Is there such a thing as just a USB switch?

matt100

matt100

matt100

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I might be being incredibly dim but rest assured I have googled this to death..

Basically I have my main PC under the desk, the monitor on the desk and a little stand for my work macbook pro next to it.

I use an Apple keyboard and the USB dongle for the wireless mouse is plugged into it.

All I want to be able to do is have a little switch somewhere so I don't have to keep swapping the USB lead between the PC and the Mac for the KB/mouse?

I don't need a fully fledged KVM as they're both connected to the monitor by independant HDMI leads.

I assumed something like this would be very straightforward and inexpensive?!

I also don't want a KVM as they're so damn ugly and I've spend time making sure everything is clean and tidy.

HALP!
 
So you want to have two separate USB leads, one going to your PC and the other to your Macbook wired into a switch that goes to your keyboard?

There a few products for sharing a printer or other USB B connector type with two PCs which is what you are asking for but for USB A connectors.

Something like Konig 2-Way USB 2.0 Manual Share Switch with a couple of USB A to B

Still not pretty though.
 
I had one here same as what tealc showed up. It was hitty missy sometimes, though that might have been the computers or the switch itself. The one I got looked the same, but was in a no-brand packet.
 
http://www.aten.com/products/produc...t=2011011816087001&prdInput=20110118160828001

Also not sure if they still do them but ATEN used to do what was basically an inline KVM for 2 PCs which was basically a cable with a small box with just a switch on for swapping between the 2 but that was PS2 w/ single USB not sure if they do a full USB version.

Maybe the laptop one at the bottom of the first page would be of use:

http://www.aten.com/products/produc...=20110118144659001&prdInput=20110118144737001
 
I have one called

Cerulian 4 Port USB 2.0 Switching hub

It claims no drivers are required, however mine works on windows, but not on my OpenBSD machine, so i'm guessing drivers are required... If it's just for Windows machines, it would be fine... It claims to support Mac too.

Can't say where I got it, but a quick google search will take you to it :)
 
how odd, the peripheral switches look to be USB A to B so like the fat printer style ports on the back.

I had totally assumed it would be easy as USB seems to be cool with hot swapping.

I'll check out a software thing, its not the end of the world and when I'm working all I really need is my iTunes and I can control that with my iPhone, the only issue comes when the only time I really want to get access urgently is to turn the music off when the phone rings but then the phone is ringing so I can't use it lol!

Bloody computers!
 
GaryH-21 said:
I have one called

Cerulian 4 Port USB 2.0 Switching hub

It claims no drivers are required, however mine works on windows, but not on my OpenBSD machine, so i'm guessing drivers are required... If it's just for Windows machines, it would be fine... It claims to support Mac too.

Can't say where I got it, but a quick google search will take you to it :)
Click to expand...

but that doesn't appear to be a switch it's just a hub? i.e. you plug a bunch of USB devices into it then it into 1 PC, I need to plug it into 2 and basically flip a switch between the 2 to decide which one is using the keyboard/mouse.
 
matt100 said:
but that doesn't appear to be a switch it's just a hub? i.e. you plug a bunch of USB devices into it then it into 1 PC, I need to plug it into 2 and basically flip a switch between the 2 to decide which one is using the keyboard/mouse.
Click to expand...

It can connect to 2 PC's.

4 USB's on the front for your devices, then you connect a USB cable from each PC into the back of it :) There's a button on the top you just click, and it switches machine
 
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