Problem with monitor/keyboard/mouse switch

Guy Fraser guy at incentre.net
Mon Apr 26 20:12:59 UTC 2004



Dave wrote:

>---- Original Message ----- 
>From: "jludwig" <wralphie at comcast.net>
>To: "For users of Fedora Core releases" <fedora-list at redhat.com>
>Sent: Monday, April 26, 2004 2:24 PM
>Subject: Re: Problem with monitor/keyboard/mouse switch
>
>
>  
>
>>On Mon, 2004-04-26 at 04:55, Chadley Wilson wrote:
>>    
>>
>>>On Sun, 2004-04-25 at 21:30, Peter Bürger wrote:
>>>      
>>>
>>>>Hello,
>>>>
>>>>I've a problem with my monitor/keyboard/mouse switch. I don't know
>>>>how it's called in english.
>>>>        
>>>>
>>>Sorry for the late response, just FYI it called a KVM switch box
>>>(Keyboard, Video, Mouse)
>>>I have about 40 of them various models. They all drop the mouse in
>>>windows linux and os2.
>>>Some of mine are digital and some are manual. By digital I mean the ones
>>>that have a power supply and you can switch computers using the
>>>keyboard.
>>>
>>>Cheers Chad
>>>      
>>>
>>As far as keyboard dropping, I don't know about this, but certain
>>systems (hardware) I have seen, and had, lose PS2 and bus mice just by
>>unplugging the mouse.
>>Reinitializing the mouse restored it though.
>>>From what I understand though the switch should preclude this problem.
>>-- 
>>jludwig <wralphie at comcast.net>
>>    
>>
>
>>From what I understand there are 2 types of KVM switches, a "Pass-through"
>and a "Store and Forward" type.  I've tried the Pass-through and they don't
>work in my situation either, drops the mouse & keyboard (USB) on my notebook
>& Linux firewall (Smoothwall).  I talked with the manufacturerof the one I
>tried and they suggested I try a more expensive "store and forward" type,
>which most product sheets do not list.
>
>I am now waiting for another manufacturer to get back to me before I try
>purchacing another KVM.
>Dave
>
I have a D-Link 4-Port PS2 KVM at home and it works perfectly with Linux, FreeBSD, Win98 and Win XP.

At work we have a Belkin 16-Port PS2 KVM and it works perfectly as well.

In the past we had other KVM's that did not work as well, we ended up not being able to use the mouse port on the windows machines and had to attach a mouse to each machine {what a mess that was}.

A good KVM with 'keep alive' support is going to cost at least US$25 per port, so if you find a 4 port KVM for under US$100 it likely won't have support for keyboard and mouse "keep alive".

Good luck






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