Ethernet port for a wired network connection and four USB-C ports to connect mobile devices.

The adapter can toggle between two different modes: SimulCharge mode and OTG mode. SimulCharge is a LAVA technology that allows compatible mobile devices to simultaneously charge while accessing data. This means the mobile devices can download and install the required software and updates without draining their batteries because they are still being charged through the adapter. If the mobile devices are capable of Fast Charging, the adapter will provide 9 volts of charging power. If they aren’t, they will provide the standard 5 volts. Both power modes are sufficient to charge the mobile devices, with the only difference being the speed at which they charge.

The nSynC adapter features LAVA’s Docking Detect technology, which ensures that the “handshake” connection protocols between the SimulCharge adapter and mobile devices are executed correctly and reliably every time the units are connected.

Because the adapter needs to be able to charge four devices at once in SimulCharge mode, a fair amount of power is required. If the power supply provides less than 45 watts, the nSynC-Staging will automatically default to OTG mode, in order to prevent brownouts or unstable charging. With OTG mode, the mobile devices run off battery power and stay in USB Host mode, which means they can still communicate with the network over Ethernet to download applications/software.

In OTG mode, there will be some battery drain during the software installation but additional stress on their batteries is minimized by the adapter. Mobile devices running in OTG often have to supply power to any attached peripherals. However, the nSynC-Staging and its Ethernet connection remain powered by the AC power source.

Most USB-C mobile devices are compatible with OTG, making the nSynC-Staging a truly universal adapter when running in this mode. The nSynC-Staging features a blue Mode Select button that lets you manually switch between the OTG and SimulCharge modes. Though, this button will only work if the adapter is receiving 45 watts of power.

Designed for tablet staging, the nSynC-Staging adapter allows you to simultaneously charge up to four compatible mobile devices and allow them to access a wired network connection for updates. The adapter requires at least a 45W power supply for SimulCharge to work. If you are usually a lower wattage power supply, the adapter will default to OTG mode, where the mobile devices run off battery power but still have access to the Ethernet connection.

The nSynC-Staging adapter works with any OTG-capable USB-C mobile device but SimulCharge does not work with all tablets and smartphones. Please see the published list of tested devices and check out LAVA’s website for more information.