KVM Issues

[Champman99]

Hi All - Here's the situation / problem

My study is a relatively small room which currently consists of

1) My main gaming rig, which is connected to 3*24" monitors.

2) My Amahi Server

3) My work laptop, Lenovo T420 with Lenovo Docking Mini Dock Series 3.

Basically I want to be able to use my nice keyboard and mouse with all the PCs. I can connect to the server with VNC which is fine, however often I need to be ablet to do things pre-boot etc which of course is not fine. The work laptop I am not allowed to install a VNC server, so this is out of the question. The monitors I can cope with because my monitors have multiple inputs and therefore I can connect everything up to them constantly and switch between them on the monitors themselves.

I actualy without doing too much research purchased a D-Link 4 port USB KVM switch, because it was the cheapest I could find from a brand I had heard of with option of 4 computers and USB peripherals. However neither my keyboard or mouse work through it on any of the PCs. Having done a bit more research it seems the K60 (my keyboard) doesn't work through practically any KVMs, and the mouse (Sidewinder X8) as its wireless hybrid seems like it possibly draws too much power or uses non standard driver.

It seems such a simple device that I'm in need of. All I need is 2 USB in, 6 USB Out, and some sort of switch to go between them, it doesnt have to mess around with drivers or anything, surely it just needs to be a physical switch?! How does such a device not exist?! Or am I completely missing something. All the devices described as USB Switches seem to be designed as USB-B devices, printers etc.

Not sure this is really networking, but as the KVM makers all seem to be networking companies, and the retailers put them under networking, seemed the most appropriate place for the topic. As always, please move if there is somewhere more approrpirate.

Many thanks in anticipation

[burble]

It sounds like it won't be an option for your work laptop, but have you looked at Synergy? I've used it in the past to have a single keyboard and mouse for my desktop, work laptop and Mac Mini.

[Champman99]

Yeah, i had come across Synergy in my searches. Looked like a good solution for windows. But the rules on work PC, and the fact that for the server its out-of-OS control that I ideally want mean its not working.

I'm thinking of trying

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B...ls_o00_s00_i00

Looks like it might be a bit more manual, just a physical connection between the USB ports. I'd need 1 for keyboard and 1 for mouse, but is a possible solution. These devices all seem to be designed for Printers/Scanners so I'm not sure they will work. But if its just a physical USB connection I can't see why not!