Can I slave 2 Macs to a MacBook Pro thru a Thunderbolt dock or hub?

[BatBoySings]

I'm using VEPro 5 with a Mac Mini slave connected to my DAW computer, a MacBook Pro Retina 2015, using Thunderbolt Bridge.  Which seems to work fine.

I want to add my older MacBook Pro as a second slave, but my audio interface also uses Thunderbolt only (UAD Apollo Twin Solo), so that would require 3 TB ports while my DAW computer has only 2. Neither MBP has an Ethernet port.

So is it possible to connect both my slave computers to my DAW computer through, say, a OWC Thunderbolt 2 Dock?  Would my DAW computer recognize the slaves? Would that hurt the speed? And I'm assuming my audio interface would have to skip the dock and go directly into my master computer's second TB2 port?

[Paul]

Hi, 

Maybe a stupid question, but what speaks against a Router or Switch to connect your computers?

Best,
Paul

[BatBoySings]

Thanks for responding Paul! Well, I have no experience with routers or switches and have no idea which ones, if any, are usable for streaming VEPro5 audio from slave computers.

Is a Router or Switch the same as, say, this OWC Thunderbolt 2 Dock?:

https://www.owcdigital.com/products/thunderbolt/thunderbolt-2-dock-overview

If this works then I'm fine.  If not the OWC, then what kind of router or switch would be best to slave two Macs running VEPRO5 to my master Mac using Thunderbolt (or even Ethernet from my slave 1, a Mac Mini)?

Thanks and cheers!

[Paul]

Hi, 

We have had a few reports where Thunderbolt Docks were causing troubles with VE PRO in the network, but you can of course give it a try. Not sure about the audio interface here either... 

QUESTION TO THE FORUM: Does anyone have more experience with Tunderbolt Docks and a similar setup?

Regarding Routers, I´d go for one of the bestselling standard routers. 

Best, 
Paul